Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39422461›Full record

ArticleANZ journal of surgery2025

Association between volume and cost in low-resection volume regions: a population-level study on pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer patients.

Ling Li, Nanda Aryal, Khalia Ackermann, Neil Merrett, Arthur Richardson, Johanna I Westbrook, Susan Dunn, Vincent Lam

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in ANZ journal of surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Assessing the interplay of operative volume at the hospital and surgeon level for pancreatic cancer.HPB : the official journal of the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ling LiAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1642-142X
Nanda AryalAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.
Khalia AckermannAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9868-9456
Neil MerrettDiscipline of Surgery, Western Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8370-0293
Arthur RichardsonANU Medical School, ANU College of Health & Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Johanna I WestbrookAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1083-8192
Susan DunnActivity Based Management, NSW Ministry of Health, New South Wales, Australia.
Vincent LamDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5566-4769

Funding

Cancer Institute NSW (Innovation in Cancer Control Grant)NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Leadership Fellowship 1174021
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is a highly complex, invasive, and costly surgical procedure. Limited evidence on the PD volume-cost relationship in countries with a low population density exists. This study aimed to investigate this issue in Australia.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study included pancreatic cancer patients who had a PD at any public hospital in New South Wales, Australia between 2016 and 2019. The primary outcome was the total hospital cost during PD admission (not including patient financial burden). Study hospitals were grouped into low-volume hospitals (LVHs; <10 PDs per annum) or high-volume hospitals (HVHs). Multivariable modelling was applied to examine the association between volume and cost.

resultsOf 443 PDs, the median total hospital cost per patient at HVHs was AU$55398; significantly lower than that at LVHs (AU$62859; P = 0.001). After adjusting for available patient and clinical factors, the total cost per patient at LVHs was 22% higher than that of HVHs (adjusted estimate: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.08-1.37; P = 0.002). Similar patterns were found in three main cost components: 24% higher employee cost at LVHs than at HVHs (1.24, 95% CI: 1.10-1.41; P < 0.001), 15% higher operating cost (1.15, 95% CI: 1.00-1.31; P = 0.047), and 31% higher other costs (1.31, 95% CI: 1.12-1.53; P < 0.001).

conclusionPerformance of PDs at HVHs was associated with substantially lower hospital costs. Our findings demonstrate the likely economic benefit of centralizing PDs in countries with a relatively low population density. Future studies should investigate related patient financial burdens.

Indexed as

Hospital CostsHospitals, High-VolumeHospitals, Low-VolumePancreatic NeoplasmsPancreaticoduodenectomyAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNew South WalesRetrospective StudiesHigh‐volume hospitalshospital costslow‐volume hospitalspancreatic neoplasmspancreatoduodenectomy

Identifiers

PMID39422461
PMCPMC11937732

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.