Abstract
Background: Throughout the 1990s the number of radical prostatectomies (RP) performed annually in England increased nearly 20-fold (1), despite the absence of robust evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of this procedure. In 1999, a third of procedures were performed in low volume hospitals (1). In 2002 NICE guidelines recommended that RPs should not be carried out in hospitals performing fewer than 50 radical procedures (prostatectomies or cystectomies) per year.
Methods: We have used the Hospital Episode Statistics from 1991/2 onwards to analyse recent trends in RP in England.
Results: Preliminary analyses show that the number of RPs performed in the UK doubled between 1996 to 1999 (from 378 to 772) and doubled again between 1999 and 2002 (from 772 per year to 1561 per year). We are extending this analysis to examine trends in the 3 years after the NICE guidance and up to 2005. We will stratify our assessment of trends subsequent to 2002 according to whether or not the procedure was carried out in a low volume hospital.
Discussion: This analysis will provide an assessment of the implementation of NICE guidance and the continuing epidemic rise in use of radical prostatectomy in England.
(1) Oliver SE et al. Recent trends in the use of radical prostatectomy in England: the epidemiology of diffusion. BJU International 2003; 91: 331-36
| Translated title of the contribution | Trends in the use of radical prostatectomy in England |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Title of host publication | Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference, Glasgow |
| Publication status | Published - 5 Jun 2006 |