Training of young medical professionals: implementation of modern training concepts, taking into account the changed framework conditions for training-a pilot project for operational subjects.

INTRODUCTION: For years, generations of medical students have complained that practice-oriented learning is neglected in medical studies. Further training assistants also complain about limited opportunities to learn subject-specific practical activities. MATERIAL AND TECHNIQUES: We are presenting a pilot project at the University Women's Hospital in Homburg, in which medical students complete an endoscopic hands-on course as part of the block internship gynaecology and obstetrics. During the course the students perform classic skills training and hand-eye coordination exercises and learn the first steps in endoscopic suturing (suture and rows of knots). The training concepts used can be implemented on simple boxing trainers and can therefore also be reproduced in clinics or in a private setting. OUTCOME: Altogether, 73 medical students did participate in the laparoscopy course. We were able to prove that the knotting time for a simple knot can be reduced from an average of 247 s to 40 s (80%) after completing our training programme. Based on the evaluation sheet that the students filled out after the course, we found a very-high acceptance for surgical simulation training within the student cohort. DISCUSSION: Practical surgical exercises can complement the curriculum well and, as we can show with our work, are rated very positively by the students. For students in higher semesters, such practical courses can also provide an insight into the respective subject area and thus counteract the lack of skilled workers in surgical subjects. The practical year should not be the first contact with these practical courses, as at this timepoint a certain favoured subject has often already being chosen by the students.

The influence of conventional and extended supracervical hysterectomy on sexuality and quality of life parameters: a prospective bi-center study with a special focus on postoperative spotting.

PURPOSE: Supracervical as well as total hysterectomy are considered to improve postoperative sexuality as well as quality of life, but the benefit of supracervical hysterectomy (LSH) is impaired in up to 20 percent by postoperative spotting. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of a conical excision of the cervical stump during supracervical hysterectomy on the postoperative spotting rate and its influence on sexuality and in turn quality of life. METHODS: 321 Patients who underwent a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with conical excision (extended laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, eLSH, n = 166, Dormagen hospital) or with straight cervical resection (laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, LSH, n = 133, MIC Clinics Berlin) were included. Sexual matters, quality of life parameters and additional questions were recorded before operation, at three months of follow up, and at one year of follow up in both groups using a validated questionnaire (German version of International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Vaginal Symptoms Module, ICIQ_VS). Statistical analysis included the impact and impairment of bleeding on sexuality, quality of life in both groups and co-factors such as vaginal symptoms. RESULTS: 11.3% after eLSH and 15.5% after LSH reported spotting after 1 year. Supracervical hysterectomy significantly improves quality of life and sexuality and a conical excision of the remaining stump is associated with a lower but insignificantly reduced spotting rates. Postoperative spotting has no negative influence on sexual matter score of ICIQ_VS, but reduces the postoperative quality of life focusing on vaginal symptoms in a significant way. CONCLUSION: The improvement of ICIQ_VS scores after supracervical hysterectomy is independent of postoperative spotting, but the quality-of-life score is positively influenced by a reduction in the postoperative spotting rate.

Endoscopic surgery: talent or training?

PURPOSE: There are two groups of undergraduate students involved in endoscopic surgery with different degrees of experience: average and more experience. This study proves whether the subjective impression of the laparoscopic trainer is verifiable and which factors influence extreme talent. METHODS: 21 medical students of the eighth term of the University of Witten-Herdecke participated in the study. On their first course day, students got instructed in suturing and knot technique. They were then required to tie a maximum of five knots within 2 h. After a week, students repeated this procedure. Time used for tying knots was stopped. RESULTS: Regarding the time students used for their first knots, great differences were provable (7-8 min, average 23 min). However, an adaption of the knotting time was noticed at the end of the first course day. This was confirmed during the second course day. Neither acquired factors (music, sport, etc.) nor individual factors (visual acuity, handedness, etc.) had any impact on the time used for knotting. Merely, one advantage was seen with the first knots with the factors of playing the guitar and having a more than 10-h surgical previous experience. Knotting times leveled off at 95% to less than 10 min, though. DISCUSSION: Neither normally talented nor extremely talented junior surgeons could be noticed, and so could not the co-factors providing an advantage or disadvantage for surgery, respectively. All prospective surgeons can learn defined tasks (knots) by short interval training, and thus show similarly good results after a few repetitions.

Laparoscopic pectopexy: a randomised comparative clinical trial of standard laparoscopic sacral colpo-cervicopexy to the new laparoscopic pectopexy. Short-term postoperative results.

PURPOSE: Sacral colpopexy is a well established method of vaginal prolapse correction. Although it is capable of restoring the physiologic axis of the vagina, this method also bears some serious operative risks [1]. The aim of the study was to compare the laparoscopic sacral colpopexy with a laparoscopic bilateral fixation of the vagina/cervix to the iliopectineal ligaments via a PVDF-mesh (pectopexy). METHODS: This part of a single-center randomized prospective clinical trial (Canadian Task Force Classification) compared the short-term operative outcome of laparoscopic sacropexy and pectopexy. We evaluated the operating time, blood loss, hospital stay duration, occurrence of major complications, episodes of constipation, urinary retention, de novo urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, body mass index and postoperative Creactive protein values. The 1-year follow up examination will be carried out to evaluate the occurrence of relapse as well as late complications. Local symptoms and sexual activity will be evaluated using a German version of the ICIQ Vaginal Symptoms Questionnaire. RESULTS: We carried out 43 pectopexies and 40 sacropexies in conjunction with other laparoscopic and/or vaginal procedures, as indicated. No major complications occurred in both groups during the hospital stay. There were no significant differences in the body mass index, average age, hospital stay duration and occurrence of constipation. The average operating time (43.1 vs. 52.1 min) and blood loss (4.6 vs. 15.3 ml) were significantly lower in the pectopexy group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although laparoscopic pectopexy cannot yet be generally recommended as an alternative to sacropexy until the follow-up data is obtained, the new method can be considered in patients where the presacral preparation bears a higher risk of injury.