IMPACT OF A SIMULATED LAPAROSCOPIC TRAINING PROGRAM IN A THREE-YEAR GENERAL SURGERY RESIDENCY.

BACKGROUND: A General Surgery Residency may last between 2-6 years, depending on the country. A shorter General Surgery Residency must optimize residents' surgical exposure. Simulated surgical training is known to shorten the learning curves, but information related to how it affects a General Surgery Residency regarding clinical exposure is scarce. AIM: To analyze the effect of introducing a validated laparoscopic simulated training program in abdominal procedures performed by residents in a three-year General Surgery Residency program. METHODS: A non-concurrent cohort study was designed. Four-generations (2012-2015) of graduated surgeons were included. Only abdominal procedures in which the graduated surgeons were the primary surgeon were described and analyzed. The control group was of graduated surgeons from 2012 without the laparoscopic simulated training program. Surgical procedures per program year, surgical technique, emergency/elective intervention and hospital-site (main/community hospitals) were described. RESULTS: Interventions of 28 graduated surgeons were analyzed (control group=5; laparoscopic simulated training program=23). Graduated surgeons performed a mean of 372 abdominal procedures, with a higher mean number of medium-to-complex procedures in laparoscopic simulated training program group (48 vs. 30, p=0.02). Graduated surgeons trained with laparoscopic simulated training program performed a higher number of total abdominal procedures (384 vs. 319, p=0.04) and laparoscopic procedures (183 vs. 148, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of laparoscopic simulated training program may increase the number and complexity of total and laparoscopic procedures in a three-year General Surgery Residency.

Impact of a simulated laparoscopic training program in a three-year general surgery residency / Impacto de um programa de treinamento laparoscópico simulado em residência de cirurgia geral de três anos

ABSTRACT Background: A General Surgery Residency may last between 2-6 years, depending on the country. A shorter General Surgery Residency must optimize residents' surgical exposure. Simulated surgical training is known to shorten the learning curves, but information related to how it affects a General Surgery Residency regarding clinical exposure is scarce. Aim: To analyze the effect of introducing a validated laparoscopic simulated training program in abdominal procedures performed by residents in a three-year General Surgery Residency program. Methods: A non-concurrent cohort study was designed. Four-generations (2012-2015) of graduated surgeons were included. Only abdominal procedures in which the graduated surgeons were the primary surgeon were described and analyzed. The control group was of graduated surgeons from 2012 without the laparoscopic simulated training program. Surgical procedures per program year, surgical technique, emergency/elective intervention and hospital-site (main/community hospitals) were described. Results: Interventions of 28 graduated surgeons were analyzed (control group=5; laparoscopic simulated training program=23). Graduated surgeons performed a mean of 372 abdominal procedures, with a higher mean number of medium-to-complex procedures in laparoscopic simulated training program group (48 vs. 30, p=0.02). Graduated surgeons trained with laparoscopic simulated training program performed a higher number of total abdominal procedures (384 vs. 319, p=0.04) and laparoscopic procedures (183 vs. 148, p<0.05). Conclusions: The introduction of laparoscopic simulated training program may increase the number and complexity of total and laparoscopic procedures in a three-year General Surgery Residency.

RESUMO Racional: Residência em Cirurgia Geral pode durar entre 2-6 anos, dependendo do país. Residência mais curta deve otimizar a exposição dos residentes às cirurgias. Sabe-se que o treinamento cirúrgico simulado encurta as curvas de aprendizado, mas a informação relacionada à como isso afeta a residência em relação à exposição clínica é escassa. Objetivo: Analisar o efeito da introdução de um programa de treinamento laparoscópico simulado validado em procedimentos abdominais realizados por residentes em um programa de Residência em Cirurgia Geral de três anos. Métodos: Um estudo de coorte não simultâneo foi desenhado. Quatro gerações (2012-2015) de cirurgiões graduados foram incluídos. Apenas os procedimentos abdominais em que os cirurgiões graduados foram o cirurgião principal foram descritos e analisados. O grupo controle foi de cirurgiões graduados de 2012 sem programa de treinamento laparoscópico simulado. Procedimentos cirúrgicos por ano de programa, técnica cirúrgica, intervenção de emergência ou eletiva e local do hospital (hospitais principais/comunitários) foram descritos. Resultados: Intervenções de 28 cirurgiões graduados foram analisadas (controle=5; programa de treinamento simulado=23). Os cirurgiões graduados realizaram média de 372 procedimentos abdominais, com maior número médio de procedimentos de médio a complexo no grupo de programa de treinamento simulado (48 vs. 30, p=0,02). Cirurgiões graduados treinados com programa de treinamento simulado realizaram número maior de procedimentos abdominais totais (384 vs. 319, p=0,04) e procedimentos laparoscópicos (183 vs. 148, p<0,05). Conclusões: A introdução do programa de treinamento laparoscópico simulado pode aumentar o número e a complexidade dos procedimentos totais e laparoscópicos na Residência em Cirurgia Geral de três anos.

[Appendectomies for suspected acute appendicitis during pregnancy: experience at a Chilean public hospital]. / Apendicectomía en la embarazada: experiencia en un hospital público chileno.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common non obstetric surgical emergency during pregnancy. AIM: To asses our experience in the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis occurring during pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from all pregnant patients who were subjected to an appendectomy for a suspected acute appendicitis from January 1998 to December 2002, were retrospectively analyzed. All pathological, surgical, clinical records and the delivery outcome registry of each patient were reviewed. RESULTS: Among 47,322 deliveries, 46 pregnant women aged 29+/-9 years and with a gestational age of 21+/-7 weeks, were operated because of a presumptive acute appendicitis. Forty (87%) had a histopathologically proven appendicitis; ten (25%) cases had a perforated appendix and 30 (75%) had a non-perforated appendicitis. Five (10.9%) patients had a negative laparotomy and one had a necrotic ovarian tumor. Patients with perforated and non perforated appendices had a similar lapse from the onset of symptoms to operation (69+/-45 and 50+/-34 hours respectively, NS) and a similar white cell count (15,667+/-3,707 and 13,006+/-5,206 cells/mm(3), respectively, NS). Wound infection was the most common surgical complication in 15%. Seven (15%) patients had a premature delivery and there was one fetal death (2.2%). There were no pregnancy complications on negative appendectomy cases. CONCLUSIONS: Acute appendicitis continues to be a challenge in diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy. Maternal and fetal outcome was better than previously reported.