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. 2023 Jan 11;38(1):9. doi: 10.1007/s00384-022-04303-7

Table 2.

Outcomes of patients operated by surgeons during and after achieving the learning curve

During learning curve After learning curve p
112 362
Operating time (median (IQR)) 221 [189, 253] 178 [139, 225]  < 0.001
Conversion (n, %) 4 (3.6) 14 (3.8) 0.54
Intra-operative complications (n, %) Ureter/urethra injury (n, %) 1 (0.9) 2 (0.6) 0.77
Bladder injury (n, %) 0 (0.0) 2 (0.6)
Vagina injury (n, %) 2 (1.8) 2 (0.6)
Other 4 (3.6) 8 (2.2)
Surgical procedure (%) APR 45 (40.2) 125 (34.5) 0.24
LAR + anastomosis 56 (50.0) 212 (58.6)
LAR + stoma 11 (9.8) 25 (6.9)
30-day surgical morbidity (n, %) 24 (21.4) 132 (36.5) 0.004
Anastomotic leakage (n, %) 3 (5.3) 28 (13.1) 0.15
Abcess (n, %) 2 (1.8) 23 (6.4) 0.10
Bleeding (n, %) 2 (1.8) 14 (3.9) 0.44
Ileus (n, %) 12 (10.7) 66 (18.2) 0.08
Wound infection (n, %) 4 (3.6) 18 (5.0) 0.72
Clavien–Dindo > IIIa (n, %) 11 (9.8) 55 (15.3) 0.19
30-day mortality (n, %) 0 (0.0) 7 (1.9) 0.30
LOS (median (IQR)) 6 [5, 8] 6 [4, 11] 0.71
Reintervention (n, %) 10 (8.9) 55 (15.2) 0.13
Readmission (n, %) 15 (13.4) 64 (17.7) 0.36
CRM + (n, %) 7 (6.2) 20 (5.5) 0.96
incomplete TME (n, %) 1 (0.9) 12 (3.3) 0.30
Compound pathological outcome (n, %) 8 (7.1) 29 (8.0) 0.92

IQR interquartile range, LOS length of (hospital) stay, CRM + positive circumferential margin, TME total mesorectal excision