1
|
Sehat AJ, Oliver JB, Yu Y, Kunac A, Anjaria DJ. Declining Surgical Resident Operative Autonomy in Acute Care Surgical Cases. J Surg Res 2023; 281:328-334. [PMID: 36240719 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Surgical resident operative autonomy has decreased markedly over time, reducing resident readiness for independent practice. We sought to examine operative resident autonomy for emergency acute care surgery (ACS) compared to elective cases and associated patient outcomes at veterans affairs hospitals. METHODS The Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for ACS cases (emergency general, vascular, and thoracic) at veterans affairs hospitals from 2004 to 2019. Cases are coded prospectively for the level of supervision: attending primary surgeon (AP); attending scrubbed with resident surgeon (AR); resident primary (RP), attending not scrubbed. Baseline demographics, operative variables, and outcomes were compared. RESULTS A total of 61,275 ACS cases and 605,146 elective cases were performed during the study period. The ACS had a higher proportion of RP cases (7.2% versus 5.7%, P < 0.001). The proportion of ACS RP cases decreased from 9.9% to 4.1% (58.6%); elective RP cases decreased from 8.9% to 2.9% (67.4%). The most common ACS RP surgeries were appendectomy, amputations, and cholecystectomy. RP cases had lower American Society of Anesthesia class and lower median work relative value units than AP and AR. There was no difference between mortality rates of RP compared to AP (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.94 [0.80-1.09] or AR 0.94 [0.81-1.08]). While there was no difference in complications between the RP and AP (OR 1.01 [0.92-1.12]), there were significantly more complications in AR compared to RP (OR 1.20 [1.10-1.31]). CONCLUSIONS More autonomy is granted for ACS cases compared to elective cases. While both decreased over time, the decrease is less for ACS cases. Resident autonomy does not negatively impact outcomes, even in emergent cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvand J Sehat
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Joseph B Oliver
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey
| | - Yasong Yu
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey
| | - Anastasia Kunac
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey
| | - Devashish J Anjaria
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang Y, Kunnath N, Dimick JB, Scott JW, Ibrahim AM. Social Vulnerability and Emergency General Surgery among Medicare Beneficiaries. J Am Coll Surg 2023; 236:208-217. [PMID: 36519918 PMCID: PMC9764237 DOI: 10.1097/xcs.0000000000000429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) was created to identify vulnerable populations after unexpected natural disasters, its ability to identify similar groups of patients undergoing unexpected emergency surgical procedures is unknown. We sought to examine the association between SVI and outcomes after emergency general surgery. STUDY DESIGN This study is a cross-sectional review of 887,193 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent 1 of 4 common emergency general surgery procedures (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, and ventral hernia repair) performed in the urgent or emergent setting between 2014 and 2018. These data were merged with the SVI at the census-track level of residence. Risk-adjusted outcomes (30-day mortality, serious complications, readmission) were evaluated using a logistic regression model accounting for age, sex, comorbidity, year, procedure type, and hospital characteristics between high and low social vulnerability quintiles and within the 4 SVI subthemes (socioeconomic status; household composition and disability; minority status and language; and housing type and transportation). RESULTS Compared with beneficiaries with low social vulnerability, Medicare beneficiaries living in areas of high social vulnerability experienced higher rates of 30-day mortality (8.56% vs 8.08%; adjusted odds ratio 1.07; p < 0.001), serious complications (20.71% vs 18.40%; adjusted odds ratio 1.17; p < 0.001), and readmissions (16.09% vs 15.03%; adjusted odds ratio 1.08; p < 0.001). This pattern of differential outcomes was present in subgroup analysis of all 4 SVI subthemes but was greatest in the socioeconomic status and household composition and disability subthemes. CONCLUSIONS National efforts to support patients with high social vulnerability from natural disasters may be well aligned with efforts to identify communities that are particularly vulnerable to worse postoperative outcomes after emergency general surgery. Policies targeting structural barriers related to household composition and socioeconomic status may help alleviate these disparities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Zhang
- National Clinician Scholars Program at the Clinical Research Training Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705, USA
- Department of Surgery, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Nicholas Kunnath
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Justin B Dimick
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - John W Scott
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Andrew M Ibrahim
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Anyomih TT, Jennings T, Mehta A, O'Neill JR, Panagiotopoulou I, Gourgiotis S, Tweedle E, Bennett J, Davies RJ, Simillis C. Systematic review and meta-analysis comparing perioperative outcomes of emergency appendectomy performed by trainee vs trained surgeon. Am J Surg 2023; 225:168-179. [PMID: 35927089 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Appendectomy is a benchmark operation for trainee progression, but this should be weighed against patient safety and perioperative outcomes. METHODS Systematic literature review and meta-analysis comparing outcomes of appendectomy performed by trainees versus trained surgeons. RESULTS Of 2086 articles screened, 29 studies reporting on 135,358 participants were analyzed. There was no difference in mortality (Odds ratio [OR] 1.08, P = 0.830), overall complications (OR 0.93, P = 0.51), or major complications (OR 0.56, P = 0.16). There was no difference in conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery (OR 0.81, P = 0.12) and in intraoperative blood loss (Mean Difference [MD] 5.58 mL, P = 0.25). Trainees had longer operating time (MD 7.61 min, P < 0.0001). Appendectomy by trainees resulted in shorter duration of hospital stay (MD 0.16 days, P = 0.005) and decreased reoperation rate (OR 0.78, P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Appendectomy performed by trainees does not compromise patient safety. Due to statistical heterogeneity, further randomized controlled trials, with standardized reported outcomes, are required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theophilus Tk Anyomih
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas Jennings
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alok Mehta
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - J Robert O'Neill
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ioanna Panagiotopoulou
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stavros Gourgiotis
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Elizabeth Tweedle
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - John Bennett
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - R Justin Davies
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Constantinos Simillis
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cost analysis of training residents in robotic-assisted surgery. Surg Endosc 2022; 37:2765-2769. [PMID: 36471060 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-022-09794-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Use of robotic-assisted surgery is increasing, and resident involvement may lead to higher costs. We investigated whether senior resident involvement in noncomplex robotic cholecystectomy (RC) and inguinal hernia (RIH) would take more time and cost more when compared to non-robotic cholecystectomy (NRC) and inguinal hernia repair (NRIH). METHODS We extracted surgery duration and total cost of NRC, NRIH, RC, and RIH from 7/2016 to 6/2020 with senior resident (PGY4-5) involvement. We excluded complex cases as well as prisoner cases and those with new faculty and research residents. We assessed differences between robotic and non-robotic cases in surgery duration and total cost per minute, using one-way ANOVA. RESULTS We included 1608 cases (non-robotic 1145 vs. robotic 463). On average, RC cases with a senior resident took less time than NRC (179.4 < 185.8, p = 0.401); surgery duration of RIH cases was similar with NRIH cases. The total cost per minute of RC cases with a senior resident on average was $9.30 higher than NRC cases for each minute incurred in the operating room but did not lead to a significant change in overall cost. RIH cases, on the other hand, cost less per minute than NRIH cases (114.1 < 126.5, p = 0.399). CONCLUSION Training in robotic surgery is important. Noncomplex RC and RIH involving senior residents were not significantly longer nor did they incur significantly more cost than non-robotic procedures. Senior resident training in noncomplex robotic surgery can be efficient and can be included in the residency curriculum.
Collapse
|
5
|
Dreifuss NH, Schlottmann F, Bun ME, Rotholtz NA. Emergent laparoscopic sigmoid resection for perforated diverticulitis: can it be safely performed by residents? Colorectal Dis 2020; 22:952-958. [PMID: 31955484 DOI: 10.1111/codi.14973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM Outcomes after resident involvement in emergent colectomies have rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to analyse the outcomes of laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for Hinchey III diverticulitis performed by residents. METHOD This study was a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for diverticulitis. The sample was divided into two groups: patients operated on by a supervised resident (SR) or a senior surgeon (SS). Supervising surgeons and SSs could be general surgeons (GSs) or colorectal surgeons (CSs). A SR was considered the first surgeon if he/she completed at least three of five defined steps of the procedure. The primary end-points included length of hospital stay (LOS), morbidity and 30-day mortality. A sub-analysis of patients operated on by a SR assisted by either a CS or GS was performed. RESULTS Supervised residents and SSs operated on 59 and 42 patients, respectively. The presence of a CS was more frequent in the SS group (SR 41% vs SS 81%, P < 0.001). LOS (SR 9.4 days vs SS 6.4 days, P = 0.04) was higher in the SR group. Overall morbidity (SR 39% vs SS 43%, P = 0.69) and 30-day mortality (SR 5% vs SS 5%, P = 0.94) were also comparable among the groups. Procedures performed by SRs and supervised by a CS were associated with lower morbidity (GS 48% vs CS 25%, P = 0.06) and mortality (GS 8% vs CS 0%, P = 0.26). CONCLUSION Laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for Hinchey III diverticulitis has comparable outcomes when performed by a supervised SR or a SS. Procedures performed by residents assisted by a CS seem to have better outcomes than those assisted by a GS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N H Dreifuss
- Department of Surgery, Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - F Schlottmann
- Department of Surgery, Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M E Bun
- Department of Surgery, Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Division of Colorectal Surgery, Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - N A Rotholtz
- Department of Surgery, Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Division of Colorectal Surgery, Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|