How long do we need teaching in the operating room? The true costs of achieving surgical routine

What Is the Influence of Simulation-Based Training Courses, the Learning Curve, Supervision, and Surgeon Volume on the Outcome in Hernia Repair?-A Systematic Review

Introduction: In hernia surgery, too, the influence of the surgeon on the outcome can be demonstrated. Therefore the role of the learning curve, supervised procedures by surgeons in training, simulation-based training courses and surgeon volume on patient outcome must be identified. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of the available literature was carried out in June 2018 using Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. For the present analysis 81 publications were identified as relevant. Results: Well-structured simulation-based training courses was found to be associated with a reduced perioperative complication rate for patients operated on by trainees. Open as well as, in particular, laparo-endoscopic hernia surgery procedures have a long learning curve. Its negative impact on the patient can be virtually eliminated through consistent supervision by experienced hernia surgeons. However, this presupposes availability of an adequate trainee caseload and of well-trained hernia surgeons and calls for a certain degree of centralization in hernia surgery. Conclusion: Training courses, learning curve, supervision, and surgeon volume are important aspects in training and outcomes in hernia surgery.

Tutorial Assistance for Board Certification in Surgery: Frequency, Associated Time and Cost

BACKGROUND

Tutorial assistance is related to extra time and cost, and the hospitals' financial compensation for this activity is under debate. We therefore aimed at quantifying the extra time and resulting cost required to train one surgical resident in the operating theatre for board certification in Switzerland as an example of a training curriculum involving several surgical subspecialties. Additionally, we intended to quantify the percentage of tutorial assistance.

METHODS

We analysed 200,700 operations carried out between 2008 and 2012. Median duration of procedure categories was calculated according to four different seniority levels. The extra time if the procedure was performed by residents, and resulting cost were analysed. The percentage of procedures carried out by residents as compared to more experienced surgeons was assessed over time.

RESULTS

On average, residents performed about a third of all operations including typical teaching procedures like appendectomies. An increase in duration and cost of well-defined procedures categories, e.g. cholecystectomies was demonstrated if a resident performed the procedure. In less well-defined categories, residents seemed to perform less difficult procedures than senior consultants resulting in shorter durations of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The financial impact of tutorial assistance is important, and solutions need to be found to compensate for this activity. The low percentage of procedures performed by trainees may make it difficult to fulfil requirements for board certification within a reasonable period of time. This should be addressed within the training curriculum.

International guidelines for groin hernia management

INTRODUCTION

Worldwide, more than 20 million patients undergo groin hernia repair annually. The many different approaches, treatment indications and a significant array of techniques for groin hernia repair warrant guidelines to standardize care, minimize complications, and improve results. The main goal of these guidelines is to improve patient outcomes, specifically to decrease recurrence rates and reduce chronic pain, the most frequent problems following groin hernia repair. They have been endorsed by all five continental hernia societies, the International Endo Hernia Society and the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery.

METHODS

An expert group of international surgeons (the HerniaSurge Group) and one anesthesiologist pain expert was formed. The group consisted of members from all continents with specific experience in hernia-related research. Care was taken to include surgeons who perform different types of repair and had preferably performed research on groin hernia surgery. During the Group's first meeting, evidence-based medicine (EBM) training occurred and 166 key questions (KQ) were formulated. EBM rules were followed in complete literature searches (including a complete search by The Dutch Cochrane database) to January 1, 2015 and to July 1, 2015 for level 1 publications. The articles were scored by teams of two or three according to Oxford, SIGN and Grade methodologies. During five 2-day meetings, results were discussed with the working group members leading to 136 statements and 88 recommendations. Recommendations were graded as "strong" (recommendations) or "weak" (suggestions) and by consensus in some cases upgraded. In the Results and summary section below, the term "should" refers to a recommendation. The AGREE II instrument was used to validate the guidelines. An external review was performed by three international experts. They recommended the guidelines with high scores. The risk factors for inguinal hernia (IH) include: family history, previous contra-lateral hernia, male gender, age, abnormal collagen metabolism, prostatectomy, and low body mass index. Peri-operative risk factors for recurrence include poor surgical techniques, low surgical volumes, surgical inexperience and local anesthesia. These should be considered when treating IH patients. IH diagnosis can be confirmed by physical examination alone in the vast majority of patients with appropriate signs and symptoms. Rarely, ultrasound is necessary. Less commonly still, a dynamic MRI or CT scan or herniography may be needed. The EHS classification system is suggested to stratify IH patients for tailored treatment, research and audit. Symptomatic groin hernias should be treated surgically. Asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic male IH patients may be managed with "watchful waiting" since their risk of hernia-related emergencies is low. The majority of these individuals will eventually require surgery; therefore, surgical risks and the watchful waiting strategy should be discussed with patients. Surgical treatment should be tailored to the surgeon's expertise, patient- and hernia-related characteristics and local/national resources. Furthermore, patient health-related, life style and social factors should all influence the shared decision-making process leading up to hernia management. Mesh repair is recommended as first choice, either by an open procedure or a laparo-endoscopic repair technique. One standard repair technique for all groin hernias does not exist. It is recommended that surgeons/surgical services provide both anterior and posterior approach options. Lichtenstein and laparo-endoscopic repair are best evaluated. Many other techniques need further evaluation. Provided that resources and expertise are available, laparo-endoscopic techniques have faster recovery times, lower chronic pain risk and are cost effective. There is discussion concerning laparo-endoscopic management of potential bilateral hernias (occult hernia issue). After patient consent, during TAPP, the contra-lateral side should be inspected. This is not suggested during unilateral TEP repair. After appropriate discussions with patients concerning results tissue repair (first choice is the Shouldice technique) can be offered. Day surgery is recommended for the majority of groin hernia repair provided aftercare is organized. Surgeons should be aware of the intrinsic characteristics of the meshes they use. Use of so-called low-weight mesh may have slight short-term benefits like reduced postoperative pain and shorter convalescence, but are not associated with better longer-term outcomes like recurrence and chronic pain. Mesh selection on weight alone is not recommended. The incidence of erosion seems higher with plug versus flat mesh. It is suggested not to use plug repair techniques. The use of other implants to replace the standard flat mesh in the Lichtenstein technique is currently not recommended. In almost all cases, mesh fixation in TEP is unnecessary. In both TEP and TAPP it is recommended to fix mesh in M3 hernias (large medial) to reduce recurrence risk. Antibiotic prophylaxis in average-risk patients in low-risk environments is not recommended in open surgery. In laparo-endoscopic repair it is never recommended. Local anesthesia in open repair has many advantages, and its use is recommended provided the surgeon is experienced in this technique. General anesthesia is suggested over regional in patients aged 65 and older as it might be associated with fewer complications like myocardial infarction, pneumonia and thromboembolism. Perioperative field blocks and/or subfascial/subcutaneous infiltrations are recommended in all cases of open repair. Patients are recommended to resume normal activities without restrictions as soon as they feel comfortable. Provided expertise is available, it is suggested that women with groin hernias undergo laparo-endoscopic repair in order to decrease the risk of chronic pain and avoid missing a femoral hernia. Watchful waiting is suggested in pregnant women as groin swelling most often consists of self-limited round ligament varicosities. Timely mesh repair by a laparo-endoscopic approach is suggested for femoral hernias provided expertise is available. All complications of groin hernia management are discussed in an extensive chapter on the topic. Overall, the incidence of clinically significant chronic pain is in the 10-12% range, decreasing over time. Debilitating chronic pain affecting normal daily activities or work ranges from 0.5 to 6%. Chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) is defined as bothersome moderate pain impacting daily activities lasting at least 3 months postoperatively and decreasing over time. CPIP risk factors include: young age, female gender, high preoperative pain, early high postoperative pain, recurrent hernia and open repair. For CPIP the focus should be on nerve recognition in open surgery and, in selected cases, prophylactic pragmatic nerve resection (planned resection is not suggested). It is suggested that CPIP management be performed by multi-disciplinary teams. It is also suggested that CPIP be managed by a combination of pharmacological and interventional measures and, if this is unsuccessful, followed by, in selected cases (triple) neurectomy and (in selected cases) mesh removal. For recurrent hernia after anterior repair, posterior repair is recommended. If recurrence occurs after a posterior repair, an anterior repair is recommended. After a failed anterior and posterior approach, management by a specialist hernia surgeon is recommended. Risk factors for hernia incarceration/strangulation include: female gender, femoral hernia and a history of hospitalization related to groin hernia. It is suggested that treatment of emergencies be tailored according to patient- and hernia-related factors, local expertise and resources. Learning curves vary between different techniques. Probably about 100 supervised laparo-endoscopic repairs are needed to achieve the same results as open mesh surgery like Lichtenstein. It is suggested that case load per surgeon is more important than center volume. It is recommended that minimum requirements be developed to certify individuals as expert hernia surgeon. The same is true for the designation "Hernia Center". From a cost-effectiveness perspective, day-case laparoscopic IH repair with minimal use of disposables is recommended. The development and implementation of national groin hernia registries in every country (or region, in the case of small country populations) is suggested. They should include patient follow-up data and account for local healthcare structures. A dissemination and implementation plan of the guidelines will be developed by global (HerniaSurge), regional (international societies) and local (national chapters) initiatives through internet websites, social media and smartphone apps. An overarching plan to improve access to safe IH surgery in low-resource settings (LRSs) is needed. It is suggested that this plan contains simple guidelines and a sustainability strategy, independent of international aid. It is suggested that in LRSs the focus be on performing high-volume Lichtenstein repair under local anesthesia using low-cost mesh. Three chapters discuss future research, guidelines for general practitioners and guidelines for patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The HerniaSurge Group has developed these extensive and inclusive guidelines for the management of adult groin hernia patients. It is hoped that they will lead to better outcomes for groin hernia patients wherever they live. More knowledge, better training, national audit and specialization in groin hernia management will standardize care for these patients, lead to more effective and efficient healthcare and provide direction for future research.

Learning curve of tonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the time required to sufficiently educate a well-trained surgeon to perform tonsillectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2008, we analyzed 110 patients who underwent bilateral tonsillectomy. All the procedures were performed by 16 ENT surgeons trained in the same tertiary referral medical center during their residency. This training included a 4-year training program before 2002, and a 5-year training program thereafter. We stratified the patients into groups according to each surgeon's residency year at the time the operations were performed. Operation time, estimated blood loss and length of hospital stay of these patients were compared by the surgeon's residency year and by different training program of residency.

RESULTS

There was a trend of decreased operation time in the senior year of residency, especially for 5th year surgeons, without reaching statistical significance. When comparing different training program, the operation time was statistically shorter in the 5-year training program than in the 4-year training program. However, no difference was noted in estimated blood loss and hospital stay length.

CONCLUSION

The operation time of residents in the 5-year training program was shorter than that of residents in the 4-year training program, which implies that extending the training program by one year may improve the quality of training.

A Virtual Reality Training Curriculum for Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery

OBJECTIVE

Training within a competency-based curriculum (CBC) outside the operating room enhances performance during real basic surgical procedures. This study aimed to design and validate a virtual reality CBC for an advanced laparoscopic procedure: sigmoid colectomy.

DESIGN

This was a multicenter randomized study. Novice (surgeons who had performed <5 laparoscopic colorectal resections as primary operator), intermediate (between 10 and 20), and experienced surgeons (>50) were enrolled. Validity evidence for the metrics given by the virtual reality simulator, the LAP Mentor, was based on the second attempt of each task in between groups. The tasks assessed were 3 modules of a laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy (medial dissection [MD], lateral dissection [LD], and anastomosis) and a full procedure (FP). Novice surgeons were randomized to 1 of 2 groups to perform 8 further attempts of all 3 modules or FP, for learning curve analysis.

SETTING

Two academic tertiary care centers-division of surgery of St. Mary's campus, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London and Nord Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, were involved.

PARTICIPANTS

Novice surgeons were residents in digestive surgery at St. Mary's and Nord Hospitals. Intermediate and experienced surgeons were board-certified academic surgeons.

RESULTS

A total of 20 novice surgeons, 7 intermediate surgeons, and 6 experienced surgeons were enrolled. Evidence for validity based on experience was identified in MD, LD, and FP for time (p = 0.005, p = 0.003, and p = 0.001, respectively), number of movements (p = 0.013, p = 0.005, and p = 0.001, respectively), and path length (p = 0.03, p = 0.017, and p = 0.001, respectively), and only for time (p = 0.03) and path length (p = 0.013) in the anastomosis module. Novice surgeons' performance significantly improved through repetition for time, movements, and path length in MD, LD, and FP. Experienced surgeons' benchmark criteria were defined for all construct metrics showing validity evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

A CBC in laparoscopic colorectal surgery has been designed. Such training may reduce the learning curve during real colorectal resections in the operating room.

The Pareto Analysis for Establishing Content Criteria in Surgical Training

INTRODUCTION

Current surgical training is still highly dependent on expensive operating room (OR) experience. Although there have been many attempts to transfer more training to the skills laboratory, little research is focused on which technical behaviors can lead to the highest profit when they are trained outside the OR. The Pareto principle states that in any population that contributes to a common effect, a few account for the bulk of the effect. This principle has been widely used in business management to increase company profits. This study uses the Pareto principle for establishing content criteria for more efficient surgical training.

METHOD

A retrospective study was conducted to assess verbal guidance provided by 9 supervising surgeons to 12 trainees performing 64 laparoscopic cholecystectomies in the OR. The verbal corrections were documented, tallied, and clustered according to the aimed change in novice behavior. The corrections were rank ordered, and a cumulative distribution curve was used to calculate which corrections accounted for 80% of the total number of verbal corrections.

RESULTS

In total, 253 different verbal corrections were uttered 1587 times and were categorized into 40 different clusters of aimed changes in novice behaviors. The 35 highest-ranking verbal corrections (14%) and the 11 highest-ranking clusters (28%) accounted for 80% of the total number of given verbal corrections.

CONCLUSIONS

Following the Pareto principle, we were able to identify the aspects of trainee behavior that account for most corrections given by supervisors during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on humans. This strategy can be used for the development of new training programs to prepare the trainee in advance for the challenges encountered in the clinical setting in an OR.

Do elderly patients have the most to gain from laparoscopic surgery?

Populations are aging worldwide, people are living longer, and the surgical needs of elderly patients are rising. Laparoscopic techniques have become more common with improved training, surgeon skill and evidence of improved outcomes. Benefits of laparoscopy include decreased blood loss, postoperative pain, and hospital length of stay; improved mobilization, quicker return to normal activity; and fewer pulmonary, thrombotic, and abdominal wall complications. Indeed, for many common pathologies laparoscopy has become the gold standard, unless contraindicated. It has been questioned as to whether elderly patients can reap the same benefits from laparoscopic surgery. The concern in elderly patients is that physiologic demands may outweigh the benefit seen in younger patients. This question stems from concerns related to longer operative times, increased technical challenge, as well as the impact of physiologic demands of pneumoperitoneum and patient positioning. However, with anesthesia and adequate perioperative cardiac care, there is no evidence that these factors lead to worse clinical outcomes in elderly patients. In contrast, perhaps elderly patients - with increased prevalence of multi-morbidity, geriatric syndromes and diminished physiologic reserve - have the most to gain from a laparoscopic approach.

Factors determining the smooth flow and the non-operative time in a one-induction room to one-operating room setting

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

What factors determine the use of an anaesthesia preparation room and shorten non-operative time?

METHODS

A logistic regression is applied to 18 751 surgery records from AZ Sint-Jan Brugge AV, Belgium, where each operating room has its own anaesthesia preparation room. Surgeries, in which the patient's induction has already started when the preceding patient's surgery has ended, belong to a first group where the preparation room is used as an induction room. Surgeries not fulfilling this property belong to a second group. A logistic regression model tries to predict the probability that a surgery will be classified into a specific group. Non-operative time is calculated as the time between end of the previous surgery and incision of the next surgery. A log-linear regression of this non-operative time is performed.

RESULTS

It was found that switches in surgeons, being a non-elective surgery as well as the previous surgery being non-elective, increase the probability of being classified into the second group. Only a few surgery types, anaesthesiologists and operating rooms can be found exclusively in one of the two groups. Analysis of variance demonstrates that the first group has significantly lower non-operative times. Switches in surgeons, anaesthesiologists and longer scheduled durations of the previous surgery increases the non-operative time. A switch in both surgeon and anaesthesiologist strengthens this negative effect. Only a few operating rooms and surgery types influence the non-operative time.

CONCLUSION

The use of the anaesthesia preparation room shortens the non-operative time and is determined by several human and structural factors.

Module based training improves and sustains surgical skills: a randomised controlled trial

PURPOSE

Traditional surgical training is challenged by factors such as patient safety issues, economic considerations and lack of exposure to surgical procedures due to short working hours. A module-based clinical training model promotes rapidly acquired and persistent surgical skills.

METHODS

A randomised controlled trial concerning supervised hernia repair in eight training hospitals in Denmark was performed. The participants were 18 registrars [Post graduate year (PGY) 3 or more] in their first year of surgical specialist training. The intervention consisted of different modules with a skills-lab course followed by 20 supervised Lichtenstein hernia repairs. Operative performance was video recorded and blindly rated by two consultants using a previously validated skills rating scale (8-40 points). Outcome measures were change in the ratings of operative skills and operative time.

RESULTS

In the intervention group (n = 10) the average rating of operative skills before intervention was 22.5 (20.6-24.3) and after 26.2 (23.5-28.8), p = 0.044. At follow-up after 1 year, rating was 26.9 (23.4-30.4), p = 0.019. In the conventionally trained group average rating was 23.4 (19.4-27.3) at start and 21.7 (17.3-26.1) at end, p = 0.51. At start no difference was detected between the two groups, p = 0.59; by 1 year the difference was statistically significant favouring intervention, p = 0.044. Operative time showed similar results in favour of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

A module-based training model in Lichtenstein hernia repair was preferable in both short and long-term compared with standard clinical training. The model will probably be applicable to other surgical training procedures.

Advanced hysteroscopic surgery training

Hysteroscopic surgery is pivotal in management of many gynecological pathologies. The skills required for performing advanced hysteroscopic surgery (AHS), eg, transcervical hysteroscopic endometrial resection (TCRE), hysteroscopic polypectomy and myomectomy in the management of menorrhagia, hysteroscopic septulysis in fertility-related gynecological problems and hysteroscopic removal of chronically retained products of conception and excision of intramural ectopic pregnancy ought to be practiced by contemporary gynecological surgeons in their day-to-day clinical practice. AHS is a minimally invasive procedure that preserves the uterus in most cases. Whilst the outcome is of paramount importance, proper training should be adopted and followed through so that doctors, nurses, and institutions may deliver the highest standard of patient care.

Do medical students in the operating room affect patient care? An analysis of one institution's experience over the past five years

BACKGROUND

Medical students are active learners in operating rooms during medical school. This observational study seeks to investigate the effect of medical students on operative time and complications.

METHODS

Data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was linked to operative records for nonemergent, inpatient general surgery cases at our institution from 1 January 2009 to 1 January 2013. Cases were grouped into 13 distinct procedure groups. Hospital records provided information on the presence of medical students. Demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative variables, and postoperative complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 2481 cases were included. Controlling for wound class, procedure group, and surgeon, medical students were associated with an additional 14 minutes of operative time. No association between medical students and postoperative complications was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The educational benefits gained by the presence of medical students do not appear to jeopardize the quality of patient care.

Learning curve of septoplasty with radiofrequency volume reduction of the inferior turbinate

Objectives

Since few studies on surgical training and learning curves have been performed, majority of inexperienced surgeons are anxious about performing operations. We aimed to access the results and learning curve of septoplasty with radiofrequency volume reduction (RFVR) of the inferior turbinate.

Methods

We included 270 patients who underwent septoplasty with RFVR of the inferior turbinate by 6 inexperienced surgeons between January 2009 and July 2011. We analyzed success score, cases of revision, cases of complication, operation time, and acoustic rhinometry.

Results

Success score was relatively high and every surgeon had few cases of revision and complication. No significant difference was found in success score, revision, complication case, or acoustic rhinometry values between early cases and later cases. Operation time decreased according to increase in experience. However, there was no significant difference in the operation time after more than 30 cases.

Conclusion

We can conclude that 30 cases are needed to develop mature surgical skills for septoplasty with RFVR of the inferior turbinate and that training surgeons do not need to be anxious about performing this operation in the unskilled state.

Toward technology-supported surgical training: the potential of virtual simulators in laparoscopic surgery

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The mastery of manual skills that are indispensable for the performance of surgical tasks is a competence specific to surgery. One way of facilitating this acquisition is to move the training out of the operating room and all of its restrictions. Surgical training out of the operating room, also called simulation, has spread widely in the past decade, especially in laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This review assesses the role of virtual reality (VR) simulators in laparoscopic surgery and their actual impact on technical skills.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

There is a wealth of simulators, ranging from low- to high-fidelity simulators incorporating haptic feedback. They comprise basic tasks, procedural modules, and full procedures. Virtual reality simulators have shown acceptable fidelity and validity evidence. Moreover, training out of the operating room on virtual reality simulators has demonstrated its positive impact on basic skills during real laparoscopic procedures in patients. The benefit of virtual reality over simple video trainers remains unclear for teaching basic skills. However, virtual reality simulators provide automatic feedback that permitted to design structured competency-based curricula and allow deliberate practice. Finally, advanced procedures and patient-specific models have been designed on virtual reality simulators, and further investigations are still awaited to appraise their educational value.

Does resident involvement effect surgical times and complication rates during laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis? An analysis of 16,849 cases from the ACS-NSQIP

BACKGROUND

Controversy exists regarding whether resident involvement during surgery impacts patient outcomes. We compared surgical times and perioperative complications of patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy with and without residents.

METHODS

Patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated acute appendicitis during 2005 to 2008 were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.

RESULTS

During the study period, 16,849 patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis (residents participated in 68% of procedures). There were no statistical and/or clinically meaningful differences between median age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiology score, and morbidity probability between the 2 groups, suggesting that case mix was not a significant confounder. Patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy with residents compared with patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy without residents had a higher incidence of serious and overall morbidity and longer surgical times. However, surgical times and complications were similar between residents in postgraduate years 1 to 5.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of the postgraduate year level, resident involvement resulted in a clinically appreciable increase in surgical times and a statistically significant increase in certain complications.

[Training of residents in abdominal wall surgery in Spain]

The training of residents in abdominal wall surgery is a fundamental aspect of surgical training, representing globally 20% of its activity. In this paper, we analyze the current state of resident training in this kind of surgery in Spain, taking into account the broad spectrum it covers: general services, specific functional units, ambulatory surgery programs. To do this, based on the specifications of the specialty program, specific data were used from several different sources of direct information and a review of the results obtained by residents in hernia surgery. In general, our residents agree with their training and the recorded results are in line with objectives outlined in the program. However, it would be important to structure their teaching schedules, a rotation period in any specific unit and their involvement in outpatient surgery programs.

Opportunity costs of gastrointestinal endoscopic training in Canada

BACKGROUND

No data exist to define the opportunity costs related to instruction in endoscopic procedures in Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada-accredited teaching centres. Academic and institutional administrators expect staff to achieve acceptable performance standards. There is a need to measure some of the effects of training activity in the establishment of such standards.

OBJECTIVE

To measure the effect of resident training in colonoscopy on real procedure times and, as a secondary goal, to estimate procedural losses related to the process of training.

METHODS

Real procedure times for ambulatory colonoscopy in a single academic, hospital-based endoscopy unit were documented. Times for certified endoscopy instructors functioning solo were compared with times for procedures involving trainees at several levels of colonoscopic experience. Procedural reductions associated with resident training were estimated based on the parameters derived from the results. The analysis was executed retrospectively using prospectively collected data.

RESULTS

Resident training prolonged procedure times for ambulatory colonoscopy by 50%. The trainee effect was consistent, although variable in degree, among a variety of endoscopy instructors. Such increased procedure times have the potential to reduce case throughput and endoscopist remuneration.

CONCLUSIONS

Resident training in colonoscopy in a Canadian certified training program has significant negative effects on case throughput and endoscopist billings. These factors should be considered in any assessment of performance in similar training environments.

General surgical operative duration is associated with increased risk-adjusted infectious complication rates and length of hospital stay

BACKGROUND

Studies of specific procedures have shown increases in infectious complications with operative duration. We hypothesized that operative duration is independently associated with increased risk-adjusted infectious complication (IC) rates in a broad range of general surgical procedures.

STUDY DESIGN

We queried the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for general surgical operations performed from 2005 to 2007. ICs (wound infection, sepsis, urinary tract infection, and/or pneumonia) and length of hospital stay (LOS) were evaluated versus operative duration (OD, ie, incision to closure). Multivariable regression adjusted for 38 patient risk variables, operation type and complexity, wound class and intraoperative transfusion. We also analyzed isolated laparoscopic cholecystectomies in patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1 or 2, without intraoperative transfusion and with a clean or clean-contaminated wound class.

RESULTS

In 299,359 operations performed at 173 hospitals, unadjusted IC rates increased linearly with OD at a rate of close to 2.5% per half hour (chi-square test for linear trend, p < 0.001). After adjustment, IC risk increased for each half hour of OD relative to cases lasting <or=1 hour, almost doubling at 2.1 to 2.5 hours (odds ratio = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.82 to 2.03; p < 0.001). In isolated laparoscopic cholecystectomy, IC rates increased linearly with OD (n = 17,018, chi-square test for linear trend, p < 0.001) with rates for 1.1 to 1.5 hour cases (1.4%) doubling those lasting <or=0.5 hour (0.7%). Across all procedures, adjusted LOS increased geometrically with operative duration at a rate of about 6% per half hour (coefficient for natural log transformed LOS = 0.059 per half hour; 95% CI, 0.058 to 0.060; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Operative duration is independently associated with increased ICs and LOS after adjustment for procedure and patient risk factors.

Influence of anaesthesia resident training on the duration of three common surgical operations

We investigated the influence of resident training on anaesthesia workflow of three standard procedures--laparoscopic cholecystectomy, diagnostic gynaecological laparoscopy and transurethral prostate gland resection (TURP)--comparing 259 non-emergency resident vs 341 consultant cases from 20 German hospitals. Each hospital provided 10 random cases for each procedure, yielding 600 cases for analysis. Standard time intervals as documented in the hospital information system were: 'Case Time' (the time from the start of anaesthesia induction to discharge of the patient to the recovery area) and 'Anaesthesia Control Time' (which was the Case Time minus the time from the start of surgery to the end of surgical closure). Case Time was significantly shorter for consultants in all three procedures (p < 0.05, analysis of variance) and Anaesthesia Control Time shorter for consultants only in gynaecological laparoscopy and TURP. Patient comorbidity, patient age and geographical location of the hospital were not influential factors in the analysis of variance. We conclude that resident training significantly increases duration of elective operative times.

Learning curve of septomeatoplasty

OBJECTIVE

To determine the time for us to train a well-trained surgeon to perform septomeatoplasty.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2007, we included 75 patients with nasal septal deviation and chronic hypertrophic rhinitis received septomeatoplasty into this study. All the procedures were performed by four surgeons trained in the same tertiary referral center. We stratified the patients into groups according to the surgeon level at the time of the operations performed. We analyzed the operation time, surgical complications and hospital stay length of these patients.

RESULTS

We stratified the patients according to surgeon years, from year two to year five. The surgical or operation time of the 3rd, the 4th and the 5th year surgeons was statistically shorter than that of the 2nd year surgeons. The operation time of the 4th and 5th year surgeons was statistically shorter than that of the 3rd year surgeons and the operation time of the 5th was also statistically shorter than that of the 4th year surgeons. The hospital stay length of the 4th and the 5th year surgeons was significantly shorter than that of the 3rd year surgeons. No significant difference was noted between that of the 4th and the 5th surgeons. There was no difference on surgical complication among all year group.

CONCLUSION

Surgeon's years of experience could make the difference on the speed of operation and may also shorten hospital stay length. We conclude that it takes at least five years for us to train a well-trained surgeon for septomeatoplasty.

The costs and quality of operative training for residents in tympanoplasty type I

CONCLUSION

A teaching hospital would incur more operation room costs on training surgical residents.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the increased operation time and the increased operation room costs of operations performed by surgical residents. As a model we used a very common surgical otology procedure -- tympanoplasty type I.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

From January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004, we included in this study 100 patients who received tympanoplasty type I in Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Fifty-six procedures were performed by a single board-certified surgeon and 44 procedures were performed by residents. We analyzed the operation time and surgical outcomes in these two groups of patients. The operation room cost per minute was obtained by dividing the total operation room expenses by total operation time in the year 2004.

RESULTS

The average operation time of residents was 116.47 min, which was significantly longer (p<0.0001) than that of the board-certified surgeon (average 81.07 min). It cost USD $40.36 more for each operation performed by residents in terms of operation room costs. The surgical success rate of residents was 81.82%, which was significantly lower (p=0.016) than that of the board-certified surgeon (96.43%).

Operating room management: why, how and by whom?

Operating room (OR) is a cost-intensive environment, and it should be managed efficiently. When improving efficiency, shortening case duration by parallel processing, training of the resident surgeons, the choice of anesthetic methods, effective scheduling, and monitoring of the overall OR performance are important. When redesigning the OR processes, changes should be given a clear target and the achieved results monitored and reported to everyone involved. Advanced, reliable, and easy to use information technology solutions for OR management are under development. Pre-operative clinic and functionally designed facilities support efficiency. OR personnel must be kept motivated by clear management and leadership, supported by superiors.

Unsupervised laparoscopic appendicectomy by surgical trainees is safe and time-effective

OBJECTIVE

Open appendicectomy is the traditional standard treatment for appendicitis. Laparoscopic appendicectomy is perceived as a procedure with greater potential for complications and longer operative times. This paper examines the hypothesis that unsupervised laparoscopic appendicectomy by surgical trainees is a safe and time-effective valid alternative.

METHODS

Medical records, operating theatre records and histopathology reports of all patients undergoing laparoscopic and open appendicectomy over a 15-month period in two hospitals within an area health service were retrospectively reviewed. Data were analysed to compare patient features, pathology findings, operative times, complications, readmissions and mortality between laparoscopic and open groups and between unsupervised surgical trainee operators versus consultant surgeon operators.

RESULTS

A total of 143 laparoscopic and 222 open appendicectomies were reviewed. Unsupervised trainees performed 64% of the laparoscopic appendicectomies and 55% of the open appendicectomies. There were no significant differences in complication rates, readmissions, mortality and length of stay between laparoscopic and open appendicectomy groups or between trainee and consultant surgeon operators. Conversion rates (laparoscopic to open approach) were similar for trainees and consultants. Unsupervised senior surgical trainees did not take significantly longer to perform laparoscopic appendicectomy when compared to unsupervised trainee-performed open appendicectomy.

CONCLUSION

Unsupervised laparoscopic appendicectomy by surgical trainees is safe and time-effective.

Mean operating room times differ by 50% among hospitals in different countries for laparoscopic cholecystectomy and lung lobectomy

We explored whether there were large differences in operating room (OR) times for two common procedures performed by multiple surgeons at each of several hospitals thousands of miles apart. Mean OR time, "wheels in" to "wheels out," for ten consecutive cases of each of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and lung lobectomy were obtained for each of ten hospitals in eight countries from their OR logs. After log transformation, the OR times were analyzed by analysis of variance. Mean OR times differed significantly among hospitals (P = 0.006, laparoscopic cholecystectomy; P < 0.001, lung lobectomy). The second longest average OR time was 50% longer than the second shortest average OR time for both laparoscopic cholecystectomy and lung lobectomy. Differences in OR times among the hospitals we studied were large enough to affect the productivity of OR nurses and anesthesia providers. Thus, international benchmarking studies to understand differences in OR times worldwide may be beneficial.

Protocol design and current status of CLIVIT: a randomized controlled multicenter relevance trial comparing clips versus ligatures in thyroid surgery

BACKGROUND

Annually, more than 90000 surgical procedures of the thyroid gland are performed in Germany. Strategies aimed at reducing the duration of the surgical procedure are relevant to patients and the health care system especially in the context of reducing costs. However, new techniques for quick and safe hemostasis have to be tested in clinically relevance randomized controlled trials before a general recommendation can be given. The current standard for occlusion of blood vessels in thyroid surgery is ligatures. Vascular clips may be a safe alternative but have not been investigated in a large RCT.

METHODS/DESIGN

CLIVIT (Clips versus Ligatures in Thyroid Surgery) is an investigator initiated, multicenter, patient-blinded, two-group parallel relevance randomized controlled trial designed by the Study Center of the German Surgical Society. Patients scheduled for elective resection of at least two third of the gland for benign thyroid disease are eligible for participation. After surgical exploration patients are randomized intraoperatively into either the conventional ligature group, or into the clip group. The primary objective is to test for a relevant reduction in operating time (at least 15 min) when using the clip technique. Since April 2004, 121 of the totally required 420 patients were randomized in five centers.

DISCUSSION

As in all trials the different forms of bias have to be considered, and as in this case, a surgical trial, the role of surgical expertise plays a key role, and will be documented and analyzed separately. This is the first randomized controlled multicenter relevance trial to compare different vessel occlusion techniques in thyroid surgery with adequate power and other detailed information about the design as well as framework. If significant, the results might be generalized and may change the current surgical practice.