Should we continue oesophageal surgery in a district general hospital? A review of 200 consecutive cases.
A series of 200 oesophageal resections is presented. The results show that acceptable standards are obtainable in a district general hospital (DGH) thus favouring the suggestion that such services could be organised by 'networking' rather than centralisation. This avoids the disadvantages to many DGH patients which follow centralisation.
Dickson
G H
GH
Upper Gastro-Intestinal Unit, Worthing & Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust, Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 2DH, UK. geo.m.dick@talk21.com
Waters
R
R
Bull
J
J
Kaul
V
V
Sitzia
J
J
D000368:Aged; D004739:England; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000458:organization & administration; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011446:Prospective Studies