Operative Volume of Newborn Surgery in German University Hospitals: High Volume Versus Low Volume Centers
Topic overview
Analysis of 2,162 neonatal surgeries across 19 German university hospitals reveals significant volume disparities, with 58% classified as low-volume centers performing fewer than 34 cases annually. Only 40-56% of rare congenital malformations are treated at high-volume centers, raising concerns about surgical training, research capacity, and quality of care for these complex conditions.
Key takeaways
- Only 51% of expected newborn surgical cases are treated at German academic centers, indicating significant care fragmentation.
- 58% of university hospitals qualify as low-volume centers, with median caseload of only 101 cases over 3 years per institution.
- High-volume centers treat 39-56% of cases depending on condition, with no single malformation concentrated above 60%.
- Decentralization threatens surgeon training and research capacity due to insufficient individual exposure to rare congenital anomalies.
- Centralization of neonatal surgery to fewer high-volume academic centers may be necessary to maintain quality and expertise.
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