Table 4 Surgical and pathological characteristics according to the inflection points in the three learning curves

Consecutive. of patients

1–42

43–104

1–43

44–75

76–104

1–68

69–98

Total operation time, min, median (IQR)

295.0 (251.0–330.0)

220.0 (180.0–240.0)

< 0.001

290.0 (250.–330.0)

228.5 (211.5–255.5)

199.0 (180.0–238.0)

256.0 (220.0–308.5)

199.5 (180.0–239.5)

< 0.001

Intraoperative blood loss, mL, median (IQR)

100.0 (57.5–200.0)

100.0 (50.0–100.0)

0.173

100.0 (65.0–200.0)

100.0 (50.0–100.0)

100.0 (50.0–100.0)

100.0 (50.0–100.0)

100.0 (50.0–100.0)

0.491

Anastomotic technique, n (%)

< 0.001

0.092

    Manual

15 (35.7%)

11 (17.7%)

16 (37.2%)

6 (18.8%)

4 (13.8%)

22 (32.4%)

4 (13.3%)

    Stapled

18 (42.9%)

50 (80.6%)

18 (41.9%)

26 (81.2%)^*

24 (82.8%)#

43 (63.2%)

25 (83.3%)

    Stapled and reinforced manually

3 (7.1%)

1 (1.6%)

3 (7.0%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (3.4%)

3 (4.4%)

1 (3.3%)

    None

6 (14.3%)

0 (0.0%)

6 (14.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

NA

NA

Stoma creation, n (%)

0.003

0.010

    None

1 (2.4%)

5 (8.1%)

1 (2.3%)

0 (0.0%)

5 (17.2%)&

29 (42.6%)

0 (0.0%)

    Diverting loop ileostomy

35 (83.3%)

57 (91.9%)

36 (83.7%)

32 (100.0%)*

24 (82.8%)&

39 (57.4%)

30 (100.0%)

    Permanent colostomy

6 (14.3%)

0 (0.0%)

6 (14.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

NA

NA

Transanal tube use, n (%)

18 (42.9%)

54 (87.1%)

< 0.001

19 (44.2%)

24 (75.0%)^*

29 (100.0%)#&

39 (57.4%)

30 (100.0%)

< 0.001

Conversion to open, n (%)

2 (4.8%)

0 (0.0%)

0.161

2 (4.7%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0

0

NA

Reoperation, n (%)

1 (2.4%)

2 (3.2%)

0.801

1 (2.3%)

2 (6.2%)

0 (0.0%)

2 (2.9%)

0 (0.0%)

1.0