Pelvic reservoir with S-pouch: can surgeons evaluate the results of their own operations?
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to evaluate whether operating surgeons could follow up the functional outcome of their own operations, without bias, by using standardized methods at follow-up.


METHODS
Fifty-five patients who received a pelvic reservoir with an S-pouch were evaluated regarding functional outcome after at least one year postoperative follow-up. The functional surgical outcome was evaluated by an internist especially trained in gastroenterology and the operating surgeon by using a standardized scale comprising eight functional variables.


RESULTS
None of the variables analyzed reached statistically significant difference between the two observers, and a high degree of agreement could be shown by using kappa and weighted kappa analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that it is possible for an operating surgeon to assess the postoperative surgical outcome using standardized methods at follow-up.
Ljung
T
T
Department of Hepatology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Monsén
U
U
Hultcrantz
R
R
Iselius
L
L
Svenberg
T
T
Poppen
B
B
D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000601:surgery*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000601:surgery; D003672:Defecation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D016737:Proctocolectomy, Restorative; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome