[Safety in electrosurgery: results of the All-Russian survey]. / Bezopasnost' v elektrokhirurgii: rezul'taty obshcherossiiskogo oprosa urovnya znanii.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of knowledge in electrosurgical safety among specialists in the Russian Federation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An Internet survey was devoted to the issues of electrosurgical safety. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions in 5 items. Data were collected for 2 months. Data analysis included final assessment of respondents, correlation of results with their own assessment of knowledge and parameters of surgical experience, the fact of training and belonging to the department. Question design, survey and presentation of results were performed in accordance with the CHERRIES (Check list of Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys) criteria for Internet surveys. RESULTS: Survey enrolled 231 specialists. Excellent rating was given to 13 (5.6%) respondents, good - 66 (28.3%), satisfactory - 105 (45.1%) respondents. Forty-nine (21.03%) respondents did not overcome the passing score (7) and showed unsatisfactory knowledge of electrosurgical safety. Mean score among all participants was 8.6±2.6 (median 8 points, interquartile range [7-11]) or 53.3% of maximum value (15). In multivariate logistic model, significant factors were the completed course in electrosurgical safety (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.30-3.97; p=0.004), experience of work (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; p=0.011) and work in the department (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.03-2.95; p=0.038). Respondents who did not take the course (positive significant correlation r=0.1629, p=0.02674) and non-departmental employees (r=0.1655, p=0.031) assess the level of knowledge more adequately with respect to real results. Respondents with completed course (r=0.1078, p=0.4659) and departmental staff (r=0.1411, p=0.2699) are prone to overestimate self-assessment (positive insignificant correlation of their own assessment and received points). CONCLUSION: We found significant knowledge gaps in electrosurgical safety among various practitioners. The main causes are no mandatory specialized courses on electrosurgical safety and insufficient motivation of specialists for self-education due to false ideas about their own level of knowledge.

Mass Effect Due to Hypertrophic Pericranial Flap in the Reconstruction of Dural Defect.

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of symptomatic mass effect caused by engorgement of a vascularized pericranial flap in the repair of dural defect secondary to parasagittal meningioma surgical excision, in order to expose a potential complication from this reconstruction technique. CASE: A 62-year-old man with a left medial-third type 1 of Sindou's classification parasagittal meningioma underwent complete Simpson 1 surgical excision. For the reconstruction of the dural defect, a vascularized pericranial flap was sutured using water-sealed technique. On postsurgical day 2, the patient developed progressive neurologic impairment characterized by stupor. Magnetic resonance imaging stroke sequence revealed what appears to be an extradural collection not visualized on an immediate postsurgical computed tomographic scan. In surgical reexploration, we found an engorged pericranial flap causing direct compression to the parenchyma without the presence of additional hematoma in the surgical field. RESOLUTION: The pericranial flap needed to be excised, and the dural defect was repaired using synthetic material. No permanent neurologic deficit was documented at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: We hypothesized that pericranial flap was strangulated because of final bone flap replacement so that venous outflow was compromised. This complication can be prevented if adequate drilling of the inner table at the edge of the craniotomy and at the outer table of the bone flap is performed just at the entry zone of pericranium flap pedicle to avoid a 90° angle of entry resulting in vascular congestion.