Impact of Surgeon Experience on Clinical Outcomes in Cardiovascular Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of surgeons' experience (10–20 years vs. over 20 years) on clinical outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgeries, considering the multidisciplinary nature of cardiovascular surgery and the critical role of experience in influencing mortality, morbidity, and complications. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted, including 201 patients who underwent elective or emergency CABG between 2019 and 2024 at a single tertiary center. Patients were grouped based on the experience level of their surgeons. Demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected from hospital records. Results: Patients operated on by surgeons with over 20 years of experience had significantly higher rates of hypertension (83% vs. 70.3%; p=0.033) but showed no significant differences in mortality (3% vs. 2%; p=0.170) or complication rates (7% vs. 9.9%; p=0.460). Intraoperative parameters, such as cross-clamp time and cardiopulmonary bypass time, did not differ significantly between the groups (p>0.05). Weak positive correlations were found between cross-clamp time and postoperative ICU stay (r=0.189; p=0.007), as well as cardiopulmonary bypass time and ICU stay (r=0.205; p=0.003). Conclusions: Surgeons' experience levels influence certain clinical outcomes, particularly in managing high-risk patients. However, mortality and complication rates appear to depend more on multidisciplinary care and standardized protocols than on individual experience. Future studies should explore these dynamics across broader patient populations and different surgical procedures to optimize cardiovascular surgical practices.