[Liver surgery in Denmark 2002-2007].
BACKGROUND
We evaluated the organisation, management and outcome for patients undergoing elective liver resection in Denmark in the period 2002-2007.


METHODS
Nationwide data based on the National Patient Registry and discharge information from hospital departments in the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2007 were analysed.


RESULTS
Twenty-three departments performed 818 resections with five departments performing 96% and 18 departments performing 4% of the operations. The amount of non-anatomical resections constituted 30% (248 of 818) of the resections. The median postoperative stay was nine days, and the hospital mortality rate was 3.9%, distributed between 2.4% for non-anatomical resections, 2.9% for segmental resections and 5.2% for right-sided hepatectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
The number of treated patients was too small as was the number referred to highly specialised liver surgery units. Moreover, the amount of non-anatomical resections was too high as was the average postoperative stay and the hospital mortality rate. In future, we propose that liver resections be centralised in 2-3 hospitals each capable of providing all the following services: surgery, hepatology, oncology and interventional radiology.
Arhus Universitetshospital, Arhus sygehus, Afdeling L, Sundhedsstyrelsen.
Lone S
LS
Jensen
Frank V
FV
Mortensen
Maria Gerding
MG
Iversen
Anette
A
Jørgensen
Preben
P
Kirkegaard
Henrik
H
Kehlet
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D012042:Registries; D055815:Young Adult