Optimal Outcomes in Emergency Intra-Abdominal Surgery: Surgeon Volume Trumps Hospital Volume

A meta-analysis scrutinizing 33 cohort studies explores the impact of hospital and surgeon volume on mortality in intra-abdominal emergency surgery. High hospital volume proves beneficial overall, except for low-complexity procedures, while high surgeon volume consistently associates with lower mortality. Notably, mortality is significantly lower when high-volume surgeons operate in low-volume hospitals. The findings advocate prioritizing surgeon volume over hospital volume for improved outcomes in emergency intra-abdominal surgery.