Introducing a novice surgeon to an experienced robotic gynaecological oncology team: An observational cohort study on the impact of a structured curriculum on outcomes of cervical cancer surgery.
Gynecol Oncol 2023;
178:153-160. [PMID:
37865051 DOI:
10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.10.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect on patient outcomes when introducing a novice robotic surgeon, trained in accordance with a structured learning curriculum, to an experienced robotic surgery team treating cervical cancer patients.
METHODS
Patients with early-stage cervical cancer who were treated with primary robot-assisted surgery between 2007 and 2019 were retrospectively included. In addition to the 165 patients included in a former analysis, we included a further 61 consecutively treated patients and divided all 226 patients over three groups: early learning phase of 61 procedures without structured training (group 1), experienced phase of 104 procedures (group 2), and the 61 procedures during introduction of a novice with structured training (group 3). Risk-adjusted cumulative sum (RA-CUSUM) analysis was performed to assess the learning curve effect. Patient outcomes between the groups were compared.
RESULTS
Based on RA-CUSUM analysis, no learning curve effect was observed for group 3. Regarding surgical outcomes, mean operation time in group 3 was significantly shorter than group 1 (p < 0.001) and similar to group 2 (p = 0.96). Proportions of intraoperative and postoperative adverse events in group 3 were not significantly different from the experienced group (group 2). Regarding oncological outcomes, the 5-year disease-free survival, disease-specific survival, and overall survival in group 3 were not significantly different from the experienced group.
CONCLUSIONS
Introducing a novice robotic surgeon, who was trained in accordance with a structured learning curriculum, resulted in similar patient outcomes as by experienced surgeons suggesting novices can progress through a learning phase without compromising outcomes of cervical cancer patients.
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