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Backgrounds: The adenoma‐carcinoma and serrated pathways offer a window of opportunity for the removal of pre‐malignant polyps and prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC) through the use of colonoscopy. The aim of this study was to investigate variation in polyp incidence in different age groups, gender and indications for undertaking colonoscopy. We also address histological types of polyps found and where in the bowel they are located. Methods: This study is based on the colonoscopy data collected prospectively over a one‐year period in multiple South Australian rural centres, 24 general surgeons contributed to this study. All histopathology results were subsequently entered into the dataset. Results: A total of 3497 colonoscopies were performed, with a total of 2221 adenomatous and serrated polyps removed. Both serrated and adenomatous polyps were more common in the distal colon. Patients of male gender, aged 70 years and over and with an indication of polyp surveillance had higher adenoma and serrated polyp detection rates (ADR and SPDR). Patients aged 40–49 years old who underwent colonoscopy for positive faecal occult blood had an ADR and SPDR of 25.0% and 6.3%, respectively. Conclusions: This study has shown variation in ADR and SPDR depending on age, gender and indication for colonoscopy. This variation will help further develop key performance indicators in colonoscopy. The high ADR and SPDR in patients aged 40–49 years old whom underwent colonoscopy for positive faecal occult blood may support lowering the age of commencement of CRC screening in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a shortage of surgeons caring for the 33% of Australians residing in rural and regional areas. In order to help appreciate what rural general surgery entails and optimize training for aspiring rural surgeons, the aim of this study was to analyse the general surgical departments' procedural caseload and casemix in four rural South Australian hospitals. Methods: This is a retrospective multi‐centre study involving four rural surgical centres in South Australia (Mt Gambier, Whyalla, Port Augusta, and Port Lincoln). Surgical procedures performed from 2014–2020 were extracted from departmental audits. To identify trends of surgical procedure over time, the data was divided into three time periods (Period 1: February 2014–December 2015, Period 2: January 2016–December 2017, Period 3: January 2018–March 2020). Results: A total of 44 191 surgical procedures were performed, 70.2% being day procedures. 54% were endoscopic procedures, 46% were operative procedures. 60.6% of the operative procedures were general surgery procedures. 28.5% were general surgery‐based subspecialty (colorectal, hepato‐pancreato‐biliary, upper gastrointestinal, and breast). 10.9% were non‐general surgery‐based subspecialty (urology, plastics, vascular, orthopaedics, head and neck, and obstetrics and gynaecology). There were no statistically significant fluctuations in procedure caseload in all aspects (endoscopic and operative procedures) over the three time periods. Conclusion: The majority of a rural Australian general surgeon's procedures are endoscopic. Operative procedures are mainly general surgery based. It may be beneficial to equip aspiring rural general surgeons to manage basic non‐general surgery procedures (urological, vascular, and orthopaedic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]