Surgical challenges and research priorities in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: EAES membership survey

The development of visuospatial abilities and their impact on laparoscopic skill acquisition: a clinical longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate how visuospatial abilities develop and influence intraoperative laparoscopic performance during surgical residency training programmes.

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic surgery is a challenging technique to acquire and master. Visuospatial ability is an important attribute but most prior research have predominantly explored the influence of visuospatial abilities in lab-based settings and/or among inexperienced surgeons. Little is known about the impact of visuospatial profiles on actual laparoscopic performance and its role in shaping competency.

METHOD

A longitudinal observational cohort study using a pair-matched design over 27 months. At baseline, visuospatial profiles of 43 laparoscopic surgeons of all expertise levels and 19 control subjects were compared. The development of visuospatial abilities and their association with intraoperative performance of 18 residency surgeons were monitored during the course of their laparoscopic training.

RESULTS

Laparoscopic surgeons significantly outperformed the control group on the measure of spatial visualisation (U = 273.0, p = 0.03, η2 = 0.3). Spatial visualisation was found to be a significant predictor of laparoscopic expertise (R2 = 0.70, F (1.60) = 6.788, p = 0.01) and improved with laparoscopic training (B = 4.01, SE = 1.83, p = 0.02, 95% CI [0.40, 7.63]). From month 6 to 18, a strong positive correlation between spatial visualisation and intraoperative depth perception (r = 0.67, p < 0.01), bimanual dexterity (r = 0.60, p < 0.01), autonomy (r = 0.78, p < 0.01) and the total score (r = 0.70, p < 0.01) were observed but a strong relationship remained only with autonomy (r = 0.89, p < 0.01) and total score (r = 0.80, p < 0.01) at 18 months.

CONCLUSION

In this longitudinal cohort study, visuospatial abilities associate with laparoscopic skills and improve with training. Spatial visualisation may be characteristic of laparoscopic expertise as it has clear association with competency development during laparoscopy residency training programme.

Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die robotische Viszeralchirurgie in Deutschland

Einleitung

Der Einsatz roboterassistierter Operationen verzeichnet in der Viszeralchirurgie gegenwärtig einen stetigen Zuwachs. Im Jahr 2020 hat die COVID-19-Pandemie den klinischen und chirurgischen Alltag unerwartet wesentlich verändert. Wir haben in einer Umfrage den Status der roboterassistierten Viszeralchirurgie in Deutschland sowie die gegenwärtigen Ausbildungskonzepte evaluiert und deren Veränderungen unter dem Einfluss der COVID-19-Pandemie untersucht.

Material und Methoden

In einer umfangreichen Recherche wurden 89 Kliniken identifiziert, welche ein Robotersystem für die Viszeralchirurgie 2020 einsetzten. Diese Kliniken wurden über eine webbasierte anonyme Umfrage mit 35 Fragen dreimal kontaktiert. Die Fragen bezogen sich auf die Einsatzgebiete eines Operationsroboters in der Viszeralchirurgie, die dazugehörige klinische Ausbildung und den Einfluss der COVID-19-Pandemie auf das bestehende Programm.

Ergebnisse

Von den angeschriebenen Kliniken haben 22 (24,7%) eine Rückmeldung gegeben. Hiervon waren 17 (19,1%) Fragebögen auswertbar. Es beteiligten sich 58,8% Universitätsklinika, 17,6% Maximalversorger und 23,5% Schwerpunktkrankenhäuser an der Studie. Der Operationsroboter wurde am oberen Gastrointestinaltrakt (OGIT; 88,2%), am hepatopankreatikobiliären System (HPB; 82,4%) und im kolorektalen Bereich (KRK; 94,1%) sowie bei der Hernienversorgung (35,3%) eingesetzt. Der relative Anteil robotischer Eingriffe am operierten Gesamtkollektiv lag dabei zwischen 0,3% und 15,4%. Die Konversionsraten für 2020 lag im Mittel bei 4,6 ± 3,2%. Die Operationsroboter wurden zum Großteil im interdisziplinären Setting wechselweise mit anderen chirurgischen Disziplinen (82,4%) genutzt. Zu Lehrzwecken stand in sieben Kliniken (41,2%) eine zweite Konsole zur Verfügung. Die Ausbildungsstrukturen waren sehr heterogen und nur 13,2 ± 6,5% der Chirurg*innen pro Klinik waren in das Roboterprogramm involviert. In 82,4% existierten feste Teams, die sich aus Ober‑, Fach- und Assistenzärzt*innen zusammensetzen und in 76,5% wurden Ärzt*innen und Pflegepersonal über klinikinterne Ausbildungsprogramme geschult. Die COVID-19-Pandemie hatte einen Fallzahlrückgang robotischer Eingriffe im Vergleich zu 2019 bei 70% der Kliniken vor allem im zweiten Jahresquartal 2020 (64,7%) zur Folge. Dies wurde auf Personalmangel nichtchirurgischer Disziplinen (Anästhesie 35,3%, OP-Pflege 35,3%, Intensivmedizin 17,6%), interne Regularien (58,8%) und begrenzte Intensiv- oder Überwachungskapazitäten (47,1%) zurückgeführt. Die COVID-19-Pandemie führte in der robotischen Ausbildung teilweise bei der Assistenz am OP-Tisch (23,5%) und der Assistenz an der zweiten Konsole (42,9%) zu einem kompletten Ausbildungsstopp. Ausschlaggebend für diese Entwicklung war überwiegend der Rückgang der Operationszahlen.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Robotik wird mittlerweile in einem breiten Spektrum der Viszeralchirurgie an Kliniken mit unterschiedlichen Versorgungsschwerpunkten in Deutschland eingesetzt. Der relative Anteil der Eingriffe am Gesamtspektrum ist allerdings noch gering. Roboterassistierte Eingriffe sind expertenfokussiert und es bestehen sehr heterogene Ausbildungskonzepte. Ein Lernerfolg mit konstanten und niedrigen Konversionsraten ist nach wenigen Jahren mit zunehmender Erfahrung zu erkennen. Die COVID-19-Pandemie hatte insgesamt einen negativen Einfluss auf die robotischen OP-Fallzahlen und die damit verbundenen Ausbildungsmöglichkeiten bei freien chirurgischen Personalressourcen. Hier ist eine kreative Gestaltung optimierter Ausbildungsmodalitäten erforderlich.

Perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing urological elective surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national overview across 28 Italian institutions

Introduction

The aim of this study was to assess the safety of elective urological surgery performed during the pandemic by estimating the prevalence of COVID-19-like symptoms in the postoperative period and its correlation with perioperative and clinical factors.

Material and methods

In this multicenter, observational study we recorded clinical, surgical and postoperative data of consecutive patients undergoing elective urological surgery in 28 different institutions across Italy during initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic (between February 24 and March 30, 2020, inclusive).

Results

A total of 1943 patients were enrolled. In 12%, 7.1%, 21.3%, 56.7% and 2.6% of cases an open, laparoscopic, robotic, endoscopic or percutaneous surgical approach was performed, respectively. Overall, 166 (8.5%) postoperative complications were registered, 77 (3.9%) surgical and 89 (4.6%) medical. Twenty-eight (1.4%) patients were readmitted to hospital after discharge and 13 (0.7%) died. In the 30 days following discharge, fever and respiratory symptoms were recorded in 101 (5.2%) and 60 (3.1%) patients. At multivariable analysis, not performing nasopharyngeal swab at hospital admission (HR 2.3; CI 95% 1.01–5.19; p = 0.04) was independently associated with risk of developing postoperative medical complications. Number of patients in the facility was confirmed as an independent predictor of experiencing postoperative respiratory symptoms (p = 0.047, HR:1.12; CI95% 1.00–1.05), while COVID-19-free type of hospitalization facility was a strong independent protective factor (p = 0.02, HR:0.23, CI95% 0.07–0.79).

Conclusions

Performing elective surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic does not seem to affect perioperative outcomes as long as proper preventive measures are adopted, including nasopharyngeal swab before hospital admission and hospitalization in dedicated COVID-19-free facilities.

Changes in surgicaL behaviOrs dUring the CoviD-19 pandemic. The SICE CLOUD19 Study

Background

The spread of the SARS-CoV2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease, profoundly impacted the surgical community. Recommendations have been published to manage patients needing surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey, under the aegis of the Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery, aims to analyze how Italian surgeons have changed their practice during the pandemic.

Methods

The authors designed an online survey that was circulated for completion to the Italian departments of general surgery registered in the Italian Ministry of Health database in December 2020. Questions were divided into three sections: hospital organization, screening policies, and safety profile of the surgical operation. The investigation periods were divided into the Italian pandemic phases I (March–May 2020), II (June–September 2020), and III (October–December 2020).

Results

Of 447 invited departments, 226 answered the survey. Most hospitals were treating both COVID-19-positive and -negative patients. The reduction in effective beds dedicated to surgical activity was significant, affecting 59% of the responding units. 12.4% of the respondents in phase I, 2.6% in phase II, and 7.7% in phase III reported that their surgical unit had been closed. 51.4%, 23.5%, and 47.8% of the respondents had at least one colleague reassigned to non-surgical COVID-19 activities during the three phases. There has been a reduction in elective (> 200 procedures: 2.1%, 20.6% and 9.9% in the three phases, respectively) and emergency (< 20 procedures: 43.3%, 27.1%, 36.5% in the three phases, respectively) surgical activity. The use of laparoscopy also had a setback in phase I (25.8% performed less than 20% of elective procedures through laparoscopy). 60.6% of the respondents used a smoke evacuation device during laparoscopy in phase I, 61.6% in phase II, and 64.2% in phase III. Almost all responders (82.8% vs. 93.2% vs. 92.7%) in each analyzed period did not modify or reduce the use of high-energy devices.

Conclusion

This survey offers three faithful snapshots of how the surgical community has reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic during its three phases. The significant reduction in surgical activity indicates that better health policies and more evidence-based guidelines are needed to make up for lost time and surgery not performed during the pandemic.

Supplementary Information

The online version of this article (10.1007/s13304-021-01010-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

EAES Recommendations for Recovery Plan in Minimally Invasive Surgery Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

COVID-19 pandemic presented an unexpected challenge for the surgical community in general and Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) specialists in particular. This document aims to summarize recent evidence and experts’ opinion and formulate recommendations to guide the surgical community on how to best organize the recovery plan for surgical activity across different sub-specialities after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Recommendations were developed through a Delphi process for establishment of expert consensus. Domain topics were formulated and subsequently subdivided into questions pertinent to different surgical specialities following the COVID-19 crisis. Sixty-five experts from 24 countries, representing the entire EAES board, were invited. Fifty clinicians and six engineers accepted the invitation and drafted statements based on specific key questions. Anonymous voting on the statements was performed until consensus was achieved, defined by at least 70% agreement.

Results

A total of 92 consensus statements were formulated with regard to safe resumption of surgery across eight domains, addressing general surgery, upper GI, lower GI, bariatrics, endocrine, HPB, abdominal wall and technology/research. The statements addressed elective and emergency services across all subspecialties with specific attention to the role of MIS during the recovery plan. Eighty-four of the statements were approved during the first round of Delphi voting (91.3%) and another 8 during the following round after substantial modification, resulting in a 100% consensus.

Conclusion

The recommendations formulated by the EAES board establish a framework for resumption of surgery following COVID-19 pandemic with particular focus on the role of MIS across surgical specialities. The statements have the potential for wide application in the clinical setting, education activities and research work across different healthcare systems.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00464-020-08131-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.