High-Volume Anesthesiologist and Surgeon Teams are Associated with Lower Operating Room Charges for Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy.

Ann Surg Oncol · 2026

retrospective_cohort · Level III

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Anesthesiologist and surgeon experience are associated with improved outcomes and lower costs in various oncologic procedures. The role of the anesthesiologist-surgeon dyad on outcomes and charges for cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) has not been studied. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC at a single quaternary center from 2016 to 2023. High-volume anesthesiologists (ANES) and surgeons (SURG) were defined as those in the top quartile of cases for their respective position (ANES: 10 cases, SURG: 87 cases). The study cohort was then divided into four subcohorts based on anesthesiologist and surgeon volume: low-volume anesthesiologist and surgeon (LALS), high-volume anesthesiologist and low-volume surgeon (HALS), low-volume anesthesiologist and high-volume surgeon (LAHS), and high-volume anesthesiologist and surgeon (HAHS). RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 237 patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC from 2016 to 2023. Median age was 59 years (interquartile range 48-66). Most patients were female (n = 135, 57%), White (n = 174, 73%), and privately insured (n = 134, 57%). The HAHS cohort had the lowest median total ($99,921, p = 0.603), operating room ($33,560, p = 0.266), and other ($11,384, p = 0.437) charges compared with the other cohorts. After adjusting for patient complexity, the HAHS cohort had significantly lower operating room charges (estimate -$5784, 95% confidence interval [-$11,076 to -$491], p = 0.032), length of stay (- 4.77 days, [- 9.04 to - 0.51 days], p = 0.029), and odds of delayed extubation (odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval [0.65-0.98], p = 0.029) compared with the LALS cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The HAHS teams are associated with significantly lower operating room charges, length of stay, and delayed extubation compared with LALS teams in CRS-HIPEC.