A framework for Surgical Quality Assurance (SQA) in randomized controlled trials in gastrointestinal surgery: an international Delphi consensus study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in gastrointestinal surgery often lack standardized approaches to Surgical Quality Assurance (SQA), which threatens both internal and external validity. The technical complexity and inherent inter-surgeon variability in gastrointestinal procedures pose significant challenges for standardizing interventions and ensuring reproducible outcomes. SQA involves credentialing of surgeons, standardization of surgical techniques, and monitoring of performance, but consensus on essential components has been missing. To address this gap, we conducted a four-round Delphi consensus process with 40 international experts in gastrointestinal surgery and clinical trials.

Methods

Experts from 15 countries were invited to rate the relevance of pote

SUBMITTER: van der Aa DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12661345 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature