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Baig Mirza A, Gebreyohanes A, Knight J, Bartram J, Vastani A, Kalaitzoglou D, Lavrador JP, Kailaya-Vasan A, Maratos E, Bell D, Thomas N, Gullan R, Malik I, Grahovac G. Prognostic factors for surgically managed intramedullary spinal cord tumours: a single-centre case series. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2022; 164:2605-2622. [PMID: 35829775 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-022-05304-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Intramedullary spinal cord tumours (IMSCTs) are comparatively rare neoplasms. We present a single-centre clinical case series of adult patients with surgically managed IMSCTs. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of electronic patient records in the time period spanning July 2010 to July 2021. All adult patients that had undergone surgical management for IMSCTs were eligible for inclusion. Baseline and post-operative clinical and radiological characteristics, along with follow-up data, were assessed. We also performed a literature review with a focus on surgical outcomes for IMSCTs. RESULTS Sixty-six patients matched our selection criteria, with a median age of 42 years (range 23-85). Thirty-four ependymomas, 17 haemangioblastomas, 12 astrocytomas, 2 lymphomas and 1 teratoma were included. Statistical analysis yielded several significant findings: IMSCTs spanning a greater number of vertebral levels are significantly associated with poor McCormick outcomes (p = 0.03), presence of gait disturbance before surgery is significantly associated with poor outcome for both post-operative McCormick and Nurick scores (p = 0.007), and radicular pain present pre-operatively is significantly associated with a good post-operative McCormick score (p = 0.045). Haemangioblastomas are significantly more likely to have a clear intra-operative dissection plane compared to ependymomas and astrocytomas (p = 0.009). However, astrocytomas have a significantly higher prevalence of good McCormick outcomes compared to ependymomas and haemangioblastomas (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION Histological diagnosis, cranio-caudal extent of the tumour and the presence or absence of baseline deficits-such as gait impairment and radicular pain-are significant in determining neurological outcomes after surgery for IMSCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asfand Baig Mirza
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK.
| | - Axumawi Gebreyohanes
- Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - James Knight
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - James Bartram
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Amisha Vastani
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Dimitrios Kalaitzoglou
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Jose Pedro Lavrador
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Ahilan Kailaya-Vasan
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Eleni Maratos
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - David Bell
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Nick Thomas
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Richard Gullan
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Irfan Malik
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Gordan Grahovac
- Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
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Chawla S, Devi S, Calvachi P, Gormley WB, Rueda-Esteban R. Evaluation of simulation models in neurosurgical training according to face, content, and construct validity: a systematic review. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2022; 164:947-966. [PMID: 35122126 PMCID: PMC8815386 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-021-05003-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurosurgical training has been traditionally based on an apprenticeship model. However, restrictions on clinical exposure reduce trainees' operative experience. Simulation models may allow for a more efficient, feasible, and time-effective acquisition of skills. Our objectives were to use face, content, and construct validity to review the use of simulation models in neurosurgical education. METHODS PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were queried for eligible studies. After excluding duplicates, 1204 studies were screened. Eighteen studies were included in the final review. RESULTS Neurosurgical skills assessed included aneurysm clipping (n = 6), craniotomy and burr hole drilling (n = 2), tumour resection (n = 4), and vessel suturing (n = 3). All studies assessed face validity, 11 assessed content, and 6 assessed construct validity. Animal models (n = 5), synthetic models (n = 7), and VR models (n = 6) were assessed. In face validation, all studies rated visual realism favourably, but haptic realism was key limitation. The synthetic models ranked a high median tactile realism (4 out of 5) compared to other models. Assessment of content validity showed positive findings for anatomical and procedural education, but the models provided more benefit to the novice than the experienced group. The cadaver models were perceived to be the most anatomically realistic by study participants. Construct validity showed a statistically significant proficiency increase among the junior group compared to the senior group across all modalities. CONCLUSION Our review highlights evidence on the feasibility of implementing simulation models in neurosurgical training. Studies should include predictive validity to assess future skill on an individual on whom the same procedure will be administered. This study shows that future neurosurgical training systems call for surgical simulation and objectively validated models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Chawla
- Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sharmila Devi
- Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paola Calvachi
- Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William B Gormley
- Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roberto Rueda-Esteban
- Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Universidad de los Andes School of Medicine, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Stienen MN, Freyschlag CF, Schaller K, Meling T. Procedures performed during neurosurgery residency in Europe. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2020; 162:2303-2311. [PMID: 32803372 PMCID: PMC7496021 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-020-04513-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background In a previous article (10.1007/s00701-019-03888-3), preliminary results of a survey, aiming to shed light on the number of surgical procedures performed and assisted during neurosurgery residency in Europe were reported. We here present the final results and extend the analyses. Methods Board-certified neurosurgeons of European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) member countries were asked to review their residency case logs and participate in a 31-question electronic survey (SurveyMonkey Inc., San Mateo, CA). The responses received between April 25, 2018, and April 25, 2020, were considered. We excluded responses that were incomplete, from non-EANS member countries, or from respondents that have not yet completed their residency. Results Of 430 responses, 168 were considered for analysis after checking in- and exclusion criteria. Survey responders had a mean age of 42.7 ± 8.8 years, and 88.8% were male. Responses mainly came from surgeons employed at university/teaching hospitals (85.1%) in Germany (22.0%), France (12.5%), the United Kingdom (UK; 8.3%), Switzerland (7.7%), and Greece (7.1%). Most responders graduated in the years between 2011 and 2019 (57.7%). Thirty-eight responders (22.6%) graduated before and 130 responders (77.4%) after the European WTD 2003/88/EC came into effect. The mean number of surgical procedures performed independently, supervised or assisted throughout residency was 540 (95% CI 424–657), 482 (95% CI 398–568), and 579 (95% CI 441–717), respectively. Detailed numbers for cranial, spinal, adult, and pediatric subgroups are presented in the article. There was an annual decrease of about 33 cases in total caseload between 1976 and 2019 (coeff. − 33, 95% CI − 62 to − 4, p = 0.025). Variables associated with lesser total caseload during residency were training abroad (1210 vs. 1747, p = 0.083) and female sex by trend (947 vs. 1671, p = 0.111), whereas case numbers were comparable across the EANS countries (p = 0.443). Conclusion The final results of this survey largely confirm the previously reported numbers. They provide an opportunity for current trainees to compare their own case logs with. Again, we confirm a significant decline in surgical exposure during training between 1976 and 2019. In addition, the current analysis reveals that female sex and training abroad may be variables associated with lesser case numbers during residency. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00701-020-04513-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin N Stienen
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Clinical Neuroscience Center, University of Zürich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland.
| | | | - Karl Schaller
- Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Torstein Meling
- Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Moura FS, Ita de Miranda Moura E, Pires de Novais MA. Physicians' working time restriction and its impact on patient safety: an integrative review. Rev Bras Med Trab 2020; 16:482-491. [PMID: 32754663 PMCID: PMC7394539 DOI: 10.5327/z1679443520180294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although shift work is a part of the physicians' routine, there is controversy on the length of shifts and adequate rest for safe professional practice. If on the one hand long working hours might have negative impact on patient safety by interfering with the psychological and physical functioning of physicians, on the other shorter working hours might impair the safety of patients due to interference with the continuity of care. OBJECTIVE To analyze the impact of restrictions to physicians' working hours on patient safety. METHOD Integrative literature review in which we surveyed studies on restriction to physicians' working time and patient safety included in databases National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) until May 2018. Thirty-five studies which met the inclusion criteria were included. RESULTS Patient safety outcomes analyzed in the included studies were mortality, adverse events, continuity of care, in-hospital complications, readmission rate and length of stay at hospital. Restriction to working time was associated with variable impact on patient safety indicators, but often did not modify their performance. CONCLUSION Restrictions to physicians' working time did not always improved patient safety indicators. Focusing on interventions which only seek to limit the workload of physicians might be insufficient to bring consistent improvement to patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Scipião Moura
- Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo – São Paulo (SP), Brazil
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Bekelis K, Missios S, MacKenzie TA. Outcomes of Elective Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment Performed by Attending Neurosurgeons after Night Work. Neurosurgery 2019; 82:329-334. [PMID: 28575518 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyx174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between long work hours and outcomes among attending surgeons remains an issue of debate. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether operating emergently the night before an elective case was associated with inferior outcomes among attending neurosurgeons. METHODS We executed a cohort study with unruptured cerebral aneurysm patients, who underwent endovascular coiling or surgical clipping from 2009 to 2013 and were registered in the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database. We investigated the association of treatment by surgeons performing emergency procedures the night before with outcomes of elective cerebral aneurysm treatment using an instrumental variable analysis. RESULTS Overall, 4700 patients underwent treatment for unruptured cerebral aneurysms. There was no difference in inpatient mortality (adjusted difference, -0.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.4% to 0.02%), discharge to a facility (adjusted difference, -0.1%; 95% CI, -1.2% to 1.2%), or length of stay (adjusted difference, -0.58; 95% CI, -1.66 to 0.50) between patients undergoing elective cerebral aneurysm treatment by surgeons who performed emergency procedures the night before, and those who did not. CONCLUSION Using a comprehensive patient cohort in New York State for elective treatment of unruptured cerebral aneurysms, we did not identify an association of treatment by surgeons performing emergency procedures the night before, with mortality, discharge to a facility, or length of stay. Our study had 80% power to detect differences in mortality (our primary outcome), as small as 4.1%. The results of the present study do not support the argument for regulation of attending work hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimon Bekelis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jefferson Hospital for the Neurosciences, Philadel-phia, Pennsylvania.,The Dartmouth In-stitute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | - Symeon Missios
- Neu-roscience Institute, Cleveland Clinic/Akron General Hospital, Akron, Ohio
| | - Todd A MacKenzie
- The Dartmouth In-stitute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire.,Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.,Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
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Kim LH, Chen YR. Risk Adjustment Instruments in Administrative Data Studies: A Primer for Neurosurgeons. World Neurosurg 2019; 128:477-500. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.04.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Best B, Nguyen HS, Doan NB, Gelsomino M, Shabani S, Ahmadi Jazi G, Sadati M, Sheikh S, Adl FH, Taqi MA, Mortazavi MM. Gliomas: survival differences between metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties. J Neurosurg Sci 2019; 63:114-120. [PMID: 30816683 DOI: 10.23736/s0390-5616.18.04598-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For gliomas, metropolitan status has not been heavily explored in the context of short-term mortality or long-term observed survival. Larger populations are associated with proximity to academic universities/high-volume hospitals. METHODS The SEER-18 registry was queried for patients with gliomas. The patients were further classified into two population groups based on rural-urban continuum codes: metropolitan or non-metropolitan. Demographics and clinical factors were compared between both groups. For observed survival, univariate and multivariate analyses occurred with Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS The non-metropolitan group constituted approximately 10.8% of all patients. Age at diagnosis of glioma was older for the non-metropolitan group compared to metropolitan group (51.60 years vs. 49.06 years). Relative to the metropolitan group, the non-metropolitan group exhibited a larger proportion of Caucasian, married, grade I and IV gliomas, no surgery, no GTR (for those who had surgery), and temporal/parietal/occipital locations. Other covariates (sex, tumor size, laterality, and radiation status) did not exhibit significant differences in proportions. From analysis of observed survival, independent predictors include population group, as well as age, gender, marital status, tumor location, tumor grade, laterality, GTR, and receipt of radiation. Short-term mortality was 11.68% and 13.04% for Metropolitan and non-metropolitan groups, respectively. Median survival was 15 months and 12 months for Metropolitan and non-metropolitan groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS About one-tenth of gliomas are treated at non-metropolitan sites. Key differences exist among patient/glioma characteristics based on metropolitan status. Overall, metropolitan status appears to influence short-term mortality and long-term observed survival for gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Best
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Ha S Nguyen
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA - .,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Ninh B Doan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Michael Gelsomino
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Saman Shabani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Ghazaleh Ahmadi Jazi
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Mohsen Sadati
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Sarvenaz Sheikh
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Farzad H Adl
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Muhammad A Taqi
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Martin M Mortazavi
- California Institute of Neuroscience, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.,National Skull Base Foundation, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
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Impact of resident participation on outcomes following lumbar fusion: An analysis of 5655 patients from the ACS-NSQIP database. J Clin Neurosci 2018; 56:131-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Gordon WE, Gienapp AJ, Jones M, Michael LM, Klimo P. An Analysis of the On-Call Clinical Experience of a Junior Neurosurgical Resident. Neurosurgery 2018; 85:290-297. [DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyy248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The process of transforming a medical student to a competent neurosurgeon is becoming increasingly scrutinized and formalized. However, there are few data on resident workload.
We sought to quantify the workload and educational experience of a junior resident while “on-call.”
A single resident's on-call log was reviewed from the period of July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016, corresponding to that resident's postgraduate years 2 and 3. For each patient encounter (ie, consult or admission), information pertaining to the patient's demographics, disease or reason for consult, date/time/location of consult, and need for any neurosurgical intervention within the first 24 hours was collected.
In total, 1929 patients were seen in consultation. The majority of patients were male (62%) with a median age of 50 years (range, day of life 0-102 years) and had traumatic diagnoses (52%). The number of consults received during the 16:00 to 17:00 and 17:00 to 18:00 hours was +1.6 and +2.5 standard deviations above the mean, respectively. The busiest and slowest months were May and January, respectively. Neurosurgical intervention performed within the first 24 hours of consultation occurred in 330 (17.1%) patients: 221 (11.4%) major operations, 69 (3.6%) external ventricular drains, and 40 (2.1%) intracranial pressure monitors.
This is the first study to quantify the workload and educational experience of a typical neurosurgical junior resident while “on-call” (ie, carrying the pager) for 2 consecutive years. It is our hope that these findings are considered by neurosurgical educators when refining resident education.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Gordon
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Andrew J Gienapp
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee
- Department of Medical Education, Methodist University Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Morgan Jones
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - L Madison Michael
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee
- Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Paul Klimo
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee
- Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, Memphis, Tennessee
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Burr hole trepanation for chronic subdural hematomas: is surgical education safe? Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2018; 160:901-911. [PMID: 29313100 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-017-3458-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data concerning the safety and efficacy of surgical education for neurosurgical residents in the evacuation of chronic subdural hematomas (cSDH) by burr hole trepanation. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on consecutive patients receiving burr hole trepanation for uni- or bilateral cSDH. Patients operated by a supervised neurosurgery resident (teaching cases) were compared to patients operated by a board-certified faculty neurosurgeon (BCFN; non-teaching cases). The primary endpoint was surgical revision for any reason until the last follow-up. The secondary endpoint was occurrence of any complication until the last follow-up. Clinical status, type of complications, mortality, length of surgery (LOS), and hospitalization (LOH) were tertiary endpoints. RESULTS A total of n = 253 cases were analyzed, of which n = 217 (85.8%) were teaching and n = 36 (14.2%) non-teaching cases. The study groups were balanced in terms of age, sex, surgical risk (ASA score), and preoperative status (Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)). The cohort was followed for a mean of 242 days (standard deviation 302). In multivariate analysis, teaching cases were as likely as non-teaching cases to require revision surgery (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.27-1.59; p = 0.348) as well as to experience any complication until the last follow-up (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.37-1.67; p = 0.532). Mean LOS was about 10 min longer in teaching cases (53.0 ± 26.1 min vs. 43.5 ± 17.8 min; p = 0.036), but LOH was similar. There were no group differences in clinical status, mortality and type of complication at discharge, and the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Burr hole trepanation for cSDH can be safely performed by supervised neurosurgical residents enrolled in a structured training program, without increasing the risk for revision surgery, perioperative complications, or worse outcome.
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Bekelis K, Missios S, Coy S, MacKenzie TA. Association of Hospital Teaching Status with Neurosurgical Outcomes: An Instrumental Variable Analysis. World Neurosurg 2017; 110:e689-e698. [PMID: 29174238 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2017.11.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interpretation of the results of prior studies on the association of hospital teaching status with surgical outcomes is limited by selection bias. We investigated whether undergoing surgical operations in teaching hospitals is associated with improved outcomes. METHODS We performed a cohort study of all patients undergoing spine and cranial operations who were registered in the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database from 2009 to 2013. We examined the association of teaching status (defined as academic affiliation for the primary analysis) with inpatient case fatality, discharge to a facility, and length of stay (LOS). An instrumental variable analysis was used to control for unmeasured confounding and to simulate the effect of a randomized trial. RESULTS During the study period, 186,483 patients underwent surgical operations that met the inclusion criteria. Instrumental variable analysis demonstrated that hospitalization in teaching hospitals was associated with higher rates of case fatality (adjusted difference, 25%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4%-46%), discharge to a facility (adjusted difference, 5.7%; 95% CI, 4.5%-7.0%), and longer LOS (adjusted difference, 31.4%; 95% CI, 16.0%-46.1%) in comparison with nonteaching hospitals. The same associations were present in propensity score adjusted mixed effects models. These persisted in prespecified subgroups stratified on particular operations and for different definitions of teaching hospitals. CONCLUSIONS Using a comprehensive all-payer cohort of surgical patients in New York State, we identified an association of treatment in teaching hospitals with increased case fatality, rate of discharge to rehabilitation, and longer LOS. Further research into the factors contributing to superior outcomes in nonteaching institutions is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimon Bekelis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA; Population Health Research Institute of New York at CHS, Melville, New York, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
| | - Symeon Missios
- Center for Neuro and Spine, Akron General - Cleveland Clinic, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Shannon Coy
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Todd A MacKenzie
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA; Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
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Smith A, Braden L, Wan J, Sebelik M. Association of Otolaryngology Resident Duty Hour Restrictions With Procedure-Specific Outcomes in Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017; 143:549-554. [PMID: 28196195 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2016.4182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Importance Graduate medical education has undergone a transformation from traditional long work hours to a restricted plan to allow adequate rest for residents. The initial goal of this restriction is to improve patient outcomes. Objective To determine whether duty hour restrictions had any impact on surgery-specific outcomes by analyzing complications following thyroid and parathyroid procedures performed before and after duty hour reform. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS).The NIS was queried for procedure codes associated with thyroid and parathyroid procedures for the years 2000 to 2002 and 2006 to 2008. Hospitals were divided based on teaching status into 3 groups: nonteaching hospitals (NTHs), teaching hospitals without otolaryngology programs (THs), and teaching hospitals with otolaryngology programs (THs-OTO). Main Outcomes and Measures Procedure-specific complication rates, length of stay, and mortality rates were collected. SAS statistical software (version 9.4) was used for analysis with adjustment using Charlson comorbidity index. Results Total numbers of head and neck endocrine procedures were 34 685 and 39 770 (a 14.7% increase), for 2000 to 2002 and 2006 to 2008, respectively. THs-OTO contributed a greater share of procedures in 2006 to 2008 (from 18% to 25%). With the earlier period serving as the reference, length of stay remained constant (2.1 days); however, total hospital charges increased (from $12 978 to $23 708; P < .001). Rates of postoperative hematoma (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06-1.38), hypoparathyroidism (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.06-1.52), and unintentional vessel lacerations (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.02-1.83) increased overall with NTHs (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.52), THs (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.15-2.37), and THs-OTO (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.09-3.61) accounting for these differences, respectively. Overall mortality decreased (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47-0.94) following a decrease in the TH-OTO mortality rate (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.12-0.93). Conclusions and Relevance While recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, hematoma formation, and hypoparathyroidism did not change, length of stay and mortality improved within THs-OTO following head and neck endocrine procedures after implementation of duty hour regulations. This finding refutes the concern that duty hour restrictions result in poorer overall outcomes. Less time available to develop technical competence may play a factor in some outcomes in lieu of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury increasing within THs and accidental injury to vessels, organs, or nerves and hypocalcemia increasing within THs-OTO. Furthermore, head and neck endocrine cases increased at THs with otolaryngology programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Smith
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
| | - Lauren Braden
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
| | - Jim Wan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
| | - Merry Sebelik
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis
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Chen F, Martinelli SM, Arora H. Overnight call and cognitive functioning: Will tablet-based assessment be the solution for safety check in residents? J Clin Anesth 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2017.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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15
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Oravec CS, Motiwala M, Reed K, Kondziolka D, Barker FG, Michael LM, Klimo P. Big Data Research in Neurosurgery: A Critical Look at this Popular New Study Design. Neurosurgery 2017; 82:728-746. [DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyx328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chesney S Oravec
- College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Mustafa Motiwala
- College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Kevin Reed
- College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Douglas Kondziolka
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Fred G Barker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - L Madison Michael
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
- Semmes Murphey Clinic, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Paul Klimo
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
- Semmes Murphey Clinic, Memphis, Tennessee
- Department of Neurosurgery, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
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Zuckerman SL, Morone PJ, Dewan MC. Letter: Implications of Duty Hour Regulations From the Neurosurgery Resident Perspective: Eliminate "Post-call" From Your Vocabulary. Neurosurgery 2017; 81:E5-E6. [PMID: 28402556 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyx132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Scott L Zuckerman
- Department of Neurological Surgery Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Peter J Morone
- Department of Neurological Surgery Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Michael C Dewan
- Department of Neurological Surgery Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee
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Middleton RM, Vo A, Ferguson J, Judge A, Alvand A, Price AJ, Rees JL. Can Surgical Trainees Achieve Arthroscopic Competence at the End of Training Programs? A Cross-sectional Study Highlighting the Impact of Working Time Directives. Arthroscopy 2017; 33:1151-1158. [PMID: 28110806 DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2016.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To provide training guidance on procedure numbers by assessing how the number of previously performed arthroscopic procedures relate to both competent and expert performance in simulated arthroscopic shoulder tasks. METHODS A cross-sectional study that assessed simulated shoulder arthroscopic performance was undertaken. A total of 45 participants of varying experience performed 2 validated tasks: a simple diagnostic task and a more complex Bankart labral repair task. All participants provided logbook numbers for previously performed arthroscopies. Performance was assessed with the Global Rating Scale and motion analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were conducted to identify optimum cut points for task proficiency at both "competent" and "expert" levels. RESULTS Increasing surgical experience resulted in significantly better performance for both tasks as assessed by Global Rating Scale or motion analysis (P < .0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated 52 previous arthroscopies were needed to perform to a competent level at the diagnostic task and 248 to be competent at the complex task. To perform at an expert level, 290 and 476 previous arthroscopies, respectively, were needed. CONCLUSIONS This study provides quantified guidance for arthroscopic training and highlights the positive relationship between arthroscopic case load and arthroscopic competency. We have estimated that the number of arthroscopies required to achieve competency in a basic arthroscopic task exceed those recommended in some countries. These estimates provide useful guidance to those responsible for training program. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The numbers to achieve competent arthroscopic performance in the assessed simulated tasks exceed what is recommended and what is possible during surgical training programs in some countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Middleton
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, England.
| | - Austin Vo
- Austin & Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jamie Ferguson
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
| | - Andrew Judge
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, England; MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, England
| | - Abtin Alvand
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
| | - Andrew J Price
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
| | - Jonathan L Rees
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
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Smith A, Jain N, Wan J, Wang L, Sebelik M. Duty hour restrictions and surgical complications for head and neck key indicator procedures. Laryngoscope 2016; 127:1797-1803. [DOI: 10.1002/lary.26464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Smith
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis Tennessee U.S.A
| | - Nikhita Jain
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis Tennessee U.S.A
| | - Jim Wan
- Department of Preventive Medicine; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis Tennessee U.S.A
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Preventive Medicine; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis Tennessee U.S.A
| | - Merry Sebelik
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery; University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Memphis Tennessee U.S.A
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Abstract
This AANS presidential address focuses on enduring values of the neurosurgical profession that transcend the current political climate. The address was delivered by Dr. Batjer during a US presidential election year, but the authors have intentionally avoided discussing the current chaos of the American health care system in the knowledge that many pressing issues will change depending on the outcome of the 2016 elections. Instead, they have chosen to focus on clarifying what neurosurgeons, and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, in particular, stand for; identifying important challenges to these fundamental principles and values; and proposing specific actions to address these challenges. The authors cite "de-professionalism" and commoditization of medicine as foremost among the threats that confront medicine and surgery today and suggest concrete action that can be taken to reverse these trends as well as steps that can be taken to address other significant challenges. They emphasize the importance of embracing exceptionalism and never compromising the standards that have characterized the profession of neurosurgery since its inception.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hunt Batjer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Vin Shen Ban
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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Stienen MN, Netuka D, Demetriades AK, Ringel F, Gautschi OP, Gempt J, Kuhlen D, Schaller K. Residency program trainee-satisfaction correlate with results of the European board examination in neurosurgery. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2016; 158:1823-30. [PMID: 27517689 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-016-2917-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Substantial country differences in neurosurgical training throughout Europe have recently been described, ranging from subjective rating of training quality to objective working hours per week. The aim of this study was to analyse whether these differences translate into the results of the written and oral part of the European Board Examination in Neurological Surgery (EBE-NS). METHODS Country-specific composite scores for satisfaction with quality of theoretical and practical training, as well as working hours per week, were obtained from an electronic survey distributed among European neurosurgical residents between June 2014 and March 2015. These were related to anonymous country-specific results of the EBE-NS between 2009 and 2016, using uni- and multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS A total of n = 1025 written and n = 63 oral examination results were included. There was a significant linear relationship between the country-specific EBE-NS result in the written part and the country-specific composite score for satisfaction with quality of theoretical training [adjusted regression coefficient (RC) -3.80, 95 % confidence interval (CI) -5.43-7 -2.17, p < 0.001], but not with practical training or working time. For the oral part, there was a linear relationship between the country-specific EBE-NS result and the country-specific composite score for satisfaction with quality of practical training (RC 9.47, 95 % CI 1.47-17.47, p = 0.021), however neither with satisfaction with quality of theoretical training nor with working time. CONCLUSION With every one-step improvement on the country-specific satisfaction score for theoretical training, the score in the EBE-NS Part 1 increased by 3.8 %. With every one-step improvement on the country-specific satisfaction score for practical training, the score in the EBE-NS Part 2 increased by 9.47 %. Improving training conditions is likely to have a direct positive influence on the knowledge level of trainees, as measured by the EBE-NS. The effect of the actual working time on the theoretical and practical knowledge of neurosurgical trainees appears to be insignificant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin N Stienen
- Department of Neurosurgery and Faculté de Médicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Service de Neurochirurgie, Département des Neurosciences Cliniques, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil 4, 1205, Genève, Suisse.
| | - David Netuka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Charles University, 1st Medical Faculty, Central Military Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Florian Ringel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oliver P Gautschi
- Department of Neurosurgery and Faculté de Médicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Service de Neurochirurgie, Département des Neurosciences Cliniques, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil 4, 1205, Genève, Suisse
| | - Jens Gempt
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dominique Kuhlen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Karl Schaller
- Department of Neurosurgery and Faculté de Médicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Service de Neurochirurgie, Département des Neurosciences Cliniques, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil 4, 1205, Genève, Suisse
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Churnin I, Michalek J, Seifi A. Association of Resident Duty Hour Restrictions on Mortality of Nervous System Disease and Disorder. J Grad Med Educ 2016; 8:576-580. [PMID: 27777670 PMCID: PMC5058592 DOI: 10.4300/jgme-d-15-00306.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of the 2003 residency duty hour reform on patient care remains a debated issue. OBJECTIVE Determine the association between duty hour limits and mortality in patients with nervous system pathology. METHODS Via a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2000-2010, the authors evaluated in-hospital mortality status in those with a primary discharge level diagnosis of disease or disorder of the nervous system. Odds ratios were calculated, and Bonferroni corrected P values and confidence intervals were determined to account for multiple comparisons relating in-hospital mortality with teaching status of the hospital by year. RESULTS The pre-reform (2000-2002) and peri-reform (2003) periods revealed no significant difference between teaching and nonteaching hospital mortality (P > .99). The post-reform period (2004-2010) was dominated by years of significantly higher mortality rates in teaching hospitals compared to nonteaching hospitals: 2004 (P < .001); 2006 (P = .043); 2007 (P = .042); and 2010 (P = .003). However, data for 2005 (P ≥ .99), 2008 (P = .80), and 2009 (P = .09) did not show a significant difference in mortality. CONCLUSIONS Teaching and nonteaching hospital mortality was similar in patients with nervous system pathology prior to the duty hour reform. While nonteaching institutions demonstrated steadily declining mortality over the decade, teaching hospital mortality spiked in 2004 and declined at a more restricted rate. The timing of these changes could suggest a negative correlation of duty hour restrictions on outcomes of patients with nervous system pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ali Seifi
- Corresponding author: Ali Seifi, MD, FACP, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Neurosurgery, MB 7483, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, 210.567.5625, fax 210.567.6066,
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Chang PY, George Kolcun JP, Wang MY. Results of National, Cluster-Randomized Trial of Duty-Hour Flexibility in Surgical Training: Reflection in Neurosurgery. World Neurosurg 2016; 92:478-479. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2016.05.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Davis MC, Kuhn EN, Agee BS, Oster RA, Markert JM. Implications of transitioning to a resident night float system in neurosurgery: mortality, length of stay, and resident experience. J Neurosurg 2016; 126:1269-1277. [PMID: 27392266 DOI: 10.3171/2016.5.jns152585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many neurosurgical training programs have moved from a 24-hour resident call system to a night float system, but the impact on outcomes is unclear. Here, the authors compare length of stay (LOS) for neurosurgical patients admitted before and after initiation of a night float system at a tertiary care training hospital. METHODS The neurosurgical residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham transitioned from 24-hour call to a night float resident coverage system in July 2013. In this cohort study, all patients admitted to the neurosurgical service for 1 year before and 1 year after this transition were compared with respect to hospital and ICU LOSs, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS A total of 4619 patients were included. In the initial bivariate analysis, night float was associated with increased ICU LOS (p = 0.032) and no change in overall LOS (p = 0.65). However, coincident with the transition to a night float system was an increased frequency of resident service transitions, which were highly associated with hospital LOS (p < 0.01) and ICU LOS (p < 0.01). After adjusting for resident service transitions, initiation of the night float system was associated with decreased hospital LOS (p = 0.047) and no change in ICU LOS (p = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that a dedicated night float resident may improve night-to-night continuity of care and decrease hospital LOS, but caution must be exercised when initiation of night float results in increased resident service transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert A Oster
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
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Kuhn EN, Davis MC, Agee BS, Oster RA, Markert JM. Effect of resident handoffs on length of hospital and intensive care unit stay in a neurosurgical population: a cohort study. J Neurosurg 2016; 125:222-8. [DOI: 10.3171/2015.7.jns15920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECT
Handoffs and services changes are potentially modifiable sources of medical error and delays in transition of care. This cohort study assessed the relationship between resident service handoffs and length of stay for neurosurgical patients.
METHODS
All patients admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham neurosurgical service between July 1, 2012, and July 1, 2014, were retrospectively identified. A service handoff was defined as any point when a resident handed off coverage of a service for longer than 1 weekend. A conditional probability distribution was constructed to adjust length of stay for the increasing probability of a random handoff. The Student t-test and ANCOVA were used to assess relationships between resident service handoffs and length of hospital stay, adjusted for potential confounders.
RESULTS
A total of 3038 patients met eligibility criteria and were included in the statistical analyses. Adjusted length of hospital stay (5.32 vs 3.53 adjusted days) and length of ICU stay (4.38 vs 2.96 adjusted days) were both longer for patients who experienced a service handoff, with no difference in mortality. In the ANCOVA model, resident service handoff remained predictive of both length of hospital stay (p < 0.001) and length of ICU stay (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Occurrence of a resident service handoff is an independent predictor of length of hospital and ICU stay in neurosurgical patients. This finding is novel in the neurosurgical literature. Future research might identify mechanisms for improving continuity of care and mitigating the effect of resident handoffs on patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert A. Oster
- 2Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
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Sarkiss CA, Philemond S, Lee J, Sobotka S, Holloway TD, Moore MM, Costa AB, Gordon EL, Bederson JB. Neurosurgical Skills Assessment: Measuring Technical Proficiency in Neurosurgery Residents Through Intraoperative Video Evaluations. World Neurosurg 2016; 89:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2015.12.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Development of a Competence-Based Spine Surgery Fellowship Curriculum Set of Learning Objectives in Canada. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2016; 41:530-7. [PMID: 26966976 DOI: 10.1097/brs.0000000000001251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Modified-Delphi expert consensus method. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to develop competence-based spine fellowship curricula as a set of learning goals through expert consensus methodology in order to provide an educational tool for surgical educators and trainees. Secondarily, we aimed to determine potential differences among specialties in their rating of learning objectives to defined curriculum documents. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There has been recent interest in competence-based education in the training of future surgeons. Current spine fellowships often work on a preceptor-based model, and recent studies have demonstrated that graduating spine fellows may not necessarily be exposed to key cognitive and procedural competencies throughout their training that are expected of a practicing spine surgeon. METHODS A consensus group of 32 spine surgeons from across Canada was assembled. A modified-Delphi approach refined an initial fellowship-level curriculum set of learning objectives (108 cognitive and 84 procedural competencies obtained from open sources). A consensus threshold of 70% was chosen with up to 5 rounds of blinded voting performed. Members were asked to ratify objectives into either a general comprehensive or focused/advanced curriculum. RESULTS Twenty-eight of 32 consultants (88%) responded and participated in voting rounds. Seventy-eight (72%) cognitive and 63 (75%) procedural competency objectives reached 70% consensus in the first round. This increased to 82 cognitive and 73 procedural objectives by round 4. The final curriculum document evolved to include a general comprehensive curriculum (91 cognitive and 53 procedural objectives), a focused/advanced curriculum (22 procedural objectives), and a pediatrics curriculum (22 cognitive and 9 procedural objectives). CONCLUSION Through a consensus-building approach, the study authors have developed a competence-based curriculum set of learning objectives anticipated to be of educational value to spine surgery fellowship educators and trainees. To our knowledge, this is one of the first nationally based efforts of its kind that is also anticipated to be of interest by international colleagues.
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Stienen MN, Netuka D, Demetriades AK, Ringel F, Gautschi OP, Gempt J, Kuhlen D, Schaller K. Working time of neurosurgical residents in Europe--results of a multinational survey. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2016; 158:17-25. [PMID: 26566781 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-015-2633-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The introduction of the European Working Time directive 2003/88/EC has led to a reduction of the working hours with distinct impact on the clinical and surgical activity of neurosurgical residents in training. METHODS A survey was performed among European neurosurgical residents between 06/2014 and 03/2015. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between responder-specific variables (e.g., age, gender, country, postgraduate year (PGY)) and outcome (e.g., working time). RESULTS A total of 652 responses were collected, of which n = 532 responses were taken into consideration. In total, 17.5, 22.1, 29.5, 19.5, 5.9, and 5.5 % of European residents indicated to work <40, 40-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, or >80 h/week, respectively. Residents from France and Turkey (OR 4.72, 95 % CI 1.29-17.17, p = 0.019) and Germany (OR 2.06, 95 % CI 1.15-3.67, p = 0.014) were more likely to work >60 h/week than residents from other European countries. In total, 29 % of European residents were satisfied with their current working time, 11.3 % indicated to prefer reduced working time. More than half (55 %) would prefer to work more hours/week if this would improve their clinical education. Residents that rated their operative exposure as insufficient were 2.3 times as likely as others to be willing to work more hours (OR 2.32, 95 % CI 1.47-3.70, p < 0.001). Less than every fifth European resident spends >50 % of his/her working time in the operating room. By contrast, 77.4 % indicate to devote >25 % of their daily working time to administrative work. For every advanced PGY, the likelihood to spend >50 % of the working time in the OR increases by 19 % (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.02-1.40, p = 0.024) and the likelihood to spend >50 % of the working time with administrative work decreases by 18 % (OR 0.84, 95 % CI 0.76-0.94, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS The results of this survey on >500 European neurosurgical residents clearly prove that less than 40 % conform with the 48-h week as claimed by the WTD2003/88/EC. Still, more than half of them would chose to work even more hours/week if their clinical education were to improve; probably due to subjective impression of insufficient training.
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Neurosurgical resident education in Europe--results of a multinational survey. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2016; 158:3-15. [PMID: 26577637 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-015-2632-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurosurgical training aims at educating future generations of specialist neurosurgeons and at providing the highest-quality medical services to patients. Attaining and maintaining these highest standards constitutes a major responsibility of academic or other training medical centers. METHODS An electronic survey was sent to European neurosurgical residents between 06/2014 and 03/2015. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect size of the relationship between responder-specific variables (e.g., age, gender, postgraduate year (PGY), country) and the outcomes (e.g., satisfaction). RESULTS A total of 652 responses were collected, of which n = 532 were taken into consideration. Eighty-five percent were 26-35 years old, 76 % male, 62 % PGY 4 or higher, and 73.5 % working at a university clinic. Satisfaction rates with theoretical education such as clinical lectures (overall: 50.2 %), anatomical lectures (31.2 %), amongst others, differed largely between the EANS member countries. Likewise, satisfaction rates with practical aspects of training such as hands-on surgical experience (overall: 73.9 %), microsurgical training (52.5 %), simulator training (13.4 %), amongst others, were highly country-dependant. In general, 89.1 % of European residents carried out the first surgical procedure under supervision within the first year of training. Supervised lumbar-/cervical spine surgeries were performed by 78.2 and 17.9 % of European residents within 12 and 24 months of training, respectively, and 54.6 % of European residents operate a cranial case within the first 36 months of training. Logistic regression analysis identified countries where residents were much more or much less likely to operate as primary surgeons compared to the European average. The caseload of craniotomies per trainee (overall: 30.6 % ≥10 craniotomies/month) and spinal procedures (overall: 29.7 % ≥10 spinal surgeries/month) varied throughout the countries and was significantly associated with more advanced residency (craniotomy: OR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.18-1.53, p < 0.001; spinal surgery: OR 1.37, 95 % CI 1.20-1.57, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Theoretical and practical aspects of neurosurgical training are highly variable throughout European countries, despite some efforts within the last two decades to harmonize this. Some countries are rated significantly above (and others significantly below) the current European average for several analyzed parameters. It is hoped that the results of this survey should provide the incentive as well as the opportunity for a critical analysis of the local conditions for all training centers, but especially those in countries scoring significantly below the European average.
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Mowery YM. A primer on medical education in the United States through the lens of a current resident physician. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2015; 3:270. [PMID: 26605316 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.10.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Physician training and standards for medical licensure differ widely across the globe. The medical education process in the United States (US) typically involves a minimum of 11 years of formal training and multiple standardized examinations between graduating from secondary school and becoming an attending physician with full medical licensure. Students in the US traditionally enter a 4-year medical school after completing an undergraduate bachelor's degree, in contrast to most other countries where medical training begins after graduation from high school. Medical school seniors planning to practice medicine in the US must complete postgraduate clinical training, referred to as residency, within the specialty of their choosing. The duration of residency varies depending on specialty, typically lasting between 3 and 7 years. For subspecialty fields, additional clinical training is often required in the form of a fellowship. Many experts have called for changes in the medical education system to shorten medical training in the US, and reforms are ongoing in some institutions. However, physician education in the US generally remains a progression from undergraduate premedical coursework to 4 years of medical school, followed by residency training with an optional subspecialty fellowship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne M Mowery
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Bina RW, Lemole GM, Dumont TM. On resident duty hour restrictions and neurosurgical training: review of the literature. J Neurosurg 2015; 124:842-8. [PMID: 26473789 DOI: 10.3171/2015.3.jns142796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Within neurosurgery, the national mandate of the 2003 duty hour restrictions (DHR) by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has been controversial. Ensuring the proper education and psychological well-being of residents while fulfilling the primary purpose of patient care has generated much debate. Most medical disciplines have developed strategies that address service needs while meeting educational goals. Additionally, there are numerous studies from those disciplines; however, they are not specifically relevant to the needs of a neurosurgical residency. The recent implementation of the 2011 DHR specifically aimed at limiting interns to 16-hour duty shifts has proven controversial and challenging across the nation for neurosurgical residencies--again bringing education and service needs into conflict. In this report the current literature on DHR is reviewed, with special attention paid to neurosurgical residencies, discussing resident fatigue, technical training, and patient safety. Where appropriate, other specialty studies have been included. The authors believe that a one-size-fits-all approach to residency training mandated by the ACGME is not appropriate for the training of neurosurgical residents. In the authors' opinion, an arbitrary timeline designed to limit resident fatigue limits patient care and technical training, and has not improved patient safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Bina
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona
| | - G Michael Lemole
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Travis M Dumont
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona
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Association of the 2011 ACGME Resident Duty Hour Reform with Postoperative Patient Outcomes in Surgical Specialties. J Am Coll Surg 2015; 221:748-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2015.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Pugely AJ, Martin CT, Harwood J, Ong KL, Bozic KJ, Callaghan JJ. Database and Registry Research in Orthopaedic Surgery: Part I: Claims-Based Data. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2015; 97:1278-87. [PMID: 26246263 DOI: 10.2106/jbjs.n.01260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The use of large-scale national databases for observational research in orthopaedic surgery has grown substantially in the last decade, and the data sets can be grossly categorized as either administrative claims or clinical registries. Administrative claims data comprise the billing records associated with the delivery of health-care services. Orthopaedic researchers have used both government and private claims to describe temporal trends, geographic variation, disparities, complications, outcomes, and resource utilization associated with both musculoskeletal disease and treatment. Medicare claims comprise one of the most robust data sets used to perform orthopaedic research, with >45 million beneficiaries. The U.S. government, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, often uses these data to drive changes in health policy. Private claims data used in orthopaedic research often comprise more heterogeneous patient demographic samples, but allow longitudinal analysis similar to that offered by Medicare claims. Discharge databases, such as the U.S. National Inpatient Sample, provide a wide national sampling of inpatient hospital stays from all payers and allow analysis of associated adverse events and resource utilization. Administrative claims data benefit from the high patient numbers obtained through a majority of hospitals. Using claims, it is possible to follow patients longitudinally throughout encounters irrespective of the location of the institution delivering health care. Some disadvantages include lack of precision of ICD-9 (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision) coding schemes. Much of these data are expensive to purchase, complicated to organize, and labor-intensive to manipulate--often requiring trained specialists for analysis. Given the changing health-care environment, it is likely that databases will provide valuable information that has the potential to influence clinical practice improvement and health policy for years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Pugely
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, 01008 JPP, Iowa City, IA 52242. E-mail address for A.J. Pugely:
| | - Christopher T Martin
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, 01008 JPP, Iowa City, IA 52242. E-mail address for A.J. Pugely:
| | - Jared Harwood
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University Hospital, 376 West 10th Avenue, Suite 725, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Kevin L Ong
- Exponent, Inc., 3440 Market Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kevin J Bozic
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, Box 0936, San Francisco, CA 94118
| | - John J Callaghan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, 01008 JPP, Iowa City, IA 52242. E-mail address for A.J. Pugely:
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