Diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic duct disruption or disconnection: an international expert survey and case vignette study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic duct disruption or disconnection is a potentially severe complication of necrotizing pancreatitis. With no existing treatment guidelines, it is unclear whether there is any consensus among experts in clinical practice. We evaluated current expert opinion regarding the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic duct disruption and disconnection in an international case vignette study. METHODS: An online case vignette survey was sent to 110 international expert pancreatologists. Expert selection was based on publications in the last 5 years and/or participation in development of IAP/APA and ESGE guidelines on acute pancreatitis. Consensus was defined as agreement by at least 75% of the experts. RESULTS: The response rate was 51% (n = 56). Forty-four experts (79%) obtained a MRI/MRCP and 52 experts (93%) measured amylase levels in percutaneous drain fluid to evaluate pancreatic duct integrity. The majority of experts favored endoscopic transluminal drainage for infected (peri)pancreatic necrosis and pancreatic duct disruption (84%, n = 45) or disconnection (88%, n = 43). Consensus was lacking regarding the treatment of patients with persistent percutaneous drain production, and with persistent sterile necrosis. CONCLUSION: This international survey of experts demonstrates that there are many areas for which no consensus existed, providing clear focus for future investigation.

Minimally invasive and endoscopic versus open necrosectomy for necrotising pancreatitis: a pooled analysis of individual data for 1980 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive surgical necrosectomy and endoscopic necrosectomy, compared with open necrosectomy, might improve outcomes in necrotising pancreatitis, especially in critically ill patients. Evidence from large comparative studies is lacking. DESIGN: We combined original and newly collected data from 15 published and unpublished patient cohorts (51 hospitals; 8 countries) on pancreatic necrosectomy for necrotising pancreatitis. Death rates were compared in patients undergoing open necrosectomy versus minimally invasive surgical or endoscopic necrosectomy. To adjust for confounding and to study effect modification by clinical severity, we performed two types of analyses: logistic multivariable regression and propensity score matching with stratification according to predicted risk of death at baseline (low: <5%; intermediate: ≥5% to <15%; high: ≥15% to <35%; and very high: ≥35%). RESULTS: Among 1980 patients with necrotising pancreatitis, 1167 underwent open necrosectomy and 813 underwent minimally invasive surgical (n=467) or endoscopic (n=346) necrosectomy. There was a lower risk of death for minimally invasive surgical necrosectomy (OR, 0.53; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.84; p=0.006) and endoscopic necrosectomy (OR, 0.20; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.63; p=0.006). After propensity score matching with risk stratification, minimally invasive surgical necrosectomy remained associated with a lower risk of death than open necrosectomy in the very high-risk group (42/111 vs 59/111; risk ratio, 0.70; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.95; p=0.02). Endoscopic necrosectomy was associated with a lower risk of death than open necrosectomy in the high-risk group (3/40 vs 12/40; risk ratio, 0.27; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.88; p=0.03) and in the very high-risk group (12/57 vs 28/57; risk ratio, 0.43; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.77; p=0.005). CONCLUSION: In high-risk patients with necrotising pancreatitis, minimally invasive surgical and endoscopic necrosectomy are associated with reduced death rates compared with open necrosectomy.

Diagnostic strategy and timing of intervention in infected necrotizing pancreatitis: an international expert survey and case vignette study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal diagnostic strategy and timing of intervention in infected necrotizing pancreatitis is subject to debate. We performed a survey on these topics amongst a group of international expert pancreatologists. METHODS: An online survey including case vignettes was sent to 118 international pancreatologists. We evaluated the use and timing of fine needle aspiration (FNA), antibiotics, catheter drainage and (minimally invasive) necrosectomy. RESULTS: The response rate was 74% (N = 87). None of the respondents use FNA routinely, 85% selectively and 15% never. Most respondents (87%) use a step-up approach in patients with infected necrosis. Walled-off necrosis (WON) is considered a prerequisite for endoscopic drainage and percutaneous drainage by 66% and 12%, respectively. After diagnosing infected necrosis, 55% routinely postpone invasive interventions, whereas 45% proceed immediately to intervention. Lack of consensus about timing of intervention was apparent on day 14 with proven infected necrosis (58% intervention vs. 42% non-invasive) as well as on day 20 with only clinically suspected infected necrosis (59% intervention vs. 41% non-invasive). DISCUSSION: The step-up approach is the preferred treatment strategy in infected necrotizing pancreatitis amongst expert pancreatologists. There is no uniformity regarding the use of FNA and timing of intervention in the first 2-3 weeks of infected necrotizing pancreatitis.

Diagnostic strategy and timing of intervention in infected necrotizing pancreatitis: an international expert survey and case vignette study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal diagnostic strategy and timing of intervention in infected necrotizing pancreatitis are subject to debate. A survey was performed on these topics amongst a group of international expert pancreatologists. METHODS: An online survey including case vignettes was sent to 118 international pancreatologists. The use and timing of fine-needle aspiration (FNA), antibiotics, catheter drainage and (minimally invasive) necrosectomy were evaluated. RESULTS: The response rate was 74% (N = 87). None of the respondents use FNA routinely, 85% selectively and 15% never. Most respondents (87%) use a step-up approach in patients with infected necrosis. Walled-off necrosis (WON) is considered a prerequisite for endoscopic drainage and percutaneous drainage by 66% and 12%, respectively. After diagnosing infected necrosis, 55% routinely postpone invasive interventions, whereas 45% proceed immediately to intervention. A lack of consensus about timing of intervention was apparent on day 14 with proven infected necrosis (58% intervention versus 42% non-invasive) as well as on day 20 with only clinically suspected infected necrosis (59% intervention versus 41% non-invasive). DISCUSSION: The step-up approach is the preferred treatment strategy in infected necrotizing pancreatitis amongst expert pancreatologists. There is no uniformity regarding the use of FNA and timing of intervention in the first 2-3 weeks of infected necrotizing pancreatitis.

Risk of gallstone-related complications in necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated with a step-up approach: The experience of two tertiary care centers.

BACKGROUND: A minimally invasive step-up approach to necrotizing biliary pancreatitis often requires multiple interventions, delaying cholecystectomy. The risk of gallstone-related complications during this time interval is unknown, as is the feasibility and safety of cholecystectomy after minimally invasive step-up treatment. In this paper, we analyzed both. METHODS: Necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated with a minimally invasive step-up approach who underwent interval cholecystectomy at 2 tertiary care centers between 2014 and 2019 were included. Gallstone-related complications prior to cholecystectomy were examined, as were surgical approaches to cholecystectomy and complications. Necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated without mechanical intervention were also examined. RESULTS: Seven of 31 patients developed gallstone-related complications between minimally invasive step-up treatment initiation and cholecystectomy. One patient developed biliary colic. Six patients developed acute cholecystitis. Two of these patients also developed choledocholithiasis, and 1 developed cholangitis, all requiring endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Cholecystectomy was performed laparoscopically in 27 of 31 patients. One patient required open conversion, and 3 patients underwent planned cholecystectomy during another open operation. Four patients developed postoperative complications. Two of 14 necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated without mechanical intervention developed recurrent pancreatitis while awaiting cholecystectomy. CONCLUSION: Over 20% of necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated by a minimally invasive step-up approach developed gallstone-related complications while awaiting cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible and safe in the great majority of necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated by a minimally invasive step-up approach.

National Evaluation of the Association Between Resident Labor Union Participation and Surgical Resident Well-being.

Importance: Labor unions are purported to improve working conditions; however, little evidence exists regarding the effect of resident physician unions. Objective: To evaluate the association of resident unions with well-being, educational environment, salary, and benefits among surgical residents in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants: This national cross-sectional survey study was based on a survey administered in January 2019 after the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE). Clinically active residents at all nonmilitary US general surgery residency programs accredited by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education who completed the 2019 ABSITE were eligible for participation. Data were analyzed from December 5, 2020, to March 16, 2021. Exposures: Presence of a general surgery resident labor union. Rates of labor union coverage among non-health care employees within a region were used as an instrumental variable (IV) for the presence of a labor union at a residency program. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was burnout, which was assessed using a modified version of the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory and was defined as experiencing any symptom of depersonalization or emotional exhaustion at least weekly. Secondary outcomes included suicidality, measures of job satisfaction, duty hour violations, mistreatment, educational environment, salary, and benefits. Results: A total of 5701 residents at 285 programs completed the pertinent survey questions (response rate, 85.6%), of whom 3219 (56.5%) were male, 3779 (66.3%) were White individuals, 449 (7.9%) were of Hispanic ethnicity, 4239 (74.4%) were married or in a relationship, and 1304 (22.9%) had or were expecting children. Among respondents, 690 residents were from 30 unionized programs (10.5% of programs). There was no difference in burnout for residents at unionized vs nonunionized programs (297 [43.0%] vs 2175 [43.4%]; odds ratio [OR], 0.92 [95% CI, 0.75-1.13]; IV difference in probability, 0.15 [95% CI, -0.11 to 0.42]). There were no significant differences in suicidality, job satisfaction, duty hour violations, mistreatment, educational environment, salary, or benefits except that unionized programs more frequently offered 4 weeks instead of 2 to 3 weeks of vacation (27 [93.1%] vs 52 [30.6%]; OR, 19.18 [95% CI, 3.92-93.81]; IV difference in probability, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.09-1.45]) and more frequently offered housing stipends (10 [38.5%] vs 9 [16.1%]; OR, 2.15 [95% CI, 0.58-7.95]; IV difference in probability, 0.62 [95% CI 0.04-1.20]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this evaluation of surgical residency programs in the US, unionized programs offered improved vacation and housing stipend benefits, but resident unions were not associated with improved burnout, suicidality, job satisfaction, duty hour violations, mistreatment, educational environment, or salary.

Emergency Restructuring of a General Surgery Residency Program During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: The University of Washington Experience.

Seattle, Washington, is an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic in the United States. In response, the Division of General Surgery at the University of Washington Department of Surgery in Seattle has designed and implemented an emergency restructuring of the facility's general surgery resident care teams in an attempt to optimize workforce well-being, comply with physical distancing requirements, and continue excellent patient care. This article introduces a unique approach to general surgery resident allocation by dividing patient care into separate inpatient care, operating care, and clinic care teams. Separate teams made up of all resident levels will work in each setting for a 1-week period. By creating this emergency structure, we have limited the number of surgery residents with direct patient contact and have created teams working in isolation from one another to optimize physical distancing while still performing required work. This also provides a resident reserve without exposure to the virus, theoretically flattening the curve among our general surgery resident cohort. Surgical resident team restructuring is critical during a pandemic to optimize patient care and ensure the well-being and vitality of the resident workforce while ensuring the entire workforce is not compromised.

Perceptions Regarding Mentorship Among General Surgery Trainees With Academic Career Intentions.

OBJECTIVE: Effective mentorship may be an opportunity to mitigate career de-prioritization, improve stress management, and bolster professional growth. Relatively few studies address specific challenges that occur for general surgery trainees. We conducted a focus group-based investigation to determine facilitators/barriers to effective mentorship among general surgery residents, who are intending to pursue an academic career. DESIGN: A semistructured focus group study was conducted to explore residents' attitudes and experiences regarding (1) needs for mentorship, (2) barriers to identifying mentors, and (3) characteristics of successful mentor-mentee interactions. Subjects self-identified and were characterized as either "Mentored" or "Nonmentored." Transcriptions were independently reviewed by 3 coders. Inter-rater reliability between the coders was evaluated by calculating Cohen's kappa for each coded item. SETTING: General surgery residents from 2 academic tertiary hospitals, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and University of Washington, participated. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-four general surgery trainees were divided into 8 focus groups. RESULTS: There were no gender-based differences in mentoring needs among residents. Barriers to establishing a relationship with a mentor, such as lack of exposure to faculty, and time and determination on the part of both mentor and mentee, were exacerbated by aspects of surgical culture including gender dynamics, criticism, and hierarchy. Successful relationships between mentee and mentor were perceived to require personal/professional compatibility and a feeling that the mentor is invested in the mentee, while conflicts of interest and neglect detracted from a successful relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Our investigations demonstrate the importance of surgical hierarchy and culture in facilitating interpersonal interactions with potential mentors. Further studies will be necessary to determine how best to address these barriers.

Describing peripancreatic collections in severe acute pancreatitis using morphologic terms: an international interobserver agreement study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The current terminology for describing peripancreatic collections in acute pancreatitis (AP) derived from the Atlanta Symposium (e.g. pseudocyst, pancreatic abscess) has shown a very poor interobserver agreement, creating the potential for patient mismanagement. A study was undertaken to determine the interobserver agreement for a new set of morphologic terms to describe peripancreatic collections in AP. METHODS: An international, interobserver agreement study was performed: 7 gastrointestinal surgeons, 2 gastroenterologists and 8 radiologists in 3 US and 5 European tertiary referral hospitals independently evaluated 55 computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with predicted severe AP. The percentage agreement [median, interquartile range (IQR)] for 9 clinically relevant morphologic terms was calculated among all reviewers, and separately among radiologists and clinicians. The percentage agreement was defined as poor (<0.50), moderate (0.51-0.70), good (0.71-0.90), and excellent (0.91-1.00). RESULTS: Overall agreement was good to excellent for the terms collection (percentage agreement = 1; IQR 0.68-1), relation with pancreas (1; 0.68-1), content (0.88; 0.87-1), shape (1; 0.78-1), mass effect (0.78; 0.62-1), loculated gas bubbles (1; 1-1), and air-fluid levels (1; 1-1). Overall agreement was moderate for extent of pancreatic nonenhancement (0.60; 0.46-0.88) and encapsulation (0.56; 0.48-0.69). The percentage agreement was greater among radiologists than clinicians for extent of pancreatic nonenhancement (0.75 vs. 0.57, p = 0.008), encapsulation (0.67 vs. 0.46, p = 0.001), and content (1 vs. 0.78, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Interobserver agreement for the new set of morphologic terms to describe peripancreatic collections in AP is good to excellent. Therefore, we recommend that current clinically based definitions for CT findings in AP (e.g. pancreatic abscess) should no longer be used.

Describing Peripancreatic Collections According to the Revised Atlanta Classification of Acute Pancreatitis: An International Interobserver Agreement Study.

OBJECTIVES: Severe acute pancreatitis is associated with peripancreatic morphologic changes as seen on imaging. Uniform communication regarding these morphologic findings is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment. For the original 1992 Atlanta classification, interobserver agreement is poor. We hypothesized that for the revised Atlanta classification, interobserver agreement will be better. METHODS: An international, interobserver agreement study was performed among expert and nonexpert radiologists (n = 14), surgeons (n = 15), and gastroenterologists (n = 8). Representative computed tomographies of all stages of acute pancreatitis were selected from 55 patients and were assessed according to the revised Atlanta classification. The interobserver agreement was calculated among all reviewers and subgroups, that is, expert and nonexpert reviewers; interobserver agreement was defined as poor (≤0.20), fair (0.21-0.40), moderate (0.41-0.60), good (0.61-0.80), or very good (0.81-1.00). RESULTS: Interobserver agreement among all reviewers was good (0.75 [standard deviation, 0.21]) for describing the type of acute pancreatitis and good (0.62 [standard deviation, 0.19]) for the type of peripancreatic collection. Expert radiologists showed the best and nonexpert clinicians the lowest interobserver agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Interobserver agreement was good for the revised Atlanta classification, supporting the importance for widespread adaption of this revised classification for clinical and research communications.

EVATS: a proactive solution to improve surgical education and maintain flexibility in the new training era.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of the EVATS rotation. DESIGN: Descriptive document. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Faculty and residents of the University of Washington. METHODS: In July 2003 we identified the need for a new, independent, educational module within our residency training. Requirements for this rotation included dedicated time for technical skills training on simulators, independent competency learning modules, academic research project time, vacation time and coverage, and flexibility for unplanned leave (eg, interview travel, m/paternity leave). RESULTS: An EVATS rotation was created in July 2003 that is provided at each training level and lasts from 4 to 8 weeks depending on R-level. EVATS meets the following challenges: Emergency coverage (EVATS residents available for last-minute service coverage), vacation time/vacation coverage (2 weeks vacation + 1 week vacation coverage; this maintains vacations for all residents every 6 months), academic time (residents now must complete 1 academic project for graduation) and ACGME competency learning and assessment, and technical skills training (includes simulator work for open/lap skills). Initial implementation indices are high and include resident satisfaction, 80-hour work week compliance, academic productivity, and patient continuity of care. CONCLUSIONS: The 21st century brought new challenges for surgical training. Increased societal demands for skills training in a laboratory setting using simulators and the 6 ACGME competencies all require classroom-type training periods. Paradoxically, the 80-hour work week restricted the time available for these educational activities and made it more difficult for programs to accommodate resident vacations and emergencies. These challenges provided an opportunity to enhance the educational experience for our residency program. The product was the EVATS rotation. Early data after implementation are favorable.

A randomized, controlled trial evaluating the impact of a computerized rounding and sign-out system on continuity of care and resident work hours.

BACKGROUND: Adoption of limits on resident work hours prompted us to develop a centralized, Web-based computerized rounding and sign-out system (UWCores) that securely stores sign-out information; automatically downloads patient data (vital signs, laboratories); and prints them to rounding, sign-out, and progress note templates. We tested the hypothesis that this tool would positively impact continuity of care and resident workflow by improving team communication involving patient handovers and streamlining inefficiencies, such as hand-copying patient data during work before rounds ("prerounds"). STUDY DESIGN: Fourteen inpatient resident teams (6 general surgery, 8 internal medicine) at two teaching hospitals participated in a 5-month, prospective, randomized, crossover study. Data collected included number of patients missed on resident rounds, subjective continuity of care quality and workflow efficiency with and without UWCores, and daily self-reported prerounding and rounding times and tasks. RESULTS: UWCores halved the number of patients missed on resident rounds (2.5 versus 5 patients/team/month, p = 0.0001); residents spent 40% more of their prerounds time seeing patients (p = 0.36); residents reported better sign-out quality (69.6% agree or strongly agree); and improved continuity of care (66.1% agree or strongly agree). UWCores halved the portion of prerounding time spent hand-copying basic data (p < 0.0001); it shortened team rounds by 1.5 minutes/patient (p = 0.0006); and residents reported finishing their work sooner using UWCores (82.1% agree or strongly agree). CONCLUSIONS: This system enhances patient care by decreasing patients missed on resident rounds and improving resident-reported quality of sign-out and continuity of care. It decreases by up to 3 hours per week (range 1.5 to 3) the time used by residents to complete rounds; it diverts prerounding time from recopying data to more productive tasks; and it facilitates meeting the 80-hour work week requirement by helping residents finish their work sooner.

Organizing the transfer of patient care information: the development of a computerized resident sign-out system.

BACKGROUND: The problem of safe and efficient transfer of care has increased over the years as new and complex diagnostic tools and more complex treatment options became available. Traditionally, residents ensured continuity of care by working long hours and minimizing the transfer of significant diagnostic or therapeutic responsibilities to other providers. The new 80-hour workweek has curtailed that practice and increased the pressure on trainees for workflow efficiency. We report on a study of information-handling routines among residents for the separate tasks of transfer of care ("sign-out") and daily patient care work (ward work). Using these results, an institution-wide computerized system was developed to centralize information-handling tasks and facilitate the management and transfer of patient care information. STUDY DESIGN: House staff from 31 resident-run inpatient and consult services at 2 teaching hospitals described current methods of maintaining patient information used during ward rounds and during sign-out. A subgroup of 28 residents then participated in the design of a computerized resident sign-out system to centralize patient information and produce lists for rounding and transferring care duties. Accuracy, flexibility, and portability were identified as key elements by the design team. RESULTS: Analysis of the type of information handled by residents caring for inpatients at our institution demonstrated common elements across many services. Most services used a paper patient list to manage both nightly sign-out and daily ward work, which required repeated recopying of patient data during the day. Utilizing medical information systems tools and rapid application development concepts, we constructed a computerized resident sign-out system ("UWCores"). This system combines the patient sign-out and daily ward work information in one central location. We believed this would improve the quality of information transferred during sign-out and enhance resident efficiency. During the design process, we identified rules that govern the type of clinical information that should be automatically versus manually updated. We observed an immediate acceptance by all residents and services that tried the system. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that by combining downloaded patient data from hospital systems with resident-entered patient details, a computerized resident sign-out system can be a feasible, powerful, and popular tool. While its effect on patient safety and resident efficiency await the results of further studies, our study shows that this tool rapidly captured the attention of resident physicians and became widely used as a valuable means to centralize and organize sign-out and daily ward work information.

The general surgery chief resident operative experience: 23 years of national ACGME case logs.

IMPORTANCE: The chief resident (CR) year is a pivotal experience in surgical training. Changes in case volume and diversity may impact the educational quality of this important year. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in operative experience for general surgery CRs. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Review of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs from 1989-1990 through 2011-2012 divided into 5 periods. Graduates in period 3 were the last to train with unrestricted work hours; those in period 4 were part of a transition period and trained under both systems; and those in period 5 trained fully under the 80-hour work week. Diversity of cases was assessed based on Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education defined categories. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Total cases and defined categories were evaluated for changes over time. RESULTS: The average total CR case numbers have fallen (271 in period 1 vs 242 in period 5, P < .001). Total CR cases dropped to their lowest following implementation of the 80-hour work week (236 cases), but rebounded in period 5. The percentage of residents' 5-year operative experience performed as CRs has decreased (30% in period 1 vs 25.6% in period 5, P < .001). Regarding case mix: thoracic, trauma, and vascular cases declined steadily, while alimentary and intra-abdominal operations increased. Recent graduates averaged 80 alimentary and 78 intra-abdominal procedures during their CR years. Compared with period 1, in which these 2 categories represented 47.1% of CR experience, in period 5, they represented 65.2% (P < .001). Endocrine experience has been relatively unchanged. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Total CR cases declined especially acutely following implementation of the 80-hour work week but have since rebounded. Chief resident cases contribute less to overall experience, although this proportion stabilized before the 80-hour work week. Case mix has narrowed, with significant increases in alimentary and intra-abdominal cases. Broad-based general surgery training may be jeopardized by reduced case diversity. Chief resident cases are crucial in surgical training and educators should consider these findings as surgical training evolves.

Effects of duty hour restrictions on core competencies, education, quality of life, and burnout among general surgery interns.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the implications of the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour regulations for education, well-being, and burnout. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SETTING: Eleven university-based general surgery residency programs from July 2011 to May 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred thirteen surgical interns. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceptions of the impact of the new duty hours on various aspects of surgical training, including the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies, were measured on 3-point scales. Quality of life, burnout, balance between personal and professional life, and career satisfaction were measured using validated instruments. RESULTS: Half of all interns felt that the duty hour changes have decreased the coordination of patient care (53%), their ability to achieve continuity with hospitalized patients (70%), and their time spent in the operating room (57%). Less than half (44%) of interns believed that the new standards have decreased resident fatigue. In longitudinal analysis, residents' beliefs had significantly changed in 2 categories: less likely to believe that practice-based learning and improvement had improved and more likely to report no change to resident fatigue (P < .01, χ2 tests). The majority (82%) of residents reported a neutral or good overall quality of life. Compared with the normal US population, 50 interns (32%) were 0.5 SD less than the mean on the 8-item Short Form Health Survey mental quality of life score. Approximately one-third of interns demonstrated weekly symptoms of emotional exhaustion (28%) or depersonalization (28%) or reported that their personal-professional balance was either "very poor" or "not great" (32%). Although many interns (67%) reported that they daily or weekly reflect on their satisfaction from being a surgeon, 1 in 7 considered giving up their career as a surgeon on at least a weekly basis. CONCLUSIONS: The first cohort of surgical interns to train under the new regulations report decreased continuity with patients, coordination of patient care, and time spent in the operating room. Furthermore, suboptimal quality of life, burnout, and thoughts of giving up surgery were common, even under the new paradigm of reduced work hours.

Educational feedback in the operating room: a gap between resident and faculty perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Immediate feedback regarding performance in the operating room remains a key component of resident education. The aim of this study was to assess resident and faculty perceptions regarding postoperative feedback. METHODS: Anonymous surveys were distributed to residents and faculty members. Questions addressed the timing, amount, and specificity of feedback; satisfaction; and the definition and importance of feedback. Additional questions regarded the importance and frequency of feedback in 7 specific areas of surgical competency. RESULTS: Resident satisfaction with timing, amount, and specificity of feedback was significantly lower than faculty satisfaction. Perceptions of the importance of feedback for each of the 7 specific areas did not differ. Faculty members' perceptions on the frequency of feedback were higher than residents' perception in all competencies of feedback (5-point scale, all P values = .001). CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences between resident and faculty perceptions regarding postoperative feedback. Although faculty members believed they delivered appropriate amounts of timely, quality feedback, this perception was not shared by residents.

Interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis: summary of a multidisciplinary consensus conference.

Pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis may result in significant morbidity and mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis. Many recommendations have been made for management of necrotizing pancreatitis, but no published guidelines have incorporated the many recent developments in minimally invasive techniques for necrosectomy. Hence, a multidisciplinary conference was convened to develop a consensus on interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis. Participants included most international experts from multiple disciplines. The evidence for efficacy of interventions was reviewed, presentations were given by experts, and a consensus was reached on each topic. In summary, intervention is primarily indicated for infected necrosis, less often for symptomatic sterile necrosis, and should ideally be delayed as long as possible, preferably 4 weeks or longer after the onset of disease, for better demarcation and liquefaction of the necrosis. Both the step-up approach using percutaneous drainage followed by minimally invasive video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement and per-oral endoscopic necrosectomy have been shown to have superior outcomes to traditional open necrosectomy with respect to short-term and long-term morbidity and are emerging as treatments of choice. Applicability of these techniques depends on the availability of specialized expertise and a multidisciplinary team dedicated to the management of severe acute pancreatitis and its complications.

Surgical training, duty-hour restrictions, and implications for meeting the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies: views of surgical interns compared with program directors.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the perspectives of surgical interns regarding the implications of the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty-hour regulations for their training. DESIGN: We compared responses of interns and surgery program directors on a survey about the proposed ACGME mandates. SETTING: Eleven general surgery residency programs. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred fifteen interns who were administered the survey during the summer of 2011 and a previously surveyed national sample of 134 surgery program directors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceptions of the implications of the new duty-hour restrictions on various aspects of surgical training, including the 6 ACGME core competencies of graduate medical education, measured using 3-point scales (increase, no change, or decrease). RESULTS: Of 215 eligible surgical interns, 179 (83.3%) completed the survey. Most interns believed that the new duty-hour regulations will decrease continuity with patients (80.3%), time spent operating (67.4%), and coordination of patient care (57.6%), while approximately half believed that the changes will decrease their acquisition of medical knowledge (48.0%), development of surgical skills (52.8%), and overall educational experience (51.1%). Most believed that the changes will improve or will not alter other aspects of training, and 61.5% believed that the new standards will decrease resident fatigue. Surgical interns were significantly less pessimistic than surgery program directors regarding the implications of the new duty-hour restrictions on all aspects of surgical training (P < .05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Although less pessimistic than program directors, interns beginning their training under the new paradigm of duty-hour restrictions have significant concerns about the effect of these regulations on the quality of their training.