Ninh T. Nguyen, MD
UCI Health clinicians have found that common types of colon surgery have better outcomes when performed by colorectal surgery specialists compared with general surgeons, according to a study published this month in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
The research team from the UCI Department of Surgery and members of the UCI Health Digestive Health Institute examined outcomes data for two common procedures done by general or colorectal surgeons: elective and urgent colectomies, a procedure in which part or all of the colon is removed; and elective proctectomies, a procedure to remove all or part of the rectum.
The team’s analysis of a national academic clinical database found that elective colectomies and elective proctectomies were associated with lower rates of complications and mortality when performed by a colorectal specialist as compared to a general surgeon.
Read more: https://www.ucihealth.org/news/2024/03/colorectal-surgery-specialization