Perceived Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Surgical Training: A Brazilian Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies revealed that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) negatively impacted residency programs worldwide, particularly procedure-based programs. However, most studies are from high-income countries, with scarce data from low- and middle-income countries. Pandemic effects on surgical training were likely worse in strictly apprenticeship models relying heavily on surgical volume as opposed to competency-based programs. Notably, training programs in Brazil and other low- and middle-income countries follow these strict apprenticeship style frameworks. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the trainees' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on their Brazilian surgical programs. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using an anonymous survey in Portuguese, distributed via social media platforms to surgical residents enrolled in Brazilian surgery programs. Data collection took place from August 2021 to May 2022. The survey contained 30 questions on the perception of the impact of COVID-19 on surgical training. RESULTS: One-hundred sixty-two residents from 17 different surgical specialties and all five regions of Brazil responded to the survey. Of 162 residents, 145 (89%) believed the pandemic negatively impacted their surgical training. Furthermore, of 162 residents, 153 (94%) reported that elective surgical volume decreased during the pandemic and 91 (56%) were redeployed to assist with COVID-19 management. As a result, 102 of 162 (63%) residents believed their surgical skills were negatively impacted by COVID-19. Yet, 95 of 162 (59%) residents reported their residency programs did not offer resources to mitigate the pandemic's impact on training. Of 162 residents, 57 (35%) reported they did not feel on track for graduation, with no statistical difference between responses by year of residency (P = 0.083). Additionally, 124 of 162 (77%) residents reported that the pandemic negatively affected their mental health, most commonly related to stress at work, stress about transmitting COVID-19, and loss in surgical training. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the surveyed Brazilian surgical residents felt the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted their training. This leads to believe that the detrimental impacts of the pandemic exposed preexisting weaknesses in the Brazilian surgical training model's dependence on a strict apprenticeship model. Our findings suggest a crucial need to redesign surgical education programs to make residency programs more prepared for changes in surgical volume, evolve the apprenticeship model to competency-based approaches, and unify surgical training standards in low- and middle-income countries.

Gender-Based Discrimination Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Gender-based discrimination (GBD) creates a hostile environment during medical school, affecting students' personal life and academic performance. Little is known about how GBD affects the over 204,000 medical students in Brazil. This study aims to explore the patterns of GBD experienced by medical students in Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using an anonymous, Portuguese survey disseminated in June 2021 among Brazilian medical students. The survey was composed of 24 questions to collect data on GBD during medical school, formal methods for reporting GBD, and possible solutions for GBD. RESULTS: Of 953 responses, 748 (78%) were cisgender women, 194 (20%) were cisgender men, and 11 (1%) were from gender minorities. 65% (616/942) of respondents reported experiencing GBD during medical school. Women students experienced GBD more than men (77% versus 22%; P < 0.001). On comparing GBD perpetrator roles, both women (82%, 470/574) and men (64%, 27/42) reported the highest rate of GBD by faculty members. The occurrence of GBD by location differed between women and men. Only 12% (115/953) of respondents reported knowing their institution had a reporting mechanism for GBD. CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents experienced GBD during medical school. Cisgender women experienced GBD more than cisgender men. Perpetrators and location of GBD differed for men and women. Finally, an alarming majority of students did not know how to formally report GBD in their schools. It is imperative to adopt broad policy changes to diminish the rate of GBD and its a consequential burden on medical students.

Women Representation on Editorial Boards in Latin America Journals: Promoting Gender Equity in Academic Surgery, Anesthesia, and Obstetrics.

BACKGROUND: Inequitable representation in journal editorial boards may impact women's career progression across surgical, anesthesia, and obstetric (SAO) specialties. However, data from Latin America are lacking. We evaluated women's representation on editorial boards of Latin America SAO journals in 2021. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis, retrieving journals through Scimago Journal and Country Rank 2020. Journals were included if active, focused on SAO topics, and publicly provided information on editorial board staff. Editorial board member names and positions were extracted from journals' websites. Members were classified into senior (e.g., editor-in-chief), academic (e.g., reviewer), and non-academic roles (e.g., administrative office). Women's representation was predicted from first names using Genderize.io. The number of women SAO physicians per country was obtained from articles and governmental reports. RESULTS: We included 19 of 25 identified journals and analyzed 1,318 names. Three anesthesiology, seven obstetric, and nine surgical journals represented five Latin American countries. Women held 17% (224/1,318) of board positions [p < 0.0001; 95% CI(0.14, 0.19)]. Women held fewer academic roles (14.3%, 155/1,084) compared to senior [28.9%, 64/221 (p < 0.001)] and non-academic roles [38.4%, 5/13 (p = 0.042)]. Surgical journals had fewer women (7.7%, 58/752) compared to anesthesia [25.5%, 52/204 (p = 0.006)] and obstetrics [31.5%, 114/362 (p < 0.001)]. Women's proportion on editorial boards increased according to the number of women SAO physicians per country (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study assessed the composition of editorial boards from Latin America SAO journals and demonstrated that women remain underrepresented. Our findings highlight the need for regional strategies to advance women's careers across SAO specialties.

Gender Discrimination, Career Aspirations, and Access to Mentorship Among Medical Students in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Gender-based discrimination (GBD) creates a hostile environment that can affect medical students. Mentorship has been recognized as a mitigating factor for GBD. We aimed to investigate the impacts of GBD on career selection and well-being of medical students in Brazil and to explore access to mentorship among these students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using an anonymous survey in Portuguese. The survey was distributed in June 2021 to students enrolled in Brazilian medical schools. It contained 24 questions, including demographics, episodes of GBD experienced by responders and their impact on professional and personal life, and mentorship access. RESULTS: Of 953 respondents, 748 (78%) were cisgender women, 194 (20%) cisgender men, and 11 nonbinary (1%). Sixty-six percent (625/953) of students reported experiencing GBD, with cisgender women and nonbinary being more likely to experience it than cisgender men (P < 0.001). Responders who experiences GBD report moderate to severe impact on career satisfaction (40%, 250/624), safety (68%, 427/624), self-confidence (68%, 426/624), well-being (57%, 357/625), and burnout (62%, 389/625). Cisgender women were more likely to report these effects than men counterparts (P < 0.01). Only 21% of respondents (201/953) had mentors in their medical schools. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that GBD is widespread among Brazilian medical students affecting their personal and professional lives, and most of them do not have access to a mentor. There is an urgent need to increase access to mentors who could mitigate the adverse effects of GBD and help develop a diverse and inclusive medical workforce.

Global Surgery at the National Landscape: Perspectives after the XXXIV Brazilian Congress of Surgery.

The XXXIV Brazilian Congress of Surgery included Global Surgery for the first time in its scientific program. Global Surgery is any action in research, clinical practice, and policy-making that aims to improve access and quality of care in surgical specialties. In 2015, The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery highlighted that five billion people lack safe, timely, and affordable surgical care. Even more critical, nine of ten people cannot access essential surgical care in low and middle-income countries, where a third of the worldwide population resides, and only 6% of global surgical procedures are performed. Although Brazilian researchers and institutions have been contributing to lay the movement's foundations since 2014, Global Surgery remains a barely debated subject in the country. It is urgent to expand the field and break paradigms regarding the surgeons' role in public health in Brazil. Accomplishing these standards requires a joint effort to strategically allocate resources and identify collaboration opportunities, including those from medical societies and regulatory bodies. As members of the International Student Surgical Network of Brazil - a nonprofit organization by and for students, residents, and young physicians focused on Global Surgery - we review why investing in surgery is cost-effective to strengthen health systems, reduce morbimortality, and lead to economic development. Additionally, we highlight and propose key recommendations to foster the field at the national level.

Women Representation in Surgical Specialties: Reflections about Gender Equity after the 34th Brazilian Surgical Conference.

In September 2021, the 34th Brazilian Surgical Conference hosted the "Panel: Women in Surgery" - the only session in the event solely composed of female speakers. Although gender inequities in surgery are well recognized in the international literature, the panel portrayed how distant we are from the desired equity in our country. In addition, the session emphasized the need to broaden the debate and identify the mechanisms for greater inclusion and maintenance of women in the surgical career. In this editorial, we provide a historical overview of gender disparities in the Brazilian surgical ecosystem, highlight the contributing factors to a reduced number of female surgeons, and how the structure of medical societies may influence the rise of women to leadership positions. Accordingly, we discuss the benefits of gender diversity for surgeons, patients, and institutions. Furthermore, we analyze the representation of women in the Brazilian College of Surgeons since its foundation and in the scientific sessions at the conference, demonstrating that more initiatives are required to encourage female representation in the college. Finally, we propose a series of recommendations to foster engagement and contribute to the prosperity of women surgeons in Brazil.

Patient-reported outcome measures in pediatric surgery - A systematic review.

PURPOSE: With improved long-term survival rates, measuring the quality of surgical care has gradually shifted from clinical morbidity and mortality to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Since the use of PROMs in pediatric surgery is still limited, we undertook a study to identify current PROMs, assess their characteristics, and identify gaps and areas for improvement. METHODS: A search was conducted in eight databases from their inception until May 2021 to identify PROMs that have been used in pediatric surgical patients. PRISMA standards were followed, and screening was completed by two independent reviewers. The quality of the included studies was appraised using the AXIS and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: Of 8282 studies screened, 101 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies (99%) were cross-sectional. We identified 85 different PROMs among the studies, 53 being disease-specific and the rest generic. The PedsQL™ was the most frequently used tool (42 studies). Almost half of the instruments (41 studies) were not validated, and 28% were developed ad hoc for each specific study. Significantly, all PROMs encountered were standardized (consisting of pre-determined domains), with no individualized tools currently in use. The overall quality of the included studies was good. CONCLUSIONS: PROMs are increasingly used in pediatric surgery. Disease-specific PROMs predominate the field, yet validated and especially individualized PROMs are notably absent. Future efforts are needed to develop robust tools that reflect individual patient and family needs, preferences, and values, with the aim of furthering family-centered pediatric surgical care.

Global Surgery at the National Landscape: Perspectives after the XXXIV Brazilian Congress of Surgery / Cirurgia Global no Cenário Nacional: Perspectivas após o 34º Congresso Brasileiro de Cirurgia

ABSTRACT The XXXIV Brazilian Congress of Surgery included Global Surgery for the first time in its scientific program. Global Surgery is any action in research, clinical practice, and policy-making that aims to improve access and quality of care in surgical specialties. In 2015, The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery highlighted that five billion people lack safe, timely, and affordable surgical care. Even more critical, nine of ten people cannot access essential surgical care in low and middle-income countries, where a third of the worldwide population resides, and only 6% of global surgical procedures are performed. Although Brazilian researchers and institutions have been contributing to lay the movement's foundations since 2014, Global Surgery remains a barely debated subject in the country. It is urgent to expand the field and break paradigms regarding the surgeons' role in public health in Brazil. Accomplishing these standards requires a joint effort to strategically allocate resources and identify collaboration opportunities, including those from medical societies and regulatory bodies. As members of the International Student Surgical Network of Brazil - a nonprofit organization by and for students, residents, and young physicians focused on Global Surgery - we review why investing in surgery is cost-effective to strengthen health systems, reduce morbimortality, and lead to economic development. Additionally, we highlight and propose key recommendations to foster the field at the national level.

RESUMO O 34° Congresso Brasileiro de Cirurgia incluiu Cirurgia Global pela primeira vez em seu programa científico. Cirurgia Global é qualquer ação em pesquisa, prática clínica e políticas em saúde que visa melhorar o acesso e a qualidade do atendimento em especialidades cirúrgicas. Em 2015, a Comissão da The Lancet em Cirurgia Global destacou que cinco bilhões de pessoas carecem de assistência cirúrgica segura, oportuna e acessível. Ainda mais crítico, nove em cada dez pessoas não têm acesso a cuidados cirúrgicos essenciais em países de baixa e média renda, onde um terço da população mundial reside e apenas 6% dos procedimentos cirúrgicos globais são realizados. Embora pesquisadores e instituições brasileiras tenham contribuído para lançar as bases internacionais e nacionais do movimento desde 2014, a Cirurgia Global ainda é um assunto pouco debatido no país. Assim, faz-se urgente expandir essa área de conhecimento e quebrar paradigmas quanto ao papel do cirurgião na saúde pública no Brasil. Isso requer um esforço conjunto para alocar recursos de forma estratégica bem como para identificar oportunidades de colaboração, incluindo as sociedades médicas e os órgãos reguladores. Como membros da International Student Surgical Network of Brazil - organização sem fins lucrativos feita por e para estudantes, residentes e jovens médicos com foco na Cirurgia Global - revisamos por que investir em Cirurgia é uma medida custo-efetiva para fortalecer os sistemas de saúde, reduzir a morbimortalidade e promover o desenvolvimento econômico. Além disso, destacamos e propomos recomendações-chave para fomentar a Cirurgia Global a nível nacional.

Women Representation in Surgical Specialties: Reflections about Gender Equity after the 34th Brazilian Surgical Conference / Representatividade das Mulheres nas Especialidades Cirúrgicas: Reflexões sobre Equidade de Gênero após o 34º Congresso Brasileiro de Cirurgia

ABSTRACT In September 2021, the 34th Brazilian Surgical Conference hosted the "Panel: Women in Surgery" - the only session in the event solely composed of female speakers. Although gender inequities in surgery are well recognized in the international literature, the panel portrayed how distant we are from the desired equity in our country. In addition, the session emphasized the need to broaden the debate and identify the mechanisms for greater inclusion and maintenance of women in the surgical career. In this editorial, we provide a historical overview of gender disparities in the Brazilian surgical ecosystem, highlight the contributing factors to a reduced number of female surgeons, and how the structure of medical societies may influence the rise of women to leadership positions. Accordingly, we discuss the benefits of gender diversity for surgeons, patients, and institutions. Furthermore, we analyze the representation of women in the Brazilian College of Surgeons since its foundation and in the scientific sessions at the conference, demonstrating that more initiatives are required to encourage female representation in the college. Finally, we propose a series of recommendations to foster engagement and contribute to the prosperity of women surgeons in Brazil.

RESUMO Em setembro de 2021, o 34º Congresso Brasileiro de Cirurgia sediou o "Painel de debates: Mulheres na Cirurgia" - o único espaço do evento composto somente por mulheres. Embora a existência de iniquidades de gênero na cirurgia seja bem reconhecida na literatura internacional, esse painel retratou como estamos distantes da almejada equidade em nosso país. Além disso, a sessão enfatizou a necessidade de ampliar o debate e identificar os mecanismos para maior inclusão e retenção das mulheres na carreira cirúrgica. Neste editorial, apresentamos panorama histórico e atual das disparidades de gênero no ecossistema cirúrgico brasileiro; destacamos os fatores que contribuem para o número reduzido de cirurgiãs e, como a estrutura das sociedades médicas influencia na ascensão de mulheres para cargos de liderança. Em seguida, discutimos os benefícios da diversidade de gênero para cirurgiões, pacientes e instituições. Ademais, analisamos a representatividade feminina no Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões desde a fundação e nos espaços científicos do congresso, demonstrando que mais medidas serão necessárias para incentivar maior protagonismo feminino no colégio. Finalmente, propomos uma série de recomendações para fomentar o engajamento e contribuir para a prosperidade das cirurgiãs no Brasil.

Abordagem de hidrocistomas palpebrais écrinos por incisão de blefaroplastia inferior / Excision of eyelid eccrine hidrocystomas via lower blepharoplasty incision

INTRODUÇÃO: O hidrocistoma palpebral écrino corresponde a lesão cística rara, usualmente de pequenas dimensões, não ultrapassando o diâmetro de 10 mm. Sua abordagem usualmente é por excisão simples e biópsia. É alto o índice de recidiva local. MÉTODOS: Paciente com múltiplos hidrocistomas bilaterais, vários maiores que 10 mm. Sob anestesia local, foi realizada incisão infraciliar tradicionalmente usada para blefaroplastia inferior e retirada dos hidrocistomas com cápsula íntegra. RESULTADOS: Paciente com excelentes resultados estéticos e sem recidivas até o presente momento, mais de seis meses após o procedimento. CONCLUSÃO: A incisão infraciliar de blefaroplastia inferior é uma técnica promissora para exérese de hidrocistomas maiores que 10 mm. Mais estudos devem ser realizados para confirmação do bom resultado estético-funcional desta técnica.

INTRODUCTION: Eccrine eyelid hidrocystoma is a rare cystic lesion, usually small and not exceeding 10 mm in diameter. Its treatment is usually by simple excision and biopsy. The rate of local recurrence is high. METHODS: A patient presented with multiple bilateral hidrocystomas, several larger than 10 mm. Under local anesthesia, an infraciliary incision traditionally used for lower blepharoplasty was performed, and hidrocystomas with intact capsules were withdrawn. RESULTS: The patient had excellent esthetic results, with no recurrence for more than six months after the procedure. CONCLUSION: The infraciliary lower blepharoplasty incision is a promising technique for excising hidrocystomas larger than 10 mm. More studies should be conducted to confirm the good esthetic and functional outcomes of this technique.

Uso do retalho toracodorsal para tratamento de hidradenite supurativa / Use of the thoracodorsal flap for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa

INTRODUÇÃO: A hidradenite é uma doença cutânea crônica, que acomete as regiões que abrigam as glândulas apócrinas. Tem uma prevalência estimada de 1% da população, com predileção pelo sexo feminino. MÉTODO:LMN, 48 anos, sexo feminino. Ao exame, a paciente apresentava nodulações palpáveis, coalescentes, dolorosas e uma área de fibrose e retração cicatricial circunjacente em ambas as axilas, principalmente em axila esquerda. Submetida a exérese ampla das lesões em axila e região torácica esquerda, sendo necessária a realização de um retalho fasciocutâneo de rotação, habitualmente usado em pacientes submetidas à quadrantectomia lateral. RESULTADOS: Obteve-se um resultado estético satisfatório associado à preservação dos movimentos. CONCLUSÃO:Apesar de existirem poucos casos relatando o uso do retalho fasciocutâneo toracodorsal lateral, essa técnica mostrou ser excelente alternativa na reconstrução axilar, devido à facilidade de ressecção, boa cobertura da área receptora além de um resultado estético satisfatório.

INTRODUCTION:Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin disease that affects the regions harboring the apocrine sweat glands. It has an estimated prevalence of 1% of the population and a preference for the female sex. METHOD: LMN, a 48-year-old female patient, presented, on examination, palpable, coalescent, painful nodules and a circumjacent area of fibrosis and scar retraction in both axillae, mainly in the left axilla. She was subjected to wide excision of the lesions at the axilla and left thoracic region, with a need for a rotational fasciocutaneous flap, usually used in patients who undergo lateral quadrantectomy. RESULTS: A satisfactory aesthetic result was attained, together with the preservation of movements. CONCLUSION: Although there are few reported cases of the use of the lateral thoracodorsal fasciocutaneous flap, this technique is an excellent alternative in axillary reconstruction, owing to the ease of resection, good coverage of the receiving area, and the satisfactory aesthetic result.