P1153 Hospital surgical volumes and outcomes in ileocaecal resection for Crohn’s disease in Sweden 2000-2019: A national cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Background Intestinal resection for Crohn’s disease (CD) is often complex and remains associated with significant postoperative morbidity. In several other types of complex surgery, increased case volumes have been associated with better outcomes. In surgery for CD, such an association has not yet been demonstrated. Methods In this nationwide cohort study, we used the National Patient Register to identify all CD patients who underwent their first (primary) ileocaecal resection in Sweden 2000-2019 at age 15 years or above. Hospitals were grouped into low, middle, and high-volume centres based on the number of intestinal resections for CD the previous calendar year (1-24, 25-36 and ≥37 resections, respectively). Length of hospital stay, severe postoperative complications and deaths during the first 100 days after the date of index surgical admission were compared between groups, and adjusted for sex, age, duration of disease, preoperative corticosteroid therapy, and year of surgery. Rates of surgical reintervention were used as a measure of severe postoperative morbidity. Results In the 20-year study period, 3396 patients underwent primary ileocaecal resection for CD in Sweden; 2371 (69.8%), 527 (15.5%) and 498 (14.7%) in low, middle, and high-volume hospitals, respectively. Median age at surgery was 41, 39 and 34 years, respectively, and the proportion of patients with a diagnostic record of perianal disease was 9, 10 and 16%. Sex, extraintestinal manifestations and preoperative medical therapies and hospital admissions did not differ between hospital types. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 351 (15%), 126 (24%) and 122 (24%) patients, respectively. Surgical reintervention within 100 days was performed in 117 (4.9%), 19 (3.6%) and 13 (2.6%) patients in the three groups (adjusted odds ratios 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.43-1.15) for middle-volume and 0.52 (0.28-0.89) for high-volume hospitals, compared to low-volume hospitals, Figure). There were no differences in the length of index admission hospital stay or mortality. Conclusion In primary ileocaecal resection for CD, high-volume hospitals had lower odds of early surgical reintervention, compared to low-volume hospitals. This finding may inform considerations of subspecialisation and centralisation in surgery for Crohn’s disease.