Impact of surgeon organization and specialization in rectal cancer outcome.

Purpose The present study was designed to assess the differences in the outcome of patients with rectal cancer treated by a group of surgeons before and after being organized as a Coloproctology Unit at the same University Department of Surgery. Methods Comparison of two periods of rectal cancer surgery: I (1986–91) and II (1992–95). Period I: 94 patients were operated on by 14 general surgeons. Period II: 108 patients were operated on by only 4 surgeons of the same group organized as a Colorectal Surgery Unit after visiting referral centres abroad, adopting techniques such as total mesorectal excision (TME) for middle and low rectal cancer and washout of rectal stump. Mean follow-up during…