The effect of time between procedures upon the proficiency gain period for minimally invasive esophagectomy

Background Complex surgical procedures including minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) are commonly associated with a period of proficiency gain. We aim to study the effect of reduced procedural interval upon the number of cases required to gain proficiency and adverse patient outcomes during this period from MIE. Methods All adult patients undergoing MIE for esophageal cancer in England from 2002 to 2012 were identified from Hospital Episode...