A systematic review of the prevalence of burnout in orthopaedic surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: Professional burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low sense of personal achievement related to the workplace. Orthopaedic surgeons train and practise in highly demanding environments. Understanding up-to-date trends in burnout, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, is vital. For this reason, we carried out a systematic review on this topic. METHODS: A scoping literature review of two databases was conducted. Two authors independently screened articles and conflicts were resolved by panel discussion. Articles pertaining to orthopaedic surgeons that used validated scales and were peer reviewed research were included. Non-English or abstract-only results were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 664 papers were identified in the literature search and 34 were included in the qualitative review. Among 8,471 orthopaedic surgeons, the mean burnout prevalence was 48.9%. The wide range in rate of burnout between the studies (15-90.4%) reflected the variety in setting, subspecialty and surgeon grade. Common protective factors comprised dedicated mentorship, surgeon seniority, sufficient exercise and family support. Substance abuse, malpractice claims, financial stress and onerous on-call responsibilities were risk factors. Burnout prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic was not noticeably different; there were a number of pandemic-associated risk and protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one in two orthopaedic surgeons are burnt out. There is a paucity of data on the short and long-term impact of COVID-19 on burnout. Burnout has deep organisational, personal and clinical implications. Targeted organisational interventions are required to prevent burnout from irrevocably damaging the future of orthopaedic surgery.

Informing the surgical workforce pathway: how rural community characteristics matter.

INTRODUCTION: Rural areas worldwide face a general surgeon shortage, limiting rural populations' access to surgical care. While individual and practice-related factors have been well-studied in the US, we need a better understanding of the role of community characteristics in surgeons' location choices. This study aimed to understand the deeper meanings surgeons associated with community characteristics in order to inform efforts spanning the rural surgeon workforce pathway, from early educational exposures, and undergraduate and graduate medical education, to recruitment and retention. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative, descriptive interview study with general surgeons in the Midwestern US about the role and meaning of community characteristics, exploring their backgrounds, education, practice location choices, and future plans. We focused on rural surgeons and used an urban comparison group. We used convenience and snowball sampling, then conducted interviews in-person and via phone, and digitally recorded and professionally transcribed them. We coded inductively and continued collecting data until reaching code saturation. We used thematic network analysis to organize codes and draw conclusions. RESULTS: A total of 37 general surgeons (22 rural and 15 urban) participated. Interviews totaled over 52 hours. Three global themes described how rural surgeons associated different, often deeper, meanings with certain community characteristics compared to their urban colleagues: physical environment symbolism, health resources' relationship to scope of practice, and implications of intense role overlap (professional and personal roles). All interviewees spoke to all three themes, but the meanings they found differed importantly between urban and rural surgeons. Physical landscapes and community infrastructure were representative of autonomy and freedom for rural surgeons. They also shared how facilities, equipment, staff, staff education, and surgical partners combined to create different scopes of practice than their urban counterparts experienced. Often, rural surgeons found these resources dictated when they needed to transfer patients to higher-acuity facilities. Rural surgeons experienced role overlap intensely, as they cared for patients who were also friends and neighbors. CONCLUSION: Rural surgeons associated different meanings with certain community characteristics than their urban counterparts. As they work with prospective rural surgeons, educators and rural communities should highlight how health resources can translate into desired scopes of practice. They also should share with trainees the realities of role overlap, both how intense and stressful it can be but also how gratifying. Educators should include the rural social context in medical and surgical education, looking for even more opportunities to collaborate with rural communities to provide learners with firsthand experiences of rural environments, resources, and role overlap.

Occupational hazards and pregnancy in orthopaedics: female surgeons are at increased risk of infertility and pregnancy complications.

Female surgeons have increased rates of infertility and pregnancy complications compared to the general population. Reported infertility rates in surgeons are 32% compared to 10.9% in the general population. Reported pregnancy complication rates in surgeons range from 25% to 35%. In the orthopaedic operating theatre occupational hazards that have an effect on pregnancy outcomes include radiation, exposure to methyl methacrylate in bone cement, surgical smoke, sharps injuries, exposure to anaesthetic waste gases and the effects of the physical demands of surgery including prolonged work hours and night shift work. Outside the operating theatre exposure to nitrous oxide, formaldehyde, surgical scrub also have evidence of negative pregnancy outcomes. This review summarizes the available evidence as it relates to specific occupational hazards that face health workers in an orthopaedic operating theatre. This information, while targeted at orthopaedic health workers, is also relevant to anaesthetists, radiographers, nursing staff, medical device company representatives and female surgeons in other specialties.

TAVAC: comprehensive review of currently available hemostatic products as adjunct to surgical hemostasis.

BACKGROUND: The use of hemostatic agents by general surgeons during abdominal operations is commonplace as an adjunctive measure to minimize risks of postoperative bleeding and its downstream complications. Proper selection of products can be hampered by marginal understanding of their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. While a variety of hemostatic agents are currently available on the market, the choice of those products is often confusing for surgeons. This paper aims to summarize and compare the available hemostatic products for each clinical indication and to ultimately better guide surgeons in the selection and proper use of hemostatic agents in daily clinical practice. METHODS: We utilized PubMed electronic database and published product information from the respective pharmaceutical companies to collect information on the characteristics of the hemostatic products. RESULTS: All commercially available hemostatic agents in the US are described with a description of their mechanism of action, indications, contraindications, circumstances in which they are best utilized, and expected results. CONCLUSION: Hemostatic products come with many different types and specifications. They are valuable tools to serve as an adjunct to surgical hemostasis. Proper education and knowledge of their characteristics are important for the selection of the right agent and optimal utilization.

Thinking Outside the Box: The Interventional Surgeon.

Advances in treatment of structural heart disease have been disruptive to cardiovascular surgery, and there have been discussions about how to incorporate these technologies into the surgeons' therapeutic arsenal. Transcatheter procedures, complex redo interventions, and endovascular aortic approaches are already practiced by cardiovascular surgeons in Brazil. The expansion of these techniques, coupled with recent changes in the country's medical residency program in cardiovascular surgery, has led to an urgent need to acquire catheter-based skills. In this article, we discuss these aspects in the light of the reality of cardiovascular surgery training in Brazil.

ChatGPT Performance on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Maintenance of Certification Exam.

BACKGROUND: While multiple studies have tested the ability of large language models (LLM), such as ChatGPT, to pass standardized medical exams at different levels of training, LLMs have never been tested on surgical sub-specialty examinations, such as the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Maintenance of Certification (MOC). The purpose of this study was to compare results of ChatGPT 3.5, GPT-4, and fellowship-trained surgeons on the 2023 American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) self-assessment exam. METHODS: ChatGPT 3.5 and GPT-4 were subjected to the same set of text-only questions from the ASES MOC exam, and GPT-4 was additionally subjected to image-based MOC exam questions. Question responses from both models were compared against the correct answers. Performance of both models was compared to corresponding average human performance on the same question subsets. One sided proportional z-test were utilized to analyze data. RESULTS: Humans performed significantly better than Chat GPT 3.5 on exclusively text-based questions (76.4% vs. 60.8%, p= .044). Humans also performed significantly better than GPT 4 on image-based questions (73.9% vs. 53.2%, p= .019). There was no significant difference between humans and GPT 4 in text-based questions (76.4% vs. 66.7%, p=0.136). Accounting for all questions, humans significantly outperformed GPT-4 (75.3% vs. 60.2%, p= .012). GPT-4 did not perform statistically significantly betterer than ChatGPT 3.5 on text-only questions (66.7% vs. 60.8%, p= .268). DISCUSSION: Although human performance was overall superior, ChatGPT demonstrated the capacity to analyze orthopedic information and answer specialty-specific questions on the ASES MOC exam for both text and image-based questions. With continued advancements in deep learning, large language models may someday rival exam performance of fellowship-trained surgeons.

Unveiling Drivers of Retinal Degeneration in RCS Rats: Functional, Morphological, and Molecular Insights.

Retinal degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, significantly contribute to adult blindness. The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat is a well-established disease model for studying these dystrophies; however, molecular investigations remain limited. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of retinal degeneration in RCS rats, including an immunodeficient RCS (iRCS) sub-strain, using ocular coherence tomography, electroretinography, histology, and molecular dissection using transcriptomics and immunofluorescence. No significant differences in retinal degeneration progression were observed between the iRCS and immunocompetent RCS rats, suggesting a minimal role of adaptive immune responses in disease. Transcriptomic alterations were primarily in inflammatory signaling pathways, characterized by the strong upregulation of Tnfa, an inflammatory signaling molecule, and Nox1, a contributor to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Additionally, a notable decrease in Alox15 expression was observed, pointing to a possible reduction in anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediators. These findings were corroborated by immunostaining, which demonstrated increased photoreceptor lipid peroxidation (4HNE) and photoreceptor citrullination (CitH3) during retinal degeneration. Our work enhances the understanding of molecular changes associated with retinal degeneration in RCS rats and offers potential therapeutic targets within inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways for confirmatory research and development.

Recommendations for optimising pilot and feasibility work in surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical trials are recognised as inherently challenging. Pilot and feasibility studies (PAFS) are increasingly acknowledged as a key method to optimise the design and conduct of randomised trials but remain limited in surgery. We used a mixed methods approach to develop recommendations for how surgical PAFS could be optimised. METHODS: The findings from a quantitative analysis of funded surgical PAFS over a 10-year period and in-depth qualitative interviews with surgeons, methodologists and funders were triangulated and synthesised with available methodological guidance on PAFS. RESULTS: The synthesis informed the development of an explanatory model describing root causes and compounding challenges that contribute to how and why surgical PAFS is not currently optimised. The four root causes identified include issues relating to (i) understanding the full scope of PAFS; (ii) design and conduct of PAFS; (iii) reporting of PAFS; and (iv) lack of appreciation of the value of PAFS by all stakeholder groups. Compounding challenges relate to both cultural issues and access to and interpretation of available methodological PAFS guidance. The study findings and explanatory model were used to inform the development of a practical guidance tool for surgeons and study teams to improve research practice. CONCLUSIONS: Optimisation of PAFS in surgery requires a cultural shift in research practice amongst funders, academic institutions, regulatory bodies and journal editors, as well as amongst surgeons. Our 'Top Tips' guidance tool offers an accessible framework for surgeons designing PAFS. Adoption and utilisation of these recommendations will optimise surgical PAFS, facilitating successful and efficient future surgical trials.

Emergency Surgical Treatment and Triage: Targeting Optimal Outcomes for Emergency Surgical Patients From Index Encounter Through Definitive Care.

BACKGROUND: Patients with emergency surgical conditions (ESCs) experience higher complication rates than those without emergency conditions. Our purpose was to improve time-based key performance indicators (KPIs) of care for ESC patients, including diagnostic workup, empiric stabilization, and referral to definitive care. METHODS: A rapid response program (ESTAT) was developed to screen for and coordinate optimal, timely care for a spectrum of high-risk ESCs, from the patient's index clinical encounter up to definitive care. The Mann-Whitney test assessed whether any differences in KPIs were statistically significant (P < .05) before compared to after the implementation of ESTAT. RESULTS: 98 patients were identified: 44 in ESTAT group (70% age ≥55, 57% male); 54 in control group (57% age ≥55, 44% male). There were significant decreases from time of index clinical encounter to resuscitation (5 min. vs 34 min., P < .001), to diagnostic imaging (52 min. vs 1 hr. 19 min., P = .004), and to definitive care (2 hr. 17 min. vs 3 hr. 51 min., P = .007) in the ESTAT group compared to the control group, respectively. DISCUSSION: Improving time-based KPIs for delivery of clinical services is a common goal of medical emergency response systems (MERS) in numerous specialties. Implementation of an ESTAT program provides a screening tool for at-risk patients and reduces time to stabilize, diagnose and triage to definitive surgical intervention. These time benefits may ultimately translate to reduced complication rates for ESC patients. ESTAT may also represent a patient onboarding mechanism for surgical specialty verification programs promoted by quality improvement committees of various professional societies.

Periodontists and oral surgeons' peri-implantitis-related education, knowledge, attitudes, and professional behavior: A national survey.

OBJECTIVES: Each year, approximately 5 million dental implants are placed in the United States and one out of three patients is likely to experience peri-implantitis (PI). The objectives were to compare the PI-related education, knowledge, attitudes, and professional behavior of periodontists and oral maxillofacial surgeons (OMS), and to explore relationships between these constructs of interest. METHODS: A total of 389 periodontists and 161 OMS responded to a web-based survey. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses (independent sample t-tests, chi-square tests, and correlational analyses) were conducted. RESULTS: On average, periodontists reported a higher percentage of time spent in residency on implant surgery (21.02% vs. 7.27%; p < 0.001), better education about PI (5-point scale with 1 = not at all well: means: 2.86 vs. 2.59; p < 0.001), and better knowledge of risk factors (4.07 vs. 3.86; p < 0.001) than OMS. Periodontists argued that oral hygiene-related treatment (4.45 vs. 4.22; p = 0.001) and regeneration-focused treatments such as guided tissue regeneration (3.62 vs. 3.20; p < 0.001) contributed more to successfully treating PI and used these treatments more in their practices (4.86 vs. 4.56; p < 0.001/3.06 vs. 2.68; p < 0.001) than OMS. They also considered PI as a more serious problem than OMS (4.55 vs. 3.80; p < 0.001). The better the respondents' PI-related knowledge was, the more they considered PI as a serious problem (r = 0.19; p < 0.001). The more cases they treated per month, the more they considered PI as a serious problem (r = 0.19; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study highlight the lack of standardization in the specialty training of periodontists and OMS. Best practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PI are needed to optimize graduate education about this important topic.

ASSESSMENT OF INTEROBSERVER RELIABILITY FOR THE LETOURNEL AND JUDET CLASSIFICATION.

Introduction: The Judet and Letournel classification is the most widely used classification system for acetabular fractures. Some complex fractures couldn't be classified according to this classification. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the Letournel and Judet classification system for acetabular fractures. Material and methods: 10 acetabular fractures were analyzed among 17 orthopedic surgeons. The surgeons were asked to classify the fractures according to the Judet and Letournel classification. Their experience, the number of surgeries, and the incision type that the surgeon uses for the anterior part of the acetabulum were recorded. Results: The overall interobserver agreement for the Letournel classification was found to be poor, with a Kappa value of 0.287. The Kappa value for interobserver agreement was 0.224 for plain radiographs, 0.293 for 2D-CT, and 0.321 for 3D-CT scans. There was no significant difference between the incision types used by the surgeons. The highest reliability was determined among the surgeons who operate on 10-20 acetabular fractures per year, with a Kappa value of 0.309. Conclusion: This results revealed that the Judet and Letournel Judet classification is not sufficient to classify acetabular fractures because of unclassified fractures and the complex algorithm of the system. Level of Evidence III; Comparative Retrospective Study.

Introdução: A classificação de Judet e Letournel é o sistema de classificação mais amplamente utilizado para fraturas acetabulares. Algumas fraturas complexas, porém, não puderam ser classificadas de acordo com esta classificação. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a confiabilidade do sistema de classificação de Judet e Letournel para fraturas acetabulares. Material e métodos: Foram selecionadas aleatoriamente 10 fraturas acetabulares de um banco de dados. Participaram do estudo 17 cirurgiões ortopédicos. Foi solicitado aos cirurgiões que classificassem as fraturas de acordo com a classificação de Judet e Letournel. Suas experiências, o número de cirurgias e o tipo de incisão que o cirurgião utiliza para a parte anterior do acetábulo foram registrados. Resultados: A concordância interobservadores geral para a classificação de Judet e Letournel foi considerada fraca, com um valor de Kappa de 0,287. O valor de Kappa para a concordância interobservadores foi de 0,224 para radiografias simples, 0,293 para tomografias computadorizadas em 2D e 0,321 para tomografias computadorizadas em 3D. Não houve diferença significativa entre os tipos de incisão utilizados pelos cirurgiões. A maior confiabilidade foi determinada entre os cirurgiões que operam de 10 a 20 fraturas acetabulares por ano, com um valor de Kappa de 0,309. Conclusão: Os resultados revelaram que a classificação de Judet e Letournel não é suficiente para classificar fraturas acetabulares devido a fraturas não classificadas e ao algoritmo complexo do sistema. Nível de Evidência III; Estudo Comparativo Retorpectivo.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR BRAZILIAN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS.

Objective: To report on the experience and impressions of the Brazilian orthopedic trauma surgeons attending the Leadership Development Program (LDP) hosted by the Sociedade Brasileira do Trauma Ortopédico (SBTO) in Sao Paulo, Brazil on November 4, 2022. Methods: Forty-eight orthopedic trauma surgeons from five different regions throughout Brazil were provided a link to complete The Big Five Test, a validated online personality assessment. The questionnaire was available in Portuguese and was intended to provide a background on individual personality traits and their influence on interpersonal interactions. The LDP integrated content from literature reviews specific to Latin America, established leadership programs from leading business schools, and various subject matter experts. Prior to the start of the LDP, participants received a pre-course survey evaluating demographic information, a needs assessment, and the prioritization of leadership topics utilizing a 5-point Likert-scale. Attendees participated in the one-day, interactive LDP focusing on the fundamental principles of leadership development, communication, personal development, emotional intelligence and negotiation. Following the LDP, a post-course evaluation was administered to determine the participants' overall experience, and suggestions for LDP improvement. Results: Forty-one of the forty-eight course participants completed the pre-course evaluation, whereas forty-six of the forty-eight participants completed the post-course evaluations. Overwhelmingly, the lack of opportunity was most prevalently reported as the main obstacle to attending a leadership course, as cited by 56% of respondents. Conclusion: Expanding the accessibility, diversity, and customizability of leadership programs can facilitate the development of personal tools needed to move healthcare forward. Critical topics include emotional intelligence and other differentiating leadership qualities that distinguish true transformational and servant leaders. Advancing leadership skills can stimulate networking, expose learners to experiential learning styles, inspire others to create positive change, and engender creative solutions for systematic improvements and health outcomes. Level of Evidence III; Individual Case-Control Studies.

Objetivo: Relatar a experiência e as impressões de cirurgiões de trauma ortopédico brasileiros participantes do Programa de Desenvolvimento de Liderança (PDL), organizado pela Sociedade Brasileira do Trauma Ortopédico (SBTO), em São Paulo, Brasil, em 4 de novembro de 2022. Métodos: Quarenta e oito cirurgiões de trauma ortopédico de cinco regiões diferentes do Brasil receberam um link para preencher o The Big Five Test, uma avaliação de personalidade on-line validada. O questionário estava disponível em português e pretendia fornecer informações básicas sobre traços de personalidade individuais e sua influência nas interações interpessoais. O PDL integrou conteúdo de análises de literatura específicas da América Latina, e programas de liderança estabelecidos pelas principais escolas de negócios e por vários especialistas no assunto. Antes do início do PDL, os participantes receberam uma pesquisa pré-curso solicitando informações demográficas, uma avaliação de necessidades e a priorização de tópicos de liderança utilizando uma escala Likert de 5 pontos. Os participantes participaram do PDL interativo de um dia com foco nos princípios fundamentais de desenvolvimento de liderança, comunicação, desenvolvimento pessoal, inteligência emocional e negociação. Após o PDL, foi realizada uma avaliação pós-curso para determinar a experiência geral dos participantes e sugestões para melhoria do PDL. Resultados: Quarenta e um dos quarenta e oito participantes do curso concluíram a avaliação pré-curso, enquanto quarenta e seis dos quarenta e oito participantes concluíram a avaliação pós-curso. A falta de oportunidade foi relatada com maior prevalência como o principal obstáculo para frequentar um curso de liderança, conforme citado por 56% dos entrevistados. Conclusão: Expandir a acessibilidade, a diversidade e a personalização dos programas de liderança podem facilitar o desenvolvimento de ferramentas pessoais necessárias para fazer avançar os cuidados de saúde. Os tópicos críticos incluem inteligência emocional e outras qualidades de liderança diferenciadas, que distinguem verdadeiros líderes transformacionais e servidores O avanço das competências de liderança pode estimular o networking, expor os alunos a estilos de aprendizagem experiencial, inspirar outros a criar mudanças positivas e gerar soluções criativas para melhorias sistemáticas dos resultados na saúde. Nível de Evidência III; Estudos de caso-controle individuais.

Use of Andexanet Alfa for Factor Xa Inhibitor Reversal in US Verified Trauma Centers: A National Survey.

Direct oral factor Xa inhibitors are replacing vitamin K-dependent antagonists as anticoagulation treatment in many clinical scenarios. Trauma centers are noting an increase in patients presenting on these medications. The 2018 Food and Drug Administration approval of andexanet alfa provides an alternative anticoagulation reversal. Barriers may limit utilization of new medications including a lack of grade 1A evidence supporting the use of prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) versus andexanet alfa and cost. To evaluate barriers of andexanet alfa utilization by trauma surgeons, a 15-question survey was conducted. There was a 9% completion rate (n = 89). The results revealed 23.5% would choose andexanet alfa as first-line treatment in children, and 25.8% as first-line treatment in adults. The majority of respondents, 64.7% and 67.4%, would use PCC preferentially in children and adults, respectively. Respondents indicated that cost burden was an overriding factor (76.3%); 42.4% cited lack of high-level efficacy data of andexanet alfa for reversal of factor Xa inhibitors. Additional double-blinded multi-institutional randomized controlled trials comparing 4F-PCC and andexanet alfa for factor Xa inhibitor reversal are needed to support efficacy especially with the increased cost associated.

A Nationwide Survey to Assess the Practices and Patterns of Use of Intraoperative Nerve Monitoring During Thyroid Surgery Among Surgeons in India.

There is still equipoise for the routine use of intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) for thyroid surgeries; however, some surgeons tend to use it for various reasons. In our study, we did a national survey to assess the patterns and practice of the use of IONM among surgeons during thyroid surgery in India. A questionnaire survey was sent to surgeons (head and neck surgical oncologists, general surgical oncologists, endocrine surgeons and otolaryngologists) in different zones in India via email, and their responses were analysed. One hundred and one responses were received. The majority of the respondents were head and neck surgical oncologists (n = 56, 55.4%). Forty-three (42.6%) respondents used IONM during thyroid surgeries in this survey. Surgeons with ≤ 15 years of experience performing thyroid surgeries (p = 0.02) and surgeons performing > 50 thyroid surgeries also tended to use IONM. Mostly IONM was used for surgeries on thyroid malignancies (p = 0.016). The respondents used IONM for more than one reason such as medicolegal purposes and surgeon comfort among others. IONM was most often used during redo surgeries (n = 46, 45.5%) and in patients with already one fixed cord (n = 39, 38.6%). The majority felt IONM was not cost-effective (n = 53, 52.5%). The use of IONM during thyroid surgery in our survey was nearly 43%. It was used mostly for surgery for thyroid malignancies, and it was found to be used for more than one reason and indications such as redo surgeries (most commonly). Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13193-023-01818-5.

Transferring Surgical Expertise: Analyzing the Learning Curve of Robotic Cardiac Surgery Operative Time Reduction When Surgeon Moves from One Experienced Center to Another.

BACKGROUND: Robotically assisted cardiac surgery is performed in a team setting and is well known to be associated with learning curves. Surgeon and operative team learning curves are distinct entities, with total operative time representing the entire operative team (surgery, anesthesia, nursing, and perfusion) and cross-clamp time representing mainly the surgical team. Little is known about how a team learning curve evolves when an experienced surgeon transitions from one surgical center to another. This study investigates the dynamics of the team learning curve expressed as total operative time in the case of a surgeon with previous experience transitioning to a new team. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on robotic cardiac surgeries performed by a surgeon who transitioned from one experienced surgical center to another. Operative time data were collected and categorized to assess the evolution of the learning curve. Statistical analysis, including learning curve modeling and linear regression analysis, was used to evaluate changes in total time in the operating room per case. RESULTS: 103 cases were included in Weill Cornell Medicine (2019-2023). The median patient age was 63 years, 68% were males, 90.3% of cases were repaired for degenerative mitral valve disease, and the median body mass index was 23.87. Operative time (ORT) decreased from a median of 5.00 h [95%CI: 4.76, 6.00] in the first 30 cases to 4.83 [95%CI: 4.10, 5.27] thereafter, with the apparent curve plateauing indicative of the adaptation period to the new surgical environment (p = 0.01). Subgroup analysis among mitral cases (n = 93) showed a decrease in ORT from 5.00 [95%CI: 4.71, 5.98] in the first 26 cases to 4.83 [95%CI: 4.14, 5.30] (p = 0.045). There was no difference between the initial 30 cases and subsequent cases regarding cardiopulmonary bypass time, myocardial ischemia time, reoperation for bleeding, prolonged ventilation, reintubation, renal failure, need for an intra-aortic balloon pump, readmission to the ICU, reoperation for valvular dysfunction within 30 days, pneumonia, and deep venous thrombosis. Multivariate significant predictors of longer operative time were the first 30 cases, resection-based repairs, and MAZE as a concomitant procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Total operative time can be expected to decrease after about 30 cases when an experienced robotic surgeon moves between centers. Complications and cross-clamp times are less susceptible to a learning curve phenomenon in such a circumstance, as these depend primarily on the operating surgeon's level of experience. Understanding these dynamics can inform the planning and management of surgical transitions, ensuring optimal patient care and continued improvement in surgical outcomes.

Management of Grade 1 Open Distal Radius Fractures: A Survey of Practicing Surgeons.

Introduction Standard of care management for open fractures historically mandates emergent systemic antibiotic administration, followed by urgent irrigation and debridement in the operating room, regardless of injury severity. However, significant controversy exists regarding the specific implementation and importance of these commonly accepted guidelines. We aimed to define differences in the management of grade 1 open distal radius fractures. Methods An anonymous online survey was distributed to attending surgeon members of either the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) between January 2019 and April 2019 or the New York Society for Surgery of the Hand (NYSSH) in January 2019. Results A total of 68 attending surgeons responded to the survey. A total of 24 OTA members and 40 NYSSH members replied and were included in the study. Several factors influenced management in addition to the level of contamination. Of the surgeons, 68% stated that litigation was not a major factor of concern. When compared to surgeons who trained in trauma fellowships, more surgeons who trained in hand/upper extremity fellowships considered closed reduction alone as reasonable definitive treatment (when excluding antibiotic administration and debridement considerations, p = 0.024) and oral antibiotics as a supplement to IV antibiotics (p < 0.001). Of the surgeons, 90% would nonoperatively treat a patient who presented with a grade 1 open distal radius fracture greater than 72 hours after injury with stable and acceptable alignment on X-rays. Conclusion Some surgeons are willing to deviate from standard-of-care management protocols.

Operative Experience of Esophageal Surgery among General Surgery Residents in the United States: An Analysis of ACGME Operative Case Logs.

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal surgery is an essential component of general surgery training and encompasses several types of cases that are logged by general surgery residents. There is a scarcity of data on the quality and volume of esophageal surgery experience during surgical residency in the United States. We analyzed trends for 9 different esophageal procedure categories logged by residents in the United States, with the aim to identify areas for improvement in training. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of operative case logs of all general surgery residents graduating from programs accredited by the ACGME over a fourteen-year period from 2009 to 2023. Data on mean esophageal cases reported by graduates, including mean in each procedure subcategory were retrieved. Cases were categorized as either surgeon chief or surgeon junior for each procedure category. Mann-Kendall trend test was used to obtain tau statistics and p-value for trends in mean operative surgical volume for the total number of cases in each operative category over the study period. Trends in surgeon chief and surgeon junior cases were also investigated for each operative category. RESULTS: The mean number of all esophageal procedures performed per resident during their training increased significantly from 10.5 in 2009 to 16 in 2022 (τ = 0.833, p < 0.001). This trend observed among all esophageal procedures during this 14-year study can be largely attributed to the steady increase in the number and proportion of laparoscopic esophageal antireflux procedures performed (τ = 0.950, p < 0.001). Additionally, esophagectomy procedures had a statistically significant, but modest, increase during the study period (τ = 0.505, p = 0.023), from a mean of 1 case during training in 2009 to a peak of 1.3 in 2020. Although the general trend of esophagus procedures increased during the study period, most categories (7 out of 9) either decreased or did not significantly change. Esophagogastrectomy volume decreased significantly by 30%, from 1 per resident during their training in 2009 to 0.7 in 2022 (τ = -0.510, p = 0.018), esophageal diverticulectomy procedures decreased by 50% from 0.2 to 0.1 (τ = -0.609, p = 0.009), and operations for esophageal stenosis decreased by 75% from 0.4 to 0.1 (τ = -0.734, p = 0.001). Mean number of esophageal bypasses (τ = -0.128, p = 0.584), repair of perforated esophageal disease (τ = -0.333, p = 0.156), and other major esophagus procedures (τ = 0.416, p = 0.063) did not significantly change. CONCLUSION: The operative volume of esophageal surgery that general surgery residents in the United States are exposed to has significantly risen over the past 14 years, largely driven by the increase in laparoscopic antireflux procedures. However, given the recent advances and the resultant heterogeneity in both esophageal surgery, the increase in resident operative volume is still inadequate to ensure the training of safe and adept esophageal surgeons, necessitating postresidency specialized training for trainees interested in esophageal surgery.