Using video-based assessment (VBA) to document fellow improvement in safely completing the jejunojejunostomy portion of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical assessment instruments are used for formative and summative trainee evaluations. To characterize the features of existing instruments and a novel 12-item objective, procedure-specific assessment tool for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB-OPSA), we evaluated the progress of a single surgical fellow over 17 consecutive surgeries. METHODS: Seventeen consecutive RYGB videos completed between 8/2021 and 1/2022 by an academic hospital surgical fellow were de-identified and assessed by four board-certified bariatric surgeons using Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS), General Assessment of Surgical Skill (GASS), and RYGB-OPSA which includes the reflection of transverse colon, identification of ligament of Treitz, biliopancreatic and Roux limbs orientation, jejunal division point selection, stapler use, mesentery division, bleeding control, jejunojejunostomy (JJ) anastomotic site selection, apposition of JJ anastomotic site, JJ creation, common enterotomy closure of JJ, and integrity of anastomosis. The GASS measured economy of motion, tissue handling, appreciating operative anatomy, bimanual dexterity, and achievement of hemostasis. RYGB-OPSA and GASS items were scored "poor-unsafe," "acceptable-safe," or "good-safe." Change in performance was measured by linear trendline slope. RESULTS: Over the course of 17 procedures, significant improvement was demonstrated by three GOALS items, GOALS overall score, GASS bimanual dexterity, and three RYGB-OPSA tasks: JJ creation, jejunal division point selection, and stapler use. Achievement of hemostasis declined but never rated "poor-unsafe." Overall RYGB-OPSA and GOALS trendlines documented significant increase across the 17 procedures. CONCLUSION: This examination of a bariatric surgery fellow's operative training experience as measured by three surgical assessment instruments demonstrated anticipated improvements in general skills and safe completion of procedure-specific tasks. Effective surgical assessment instruments have enough sensitivity to show improvement to enable meaningful trainee feedback (low-stakes assessments) as well as the ability to determine safe surgical practice to enable promotion to greater autonomous practice.

Global assessment of surgical skills (GASS): validation of a new instrument to measure global technical safety in surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND: Broad implementation of the American Board of Surgery's entrustable professional activities initiative will require assessment instruments that are reliable and easy to use. Existing assessment instruments of general laparoscopic surgical skills have limited reliability, efficiency, and validity across the spectrum of formative (low-stakes) and summative (high-stakes) assessments. A novel six-item global assessment of surgical skills (GASS) instrument was developed and evaluated with a focus upon safe versus unsafe surgical practice scoring rubric. METHODS: The GASS was developed by iterative engagement with expert laparoscopic surgeons and includes six items (economy of motion, tissue handling, appreciating operative anatomy, bimanual dexterity, achievement of hemostasis, overall performance) with a uniform three-point scoring rubric ("poor-unsafe", "adequate-safe", "good-safe"). To test inter-rater reliability, a cross-sectional study of four bariatric surgeons with experience ranging from 4 to 28 years applied the GASS and the global operative assessment of laparoscopic skills (GOALS) to 30 consecutive Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure operative videos. Inter-rater reliability was assessed for a simplified dichotomous "safe" versus "unsafe" scoring rubric using Gwet's AC2. RESULTS: The GASS inter-rater reliability was very high across all six domains (0.88-1.00). The GASS performed comparably to the GOALS inter-rater reliability scores (0.96-1.00). The economy of motion and bimanual dexterity items had the highest percentage of unsafe ratings (9.2% and 5.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The GASS, a novel six-item instrument of general laparoscopic surgical skills, was designed with a simple scoring rubric (poor-safe, adequate-safe, good-safe) to minimize rater burden and focus feedback to trainees and promotion evaluations on safe surgical performance. Initial evaluation of the GASS is promising, demonstrating high inter-rater reliability. Future research will seek to assess the GASS against a broader spectrum of laparoscopic procedures.

Fighting the obesity pandemic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic created delays in surgical care. The population with obesity has a high risk of death from COVID-19. Prior literature shows the most effective way to combat obesity is by weight loss surgery. At different times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, elective inpatient surgeries have been halted due to bed availability. Recognizing that major complications following bariatric surgery are extremely low (bleeding 0-4%, anastomotic leaks 0.8%), we felt outpatient bariatric surgery would be safe for low-risk patients. Complications such as DVT, PE, infection, and anastomotic leaks typically present after 7 days postoperatively, well outside the usual length of stay. Bleeding events, severe postoperative nausea, and dehydration typically occur in the first few days postoperatively. We designed a pathway focused on detecting and preventing these early post-op complications to allow safe outpatient bariatric surgery. METHODS: We used a preoperative evaluation tool to risk stratify bariatric patients. During a 16-month period, 89 patients were identified as low risk for outpatient surgery. We designed a postoperative protocol that included IV hydration and PO intake goals to meet a safe discharge. We sent patients home with a pulse oximeter and had them self-monitor their pulse and oxygen saturation. We called all patients at 10 pm for a postoperative assessment and report of their vitals. Patients returned to clinic the following day and were seen by a provider, received IV hydration, and labs were drawn. RESULTS: 80 of 89 patients (89.8%) were successfully discharged on POD 0. 3 patients were readmitted within 30 days. We had zero deaths in our study cohort and no morbidity that would have been prevented with postoperative admission. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that by identifying low-risk patients for outpatient bariatric surgery and by implementing remote monitoring of vitals early outpatient follow-up, we were able to safely perform outpatient bariatric surgery.

Long-Term, Prospective, Multicenter Study of Poly-4-Hydroxybutyrate Mesh (Phasix Mesh) for Hernia Repair in Cohort at Risk for Complication: 60-Month Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: Long-term resorbable mesh represents a promising technology for ventral and incisional hernia repair (VIHR). This study evaluates poly-4-hydroxybutyrate mesh (P4HB; Phasix Mesh) among comorbid patients with CDC class I wounds. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective, multi-institutional study evaluated P4HB VIHR in comorbid patients with CDC class I wounds. Primary outcomes included hernia recurrence and surgical site infection. Secondary outcomes included pain, device-related adverse events, quality of life, reoperation, procedure time, and length of stay. Evaluations were scheduled at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, and 60 months. A time-to-event analysis (Kaplan-Meier) was performed for primary outcomes; secondary outcomes were reported as descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients (46 male, 75 female) 54.7 ± 12.0 years old with a BMI of 32.2 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 underwent VIHR with P4HB Mesh (mean ± SD). Fifty-four patients (44.6%) completed the 60-month follow-up. Primary outcomes (Kaplan-Meier estimates at 60 months) included recurrence (22.0 ± 4.5%; 95% CI 11.7% to 29.4%) and surgical site infection (10.1 ± 2.8%; 95% CI 3.3 to 14.0). Secondary outcomes included seroma requiring intervention (n = 9), procedure time (167.9 ± 82.5 minutes), length of stay (5.3 ± 5.3 days), reoperation (18 of 121, 14.9%), visual analogue scale-pain (change from baseline -3.16 ± 3.35 cm at 60 months; n = 52), and Carolinas Comfort Total Score (change from baseline -24.3 ± 21.4 at 60 months; n = 52). CONCLUSIONS: Five-year outcomes after VIHR with P4HB mesh were associated with infrequent complications and durable hernia repair outcomes. This study provides a framework for anticipated long-term hernia repair outcomes when using P4HB mesh.

s-CAM: An Untethered Insertable Laparoscopic Surgical Camera Robot with Non-Contact Actuation.

Fully insertable robotic imaging devices represent a promising future of minimally invasive laparoscopic vision. Emerging research efforts in this field have resulted in several proof-of-concept prototypes. One common drawback of these designs derives from their clumsy tethering wires which not only cause operational interference but also reduce camera mobility. In this paper, a tetherless insertable surgical camera (s-CAM) robot with non-contact transabdominal actuation is presented for single-incision laparoscopic vision. Wireless video transmission and control communication using onboard power help eliminate cumbersome tethering wires. Furthermore, magnetic based camera actuation gets rid of intrinsic physical constraints of mechanical driving mechanisms, thereby improving camera mobility and reducing operational interference. In addition, a custom Bluetooth low energy (BLE) application profile and a real-time operating system (RTOS) based multitask programming framework are also proposed to facilitate embedded software design for insertable medical devices. Initial ex vivo test results of the s-CAM design have demonstrated technical feasibility of a tetherless insertable laparoscopic camera. Effective imaging is confirmed at as low as 500 lx illumination. Wireless laparoscopic vision is accessible within a distance of more than 10 m. Transabdominal BLE communication is stable at over -52 dBm and shows its potential for wireless control of insertable medical devices. RTOS based sfotware event response is bounded within 1 ms while the CPU usage is at 3∼5%. The device is able to work for 50 min with its onboard power. For the mobility, the robot can translate against the interior abdominal wall to reach full abdomen quadrants, tilt between -180∘ and +180∘, and pan in the range of 0∘∼360∘. The s-CAM has brought robotic laparoscopic imaging one step further toward less invasiveness and more dexterity.

Intraocular mass as first presenting symptom of metastatic squamous cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related mortality worldwide. Currently, it is the third most common cancer behind prostate and breast cancer. Approximately 85% of all lung cancers are non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common subtypes, accounting for 50% and 30% of NSCLC cases, respectively. Lung cancer is often initially found on chest x-rays and diagnosed via biopsy of the lesion. It is often diagnosed at the time of advanced or metastatic disease. The majority of lung cancers metastasize to locations such as bone, brain, adrenal glands and liver. Multiple case reports have been reported with ocular metastases, such as the choroid, iris and retina. We present a 87-year-old women whose initial emergency department presentation of squamous cell type lung cancer was an intraocular mass. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of this presentation and diagnosis within the emergency department setting.

Prospective, multicenter study of P4HB (Phasix™) mesh for hernia repair in cohort at risk for complications: 3-Year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: This study represents a prospective, multicenter, open-label study to assess the safety, performance, and outcomes of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB, Phasix™) mesh for primary ventral, primary incisional, or multiply-recurrent hernia in subjects at risk for complications. This study reports 3-year clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: P4HB mesh was implanted in 121 patients via retrorectus or onlay technique. Physical exam and/or quality of life surveys were completed at 1, 3, 6,12, 18, 24, and 36 months, with 5-year (60-month) follow-up ongoing. RESULTS: A total of n = 121 patients were implanted with P4HB mesh (n = 75 (62%) female) with a mean age of 54.7 ± 12.0 years and mean BMI of 32.2 ± 4.5 kg/m2 (±standard deviation). Comorbidities included: obesity (78.5%), active smokers (23.1%), COPD (28.1%), diabetes mellitus (33.1%), immunosuppression (8.3%), coronary artery disease (21.5%), chronic corticosteroid use (5.0%), hypo-albuminemia (2.5%), advanced age (5.0%), and renal insufficiency (0.8%). Hernias were repaired via retrorectus (n = 45, 37.2% with myofascial release (MR) or n = 43, 35.5% without MR), onlay (n = 8, 6.6% with MR or n = 24, 19.8% without MR), or not reported (n = 1, 0.8%). 82 patients (67.8%) completed 36-month follow-up. 17 patients (17.9% ± 0.4%) experienced hernia recurrence at 3 years, with n = 9 in the retrorectus group and n = 8 in the onlay group. SSI (n = 11) occurred in 9.3% ± 0.03% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term outcomes following ventral hernia repair with P4HB mesh demonstrate low recurrence rates at 3-year (36-month) postoperative time frame with no patients developing late mesh complications or requiring mesh removal. 5-year (60-month) follow-up is ongoing.

Fine orientation control of an insertable robotic camera system for single incision laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Insertable laparoscopic camera systems were developed to improve the minimally invasive surgeries. Robotic degrees of freedom for an insertable laparoscopic camera are required to adjust the camera's orientation and position inside an abdominal cavity. METHODS: This paper demonstrates an insertable magnetic actuated robotic camera system with two-degree-of-freedom (2-DoF) orientation control for single incision laparoscopic surgery. The camera system design consists of an external magnetic control unit and a fully insertable camera capsule. This system features a unified mechanism for anchoring, navigating, and rotating the insertable camera capsule by externally generated rotational magnetic field from the control unit. The motor-free camera capsule is encapsulated in an one-piece housing with two ring-shaped tail-end magnets and one cylindrical central magnet. The control unit that positioned externally consists of both permanent magnets and electromagnetic coils to generate rotational magnetic field and control the camera capsule. RESULTS: The experimental investigations indicated that the camera control system can achieve less than 1° control accuracies with average errors 0.594° and 0.524° for tilt motion and pan motion, respectively. CONCLUSION: The designed control system provides fine orientation control for the insertable camera capsule which guarantees proper vision for the surgeon during single incision laparoscopic surgery.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery alters serum metabolites and fatty acids in patients with morbid obesity.

AIM: Bariatric surgery induces significant weight loss, increases insulin sensitivity, and reduces mortality, but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. It was hypothesized that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery improves metabolic profile along with weight loss. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate changes in serum metabolites and fatty acids (FA) at 2 weeks and 6 months after RYGB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum samples were collected pre-surgery, at 2 weeks and 6 months post-surgery from 20 patients undergoing RYGB surgery. Serum non-esterified free FA (NEFA) were measured. Serum metabolites and FA were measured using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and improved direct fatty acid methyl ester synthesis and the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method, respectively, in subjects who completed follow-up at 6 months (n = 8). RESULTS: Mean (standard deviation) percent total weight loss was 6.70% (1.7) and 24.91% (6.63) at 2 weeks (n = 15) and 6 months (n = 8) post-surgery, respectively. NEFA were significantly reduced at 6 months post-surgery (P = 0.001, n = 8). Serum branched chain amino acids, 2-aminobutyrate, butyrate, 2-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, acetone, 2-methylglutarate, and 2-oxoisocaproate were significantly reduced, while serum alanine, glycine, pyruvate, and taurine were significantly elevated at 6 months post-surgery compared with pre-surgery (n = 8, P < 0.05). Also, serum FA C10:0, C13:0, C14:0, C15:0, and C18:0 increased significantly (n = 8, P < 0.05) by 6 months post-surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in serum metabolites and FA at 6 months post-RYGB surgery in this pilot study with limited number of participants are suggestive of metabolic improvement; larger studies are warranted for confirmation.

Prospective evaluation of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate mesh in CDC class I/high-risk ventral and incisional hernia repair: 18-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Long-term resorbable mesh represents a promising technology for complex ventral and incisional hernia repair (VIHR). Preclinical studies indicate that poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) resorbable mesh supports strength restoration of the abdominal wall. This study evaluated outcomes of high-risk subjects undergoing VIHR with P4HB mesh. METHODS: This was a prospective, multi-institutional study of subjects undergoing retrorectus or onlay VIHR. Inclusion criteria were CDC Class I, defect 10-350 cm2, ≤ 3 prior repairs, and ≥ 1 high-risk criteria (obesity (BMI: 30-40 kg/m2), active smoker, COPD, diabetes, immunosuppression, coronary artery disease, chronic corticosteroid use, hypoalbuminemia, advanced age, and renal insufficiency). Physical exam and/or quality of life surveys were performed at regular intervals through 18 months (to date) with longer-term, 36-month follow-up ongoing. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-one subjects (46M, 75F) with an age of 54.7 ± 12.0 years and BMI of 32.2 ± 4.5 kg/m2 (mean ± SD), underwent VIHR. Comorbidities included the following: obesity (n = 95, 78.5%), hypertension (n = 72, 59.5%), cardiovascular disease (n = 42, 34.7%), diabetes (n = 40, 33.1%), COPD (n = 34, 28.1%), malignancy (n = 30, 24.8%), active smoker (n = 28, 23.1%), immunosuppression (n = 10, 8.3%), chronic corticosteroid use (n = 6, 5.0%), advanced age (n = 6, 5.0%), hypoalbuminemia (n = 3, 2.5%), and renal insufficiency (n = 1, 0.8%). Hernia types included the following: primary ventral (n = 17, 14%), primary incisional (n = 54, 45%), recurrent ventral (n = 15, 12%), and recurrent incisional hernia (n = 35, 29%). Defect and mesh size were 115.7 ± 80.6 and 580.9 ± 216.1 cm2 (mean ± SD), respectively. Repair types included the following: retrorectus (n = 43, 36%), retrorectus with additional myofascial release (n = 45, 37%), onlay (n = 24, 20%), and onlay with additional myofascial release (n = 8, 7%). 95 (79%) subjects completed 18-month follow-up to date. Postoperative wound infection, seroma requiring intervention, and hernia recurrence occurred in 11 (9%), 7 (6%), and 11 (9%) subjects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk VIHR with P4HB mesh demonstrated positive outcomes and low incidence of hernia recurrence at 18 months. Longer-term 36-month follow-up is ongoing.

Optical design of an in vivo laparoscopic lighting system.

This paper proposes an in vivo laparoscopic lighting system design to address the illumination issues, namely poor lighting uniformity and low optical efficiency, existing in the state-of-the-art in vivo laparoscopic cameras. The transformable design of the laparoscopic lighting system is capable of carrying purposefully designed freeform optical lenses for achieving lighting performance with high illuminance uniformity and high optical efficiency in a desired target region. To design freeform optical lenses for extended light sources such as LEDs with Lambertian light intensity distributions, we present an effective and complete freeform optical design method. The procedures include (1) ray map computation by numerically solving a standard Monge-Ampere equation; (2) initial freeform optical surface construction by using Snell's law and a lens volume restriction; (3) correction of surface normal vectors due to accumulated errors from the initially constructed surfaces; and (4) feedback modification of the solution to deal with degraded illuminance uniformity caused by the extended sizes of the LEDs. We employed an optical design software package to evaluate the performance of our laparoscopic lighting system design. The simulation results show that our design achieves greater than 95% illuminance uniformity and greater than 89% optical efficiency (considering Fresnel losses) for illuminating the target surgical region.

Effect of bariatric surgery on systemic and adipose tissue inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Obese patients are predisposed to developing insulin resistance and associated metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of bariatric surgery on adipose-derived inflammatory cytokines (adipokines), which play a key role in insulin resistance and obesity. We hypothesized that there is a significant increase in serum and tissue anti-inflammatory adiponectin with a decrease in circulating pro-inflammatory TNF-α and MCP-1, leading to reduced inflammation post-bariatric surgery. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic gastric band on serum and tissue levels of adiponectin and serum levels of MCP-1 and TNF-α. Samples of serum and adipose tissue were collected at the time of surgery, 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Adipokine levels were assayed by ELISA kits. RESULTS: A significant increase in adiponectin levels 2 weeks after surgery was observed in the subcutaneous adipose tissue in both groups combined. Serum adiponectin in LRYGB patients showed an increasing trend, while MCP-1 showed a decreasing trend post-surgery. There was no difference in TNF-α among the groups. The number of patients enrolled did not allow for statistical power to be reached. CONCLUSION: Our results show significant and rapid increases in subcutaneous adipose adiponectin as early as 2 weeks post-bariatric surgery demonstrating reduced inflammation and possibly reduced insulin resistance. Future studies are warranted in larger cohorts with additional measurements of insulin sensitivity and inflammation.

Hardware design for a cable-free fully insertable wireless laparoscopic robotic camera.

The field of insertable laparoscopic robotic camera is gaining increasing attentions from researchers, surgeons, and also patients. Although many insertable laparoscope prototypes have been introduced, few of them get rid of the encumbrance tethering cable. In this paper, we proposed a hardware architecture for a magnetic actuated robotic surgical (MARS) camera, which facilitates a cable-free fully insertable laparoscopic surgical robotic camera with adequate in-vivo mobility. Modular design and preliminary test of on-board functional payloads have shown feasibility of a cable-free insertable wireless laparoscopic surgical camera based on off-the-shelf electronics and industrial wireless standards operating in ISM frequency bands at 2.4GHz. Potential improvements for laparoscopic surgery benefited from this hardware architecture include more dexterous in-vivo camera mobility and intuitive closed-loop robotic camera control.

Laparoscopic appendectomy--is it worth the cost? Trend analysis in the US from 2000 to 2005.

BACKGROUND: Although laparoscopic appendectomy is widely used for treatment of appendicitis, it is still unclear if it is superior to the open approach. STUDY DESIGN: From the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2000 to 2005, hospitalizations with the primary ICD-9 procedure code of laparoscopic (LA) and open appendectomy (OA) were included in this study. Outcomes of length of stay, costs, and complications were assessed by stratified analysis for uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis (perforation or abscess). Regression methods were used to adjust for covariates and to detect trends. Costs were rescaled using the hospital and related services portion of the Medical Consumer Price Index. RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2005, 132,663 (56.3%) patients underwent OA and 102,810 (43.7%) had LA. Frequency of LA increased from 32.2% to 58.0% (p < 0.001); conversion rates decreased from 9.9% to 6.9% (p < 0.001). Covariate adjusted length of stay for LA was approximately 15% shorter than for OA in both uncomplicated and complicated cases (p < 0.001). Adjusted costs for LA were 22% higher in uncomplicated appendicitis and 9% higher in patients with complicated appendicitis (p < 0.001). Costs and length of stay decreased over time in OA and LA. The risk for a complication was higher in the LA group (p < 0.05, odds ratio=1.07, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.14) with uncomplicated appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS: LA results in higher costs and increased morbidity for patients with uncomplicated appendicitis. Nevertheless, LA is increasingly used. Patients undergoing LA benefit from a slightly shorter hospital stay. In general, open appendectomy may be the preferred approach for patients with acute appendicitis, with indication for LA in selected subgroups of patients.

Nationwide impact of laparoscopic lysis of adhesions in the management of intestinal obstruction in the US.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of adhesion-related complications is cost intensive and presents a considerable burden to the health care system. The objective of this study was to compare open (OLA) and laparoscopic lysis of adhesions (LLA) in the treatment of intestinal obstruction, based on a nationwide representative sample. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with intestinal obstruction undergoing OLA, LLA, and conversion were identified from the 2002 National Inpatient Sample. After propensity methods were used to adjust for covariates including patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities, the impact of OLA and LLA was analyzed concerning in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay (LOS), and in-hospital costs. RESULTS: Of 6,165 patients, 88.6% underwent OLA and 11.4% had LLA. Conversion was required in 17.2% of LLA patients. Unadjusted mortality was equal between LLA and conversion (1.7%) and half the rate compared with OLA (3.4%) (p = 0.014). After adjusting with propensity methods, the odds of complications in the LLA group (intention to treat) were 25% less than in the OLA (p = 0.008). The LLA group had a 27% shorter LOS (p = 0.0001) and was 9% less expensive than the OLA group (p = 0.0003). There was no statistical significant difference for LOS, complications, and costs between the conversion and OLA groups. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that when LLA is applied to selected patients with intestinal obstruction, there are reductions in postoperative complications, LOS, and costs. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these data and better identify the subgroup of patients who have improved outcomes with LLA.

Integrated flexible endoscopy training during surgical residency.

BACKGROUND: New advances in endoscopic surgery make it imperative that future gastrointestinal surgeons obtain adequate endoscopy skills. An evaluation of the 2001-02 general surgery residency endoscopy experience at the University of Missouri revealed that chief residents were graduating with an average of 43 endoscopic cases. This met American Board of Surgery (ABS) and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements but is inadequate preparation for carrying out advanced endoscopic surgery. Our aim was to determine if endoscopy volume could be improved by dedicating specific staff surgeon time to a gastrointestinal diagnostic center at an affiliated Veterans Administration Hospital. METHODS: During the academic years 2002-05, two general surgeons who routinely perform endoscopy staffed the gastrointestinal endoscopy center at the Harry S. Truman Hospital two days per week. A minimum of one categorical surgical resident participated during these endoscopy training days while on the Veterans Hospital surgical service. A retrospective observational review of ACGME surgery resident case logs from 2001 to 2005 was conducted to document the changes in resident endoscopy experience. The cases were compiled by postgraduate year (PGY). RESULTS: Resident endoscopy case volume increased 850% from 2001 to 2005. Graduating residents completed an average of 161 endoscopies. Endoscopic experience was attained at all levels of training: 26, 21, 34, 23, and 26 mean endoscopies/year for PGY-1 to PGY-5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Having specific endoscopy training days at a VA Hospital under the guidance of a dedicated staff surgeon is a successful method to improve surgical resident endoscopy case volume. An integrated endoscopy training curriculum results in early skills acquisition, continued proficiency throughout residency, and is an efficient way to obtain endoscopic skills. In addition, the foundation of flexible endoscopic skill and experience has allowed early integration of surgery residents into research efforts in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery.

Efficacy of laparoscopic appendectomy in appendicitis with peritonitis.

Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is safe and effective in cases of peritonitis, perforation, and abscess. We investigated our conversion rate and clinical outcomes in this patient population, as well as preoperative factors that predict operative conversion. A retrospective nonrandomized cohort of 92 patients underwent LA for acute appendicitis with peritonitis, perforation, or abscess at our institution between 1997 and 2002. Thirty-six of the 92 were converted to open appendectomy (OA), yielding a conversion rate of 39 per cent. The presence of phlegmon (42%), nonvisualized appendix (44%), technical failures (8%), and bleeding (6%) were reasons for conversion. Preoperative data had no predictive value for conversion. CT scan findings of free fluid, phlegmon, and abscess did not correlate with findings at the time of surgery. Total complication rates were 8.9 per cent in the LA group as compared to 50 per cent in the converted cohort. Postoperative data showed LA patients stayed 3.2 days versus 6.9 days for converted patients (P = 0.01). LA patients had less pneumonia (P = 0.02), intra-abdominal abscess (P = 0.01), ileus (P = 0.01), and readmissions (P = 0.01). LA is safe and effective in patients with appendicitis with peritonitis, perforation, and abscess, resulting in shorter hospital stays and less complication.