Introduction
For gastric neoplasms, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a well-known therapeutic option. Our study aimed to investigate the influence of procedural volume on the outcome of gastric ESD.
Aims & Methods
Patients who received ESD for gastric cancer or adenoma from November 2011 to December 2017 were identified using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The diagnostic and procedure codes were combined to develop operational definitions, which were validated using individual hospital medical record data. Outcomes included bleeding, perforation, pneumonia, 30-day mortality, composite outcome comprising all these adverse outcomes, and additional resection. Hospital volume was categorized into four groups: very high-, high-, low-, very low-volume hospitals (VHVH, HVH, LVH, VLVH). The outcomes of ESD were compared in relation to hospital volume.
Results
A total of 89,780 patients underwent 95,411 procedures during the research period. There were 5,607 composite events, which included 5,098 bleeding, 601 perforation, and 712 pneumonia cases, respectively. Additional resection occurred within 180days in 7,900 cases. There were significant differences in ESD-related adverse outcomes among the four hospital volume categories. Multiple logistic regression revealed that VHVH, HVH, and LVH were associated with lower risk of a composite outcome, when compared to VLVH (OR, 0.627, 95% CI, 0.445-0.885, p=0.008; OR, 0.542, 95% CI, 0.406-0.722, p<0.001; OR, 0.697, 95% CI, 0.548-0.886, p=0.003). Similar tendencies were also shown for bleeding, perforation, and pneumonia, although this was not evident in additional resection.
Conclusion
The procedural volume at an institutional level was closely associated with clinical outcomes, such as bleeding, perforation, pneumonia, and a composite outcome, in patients with ESD for gastric cancer or adenoma. The outcomes of gastric ESD should be closely and systemically monitored in a nationwide level, to ensure the quality of procedures and the safety of patients.