Tangible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: A fall in dexterity amongst surgical trainees?

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus pandemic has had an indisputable impact on surgical training. The qualitative effect on the perceived confidence and capability of trainees has been widely reported. In order to fully delineate the scope of the problem, quantitative data is also required. METHODS: This cross-sectional study collected compared data on the laparoscopic skills (pre- and post-pandemic) of first-year urology residents in the United Kingdom, who attended the annual Urology Simulation Boot Camp (USBC) in 2018 and 2019 (pre-pandemic), and 2021 (post-pandemic). RESULTS: Pre-pandemic group performance was significantly better in 2 out of 4 tasks (Task 3 p < 0.001) (Task 4 p = 0.003) during the practice session. During the assessment, pre-pandemic group performance was better (p = 0.017) for Task 2 and significantly faster (p = 003) for Task 4. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence to support the notion that the coronavirus pandemic has had a tangible and detrimental effect on the technical skills of surgical trainees.

Information leaflet used in out-patient clinics: a survey of attitude and understanding of the user.

PURPOSE: To assess patients' attitude towards information leaflets, their understanding of the given information, and the time factor involved in an out-patient clinic set-up. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A total of 50 patients who received depot preparation of Methyl Prednisolone as local injections in an out-patient hand-clinic were given 15 minutes to read the patient information leaflet and were simultaneously asked to answer a questionnaire. FINDINGS: Patients want to be informed and are willing to spend more time and effort on information leaflets. Their ability to grasp and retain the relevant information is highly variable. Excess of information, poor presentation/format, lack of time, irrelevant data are factors which seem to adversely affect the effectiveness of information leaflets. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study gives recommendations to those providing patient care. Emphasises the need for a careful review of all written information with respect to patients' better understanding of the treatment they will receive for the condition being treated.

Predictive ability of partin tables 2001 in a Welsh population.

OBJECTIVES: Partin tables are widely used to select and counsel patients prior to radical surgery for prostate cancer. However, Partin tables have been developed in the USA which has a different ethnic mixture from that of North Wales. We aimed to assess Partin tables' predictive ability in a Welsh population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 193 patients underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy for clinically localized carcinoma of the prostate between April 1993 and July 2004 in a single institution in North Wales. Complete preoperative clinical staging information was available in 177 patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 64 (48-73) years. Preoperative clinical staging distribution was: T1c 46.6% and T2 53.4%. 75% had organ-confined disease (TNM 1992). Extracapsular extension without seminal vesicle or lymph node involvement was seen in 13.5%. Nine percent had seminal vesicle invasion without lymph node involvement. Lymph node metastasis was found in 2.2%. The predictive effectiveness of the Partin table was high with an area under ROC curve of 0.733 for organ confinement, 0.738 for seminal vesicle invasion and 0.780 for lymph node involvement (CI 95%). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the predictive ability of Partin tables for prostate cancer is also applicable to a Welsh population.