Comparison of surgical outcomes among infants in neonatal intensive care units treated by pediatric surgeons versus general surgeons: The need for pediatric surgery specialists

Abstract

Purpose This study compared the outcomes of infants who underwent surgery in neonatal intensive care units by pediatric surgeons and by general surgeons.

Methods This was a retrospective study of infants who underwent surgery in neonatal intensive care units between 2010 and 2014. A total of 227 patients were included. Of these patients, 116 were operated on by pediatric surgeons (PS) and 111 were operated on by general surgeons (GS). The outcome measures were the overall rate of operative complications, unplanned reoperation, mortality rate, length of stay, operative time, and number of total number of operative procedures.

Results The overall operative complication rate was higher in the GS group compared with the PS group (18.7% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.0091). The rate of unplanned reoperations was also higher in the GS group (10.8% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.0331). The median operation time (90 min vs. 75 min, p = 0.0474) and median length of stay (24 days vs. 18 days, p = 0.0075) were significantly longer in the GS group. The adjusted odd ratios of postoperative complications for GS were 2.9 times higher than that of PS (OR 2.90, p = 0.0352).

Conclusions The operative quality and patient outcomes of the PS group were superior to those of the GS group.

Level of evidence III.