Cognitive skills training in digital era: A paradigm shift in surgical education using the TaTME model.

Surgical competence is a complex, multifactorial process, requiring ample time and training. Optimal training is based on acquiring knowledge and psychomotor and cognitive skills. Practicing surgical skills is one of the most crucial tasks for both the novice surgeon learning new procedures and surgeons already in practice learning new techniques. Focus is placed on teaching traditional technical skills, but the importance of cognitive skills cannot be underestimated. Cognitive skills allow recognizing environmental cues to improve technical performance including situational awareness, mental readiness, risk assessment, anticipating problems, decision-making, adaptation, and flexibility, and may also accelerate the trainee's understanding of a procedure, formalize the steps being practiced, and reduce the overall training time to become technically proficient. The introduction and implementation of the transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) into practice may be the best demonstration of this new model of teaching and training, including pre-training, course attendance, and post-course guidance on technical and cognitive skills. To date, the TaTME framework has been the ideal model for structured training to ensure safe implementation. Further development of metrics to grade successful learning and assessment of long term outcomes with the new pathway will confirm the success of this training model.

[Transanal endoscopic microsurgery for local excision of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) combined with imatinib for rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GIST). METHODS: Clinical data of 35 patients with rectal GIST undergoing TEM at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from February 2008 to May 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Operation details, postoperative recovery condition, and follow-up information were reviewed. The differences in clinicopathological features and perioperative parameters were compared between patients who received neoadjuvant therapy (12 patients, imatinib mesylate, oral, 400 mg daily for 6 months before surgery) and those without neoadjuvant therapy (23 patients). RESULTS: Of 35 patients, 18 were males and 17 were females with the mean age of (49.3±13.3) years. Mean tumor diameter was (1.8±1.1) cm and mean distance from lower tumor margin to anal verge was (4.0±1.8) cm. Mean operative time was (82.4±21.1) minutes and mean blood loss was (11.7±7.5) ml. No conversion to laparotomy occurred. Complete resection with negative margins was achieved in all cases. Complications were classified according to Clavien-Dindo system: 4 cases of grade I, 3 of grade II and 1 of grade IIIb. The tumor size in patients who received neoadjuvant therapy reduced from (3.1±1.2) cm to (2.6±1.2) cm, though it was still larger than the tumor size in patients without neoadjuvant therapy[(1.5±0.8) cm, P<0.01]. No significant difference in operative time was found between patients with and without neoadjuvant therapy [(76.7±24.8) minutes vs. (85.4±18.8) minutes, P>0.05]. Thirty patients (85.7%) were followed up for (50.3±36.6) months, and no local recurrence or metastasis was observed. CONCLUSIONS: TEM is safe and effective in the treatment of rectal GIST. Preoperative neoadjuvant therapy is beneficial to TEM in treating larger tumors without increasing operating time. Satisfactory follow-up result is observed.

Quality of Local Excision for Rectal Neoplasms Using Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery Versus Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery: A Multi-institutional Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There are no data comparing the quality of local excision of rectal neoplasms using transanal endoscopic microsurgery and transanal minimally invasive surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of tumor fragmentation and positive margins for patients undergoing local excision of benign and malignant rectal neoplasms using transanal endoscopic microsurgery versus transanal minimally invasive surgery. DESIGN: This was a multi-institutional cohort study using coarsened exact matching. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at high-volume tertiary institutions with specialist colorectal surgeons. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing full-thickness local excision for benign and malignant rectal neoplasms were included. INTERVENTIONS: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery and transanal minimally invasive surgery were the included interventions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence of poor quality excision (composite measure including tumor fragmentation and/or positive resection margin) was measured. RESULTS: The matched cohort consisted of 428 patients (247 with transanal endoscopic microsurgery and 181 with transanal minimally invasive surgery). Transanal minimally invasive surgery was associated with shorter operative time and length of stay. Poor quality excision was similar (8% vs 11%; p = 0.233). There were also no differences in peritoneal violation (3% vs 3%; p = 0.965) and postoperative complications (11% vs 9%; p = 0.477). Cumulative 5-year disease-free survival for patients undergoing transanal endoscopic microsurgery was 80% compared with 78% for patients undergoing transanal minimally invasive surgery (log rank p = 0.824). The incidence of local recurrence for patients with malignancy who did not undergo immediate salvage surgery was 7% (8/117) for transanal endoscopic microsurgery and 7% (7/94) for transanal minimally invasive surgery (p = 0.864). LIMITATIONS: All of the procedures were also performed at high-volume referral centers by specialist colorectal surgeons with slightly differing perioperative practices and different time periods. CONCLUSIONS: High-quality local excision for benign and rectal neoplasms can be equally achieved using transanal endoscopic microsurgery or transanal minimally invasive surgery. The choice of operating platform for local excisions of rectal neoplasms should be based on surgeon preference, availability, and cost. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A382.

[Standardized development of transanal endoscopic microsurgery].

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is currently the only one-port system in endoscopic surgery, which a direct endoluminal approach can lead to the target organ through a natural opening of human body. TEM has been applied in colorectal surgery for over 3 decades. Compared with radical surgery, TEM has the advantages, such as quicker recovery, shorter hospital stay and fewer complications. One perfect TEM surgical system, which mainly consists of three parts, namely peculiar rectoscope for surgery, special surgical instruments and imaging system, is the foundation of standardized development of TEM. Accurate preoperative evaluation and staging is the key for good outcomes in TEM technology. In addition to digital examination of rectum, rigid sigmoidoscopy(or rectoscopy) should be routinely performed to confirm the location of the lesion and record it in a "time-in-clock" form. For lesions with undetermined nature, biopsy should be performed. For patients with rectal tumor, pelvic MRI examination can be used on the basis of routine endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS). Endoluminal suture is the challenge for standardized development of TEM, especially for those with large intestinal wall defects. Professional training is required to master suture technique. In 2016, the consensus of experts on TEM technology was formulated by TEM Study Group of Colorectal Cancer Specialty Committee of Chinese Anticancer Association. The recommended surgical indications for TEM include (1)rectal adenoma; (2)early rectal cancer with good histopathological features; (3)extended resection of locally malignant polyps by colonoscopy; (4)other rectal tumors suitable for local resection; (5)benign stricture or anastomotic stricture of the rectum; (6)repair of anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection of rectum; (7)diagnosis of rectal hemorrhage; (8)biopsy of rectum and surrounding lesions; (9)repair of rectovaginal fistula or mucosal flap transposition of the internal mouth of anal fistula; (10)treatment of rectal foreign body. With the maturity of TEM technology, the indication of TEM continues to expand. Nowadays, TEM is applicable to rectal neuroendocrine tumor or gastrointestinal stromal tumor resection, as well as rectovaginal fistula repair. It can even serve as a "bottom-up" operation platform for transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME). This article introduces the standardization of TEM, its current indications, novel implications, and future perspectives, expecting that TEM will be further popularized and healthily developed in China.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery as an outpatient procedure is feasible and safe.

BACKGROUND: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) for the excision of rectal tumor is mostly performed as an inpatient procedure. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of TEM resection as an outpatient procedure in selected patients. POPULATION: All first 178 consecutive patients who underwent resection of a rectal tumor using TEM in our institution from April 2011 to September 2013 were included. METHOD: Standardized retrospective chart review was performed. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality and morbidity. Secondary outcomes included unplanned admission and readmission rates, operative and pathologic data. RESULTS: Of the 175 patients who underwent only TEM, 80% (140/175) were discharged the same day of surgery. There was no mortality. Morbidity rate was 31.4%. Ninety-one percent of 154 patients planned as outpatients were discharged the same day. The most common reason for unplanned admission was urinary retention (7/14; 50%). Twelve patients discharged the day of the procedure were readmitted at 30 days. Median operative time was 60 min (10-256 min). All lesions were removed with grossly negative margins with 15 positive microscopic margins on final pathology. A total of 124 adenomatous polyps and 37 malignant lesions were excised. Mean tumor diameter after fixation was 5.0 cm (range 0.5-11 cm). CONCLUSION: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery as an outpatient procedure is feasible and safe in selected patients. The main reason for unplanned admission was urinary retention in our series.