title: Is the critical pathway effective for the treatment of gastric cancer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to investigate the low compliance rate of the critical pathway (CP) and whether CP is effective for treatment of gastric cancer in radical gastrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 631 patients who had undergone radical gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection were reviewed. This study compared data from patients in early gastric cancer (EGC) and advanced gastric cancer (AGC) groups, which were further subdivided into general care (non-CP) and CP groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean length of preoperative hospital stays were significantly different between the EGC and AGC patients (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference in the mean length of postoperative hospital stays between non-CP and CP groups among either EGC patients or AGC patients (P > 0.05). The postoperative and total cost of hospitalization was not statistically different between either of the groups (P > 0.05); however, the mean preoperative costs were significantly different (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that use of the CP following gastrectomy is unnecessary. To decrease the length of hospital stay and associated costs, preoperative examination and consultation should be performed before admission.
authors: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sang-Ho
authors: SH
authors: Jeong
authors: Moon-Won
authors: MW
authors: Yoo
authors: Hong-Man
authors: HM
authors: Yoon
authors: Hyuk-Joon
authors: HJ
authors: Lee
authors: Hye Sung
authors: HS
authors: Ahn
authors: Jae-Jin
authors: JJ
authors: Cho
authors: Hyung-Ho
authors: HH
authors: Kim
authors: Kuhn-Uk
authors: KU
authors: Lee
authors: Han-Kwang
authors: HK
authors: Yang