title: Is it safe? Appendectomies at night at a low-volume center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent literature reports an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in nonemergency operations performed during nonregular duty hours at large institutions. Of the nonemergency operations performed after regular duty hours, appendectomies remain the most common. The study seeks to answer the question as to whether it is safe to continue performing appendectomies during non-normal duty hours at a low-volume institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is a retrospective cohort review examining 102 appendectomies for suspected appendicitis over a 46-month period from July 2005 to May 2010. The total number of cases, gender, type of procedure, start and stop time, and complications were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Keesler Medical Center, located on Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with appendectomies for presumed appendicitis observed between July 2005 and May 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistical difference was found between complication rates during off-duty hours and normal duty hours at our institution (p = 0.619; odds ratio = 0.34722, 95% confidence interval = 0.035-2.45).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performing appendectomies after regular-duty hours at our institution does not increase the risk of mortality and morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi 39534, USA. andrew.hall.2@us.af.mil
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banks
mesh_terms: D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors