The impact of surgeon operative volume on risk of reoperation within 5 years of mid-urethral sling: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Undesired outcomes after mid-urethral sling (MUS), such as mesh exposure or surgical failure, can necessitate further procedures. The objective of this review is to evaluate the association between surgeon operative volume and the risk of reoperation after MUS. METHODS: Eligible studies were selected through an electronic literature search from database and references of the studies included. Databases were searched for original studies reporting on the MUS procedure, reoperation, and operative volume. Random effects models were used to estimate the pooled OR of reoperation according to surgeon volume. Outcomes were divided into two categories: mesh removal and/or revision and subsequent surgery for treatment of SUI. RESULTS: A total of 2,304 abstracts were screened, and 51 studies were assessed through full-text reading. Seven studies were included in the systematic review. High-volume and low-volume surgeons were defined differently in various studies. The odds ratio of the mesh removal/revision procedure was 1.26 (95%CI 1.03-1.53) among those who received their surgery from a low-volume surgeon compared with those who received their surgery from a high-volume surgeon as defined by the studies. The odds ratio of repeated incontinence procedures was 1.18 (95% CI 1.01-1.37). CONCLUSIONS: The odds of a repeat incontinence procedure appear higher if the surgery is performed by a low-volume surgeon, although these results need to be interpreted with caution as the definition of low-volume vs high-volume surgeon varied between studies. As such, operative volume should be included in surgical reporting, and future research should utilize surgical volume as either a continuous exposure or a standardized value of low- vs high-volume MUS surgeons.

Trends in annual open abdominal aortic surgical volumes for vascular trainees compared with annual national volumes in the endovascular era.

OBJECTIVE: A prior analysis predicted a shortfall in open abdominal aortic repair (OAR) experience for vascular trainees resulting from the rapid adoption, and increased anatomic suitability, of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) technology. We explored how EVAR has transformed contemporary open aortic surgical education for vascular trainees. METHODS: We examined the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case volumes of open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair and reconstruction for aortoiliac occlusive disease via aortoiliac or femoral bypass (AFB) from integrated vascular surgery residents (VSRs) and fellows (VSFs) graduating from 2006 to 2017 and compared them to the national estimates of total OAR (open AAA repair plus AFB) in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Inpatient Sample using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th revision, procedural codes. Changes over time were assessed using the χ2 test, Student's t test, and linear regression. RESULTS: During the 12-year study period, the national annual total OAR and open AAA repair estimates had decreased: total OAR by 72.5% (estimate ± standard error: 2006, 24,255 ± 1185; vs 2017, 6690 ± 274; P < .001) and open AAA repair by 84.7% (estimate ± standard error: 2006, 18,619 ± 924; vs 2017, 2850 ± 168; P < .001). The AFB estimates had decreased by 33.0% (P < .001). The percentage of total OAR, open AAA repair, and AFB performed at teaching hospitals had significantly increased, from ∼55% to 80% (P < .001 for all). A 40.9% decrease was found for open AAA repairs performed by graduating VSFs (mean, 18.6 vs 11) but only a 6.9% decrease in total OAR cases (mean, 27.6 vs 25.7) owing to increasing AFB volumes (mean, 9.0 vs 14.7). The VSR graduates had consistently logged an average of ∼10 open AAA repairs, with a 31.0% increase in total OARs (mean, 23.2 vs 30.4), again secondary to increasing AFB volumes (mean, 11.4 vs 17.5). Although an absolute decrease was found in open aortic experience for VSFs, the rate of decline for the total OAR case volumes was not significantly different after VSR programs had been established (P = .40). CONCLUSIONS: As the incidence has decreased nationally, the use of OAR has been shifting toward teaching hospitals. Although open AAA procedures for trainees have been declining with the increased use of EVAR, open aortic reconstruction for aortoiliac occlusive disease has been increasing, playing an important role in ensuring that vascular trainees continue to have satisfactory OAR experience sufficient for meeting minimum graduation requirements. Strategies to maintain and maximize the education and experience from these cases should be the top priority for vascular surgery program directors.

The impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on gastrointestinal operative volume in the United States.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the Surgeon General recommended limiting elective procedures to prepare for the COVID-19 surge. We hypothesize a consequence of COVID-19 is reduced operative volume across the country. We aim to examine changes in volume of common gastrointestinal operations during COVID-19, including elective, urgent/emergent, and cancer operations. We also evaluate if hospitals with more COVID-19 admissions were most impacted. METHODS: The Vizient database was used to determine monthly operative volume from November 2019 to June 2020 for elective operations (hiatal hernia repairs, bariatric surgery), urgent operations (cholecystectomies, appendectomies, inguinal hernia repairs), and cancer operations (colectomies, gastrectomies, esophagectomies). COVID-19 admissions per hospital were also determined. November 2019-January 2020 was defined as "pre-COVID." The monthly reduction in volume from pre-COVID was calculated for each operation. The top quartile (25%) of hospitals with the most COVID admissions were also evaluated separately from hospitals with fewer COVID cases. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. RESULTS: Data from 559 hospitals were analyzed. The volumes of all operations evaluated were significantly reduced during the pandemic except gastrectomies and esophagectomies for cancer. The greatest reduction in all operations was in April. In April, the volume of bariatric surgery reduced by 98% (P < 0.001), hiatal hernia repairs by 96% (P < 0.001), urgent cholecystectomies by 42% (P < 0.001), urgent inguinal hernia repairs by 40% (P < 0.001), urgent appendectomies by 24% (P < 0.001), and colectomies for cancer by 39% (P < 0.001). Hospitals with the most COVID-19 admissions had greater reductions in all operations than hospitals with fewer COVID cases. CONCLUSIONS: The coronavirus pandemic led to a significant reduction in volume of all gastrointestinal operations evaluated except gastrectomies and esophagectomies. While elective, non-cancer operations were most affected, urgent and some cancer operations also declined significantly. As COVID-19 continues to surge, Americans may suffer continued limited access to surgical care and a significant operative backlog may be forthcoming.

Strengthening Health Services Research Using Target Trial Emulation: An Application to Volume-Outcomes Studies.

The number of operations that surgeons have previously performed is associated with their patients' outcomes. However, this association may not be causal, because previous studies have often been cross-sectional and their analyses have not considered time-varying confounding or positivity violations. In this paper, using the example of surgeons who perform coronary artery bypass grafting, we describe (hypothetical) target trials for estimation of the causal effect of the surgeons' operative volumes on patient mortality. We then demonstrate how to emulate these target trials using data from US Medicare claims and provide effect estimates. Our target trial emulations suggest that interventions on physicians' volume of coronary artery bypass grafting operations have little effect on patient mortality. The target trial framework highlights key assumptions and draws attention to areas of bias in previous observational analyses that deviated from their implicit target trials. The principles of the presented methodology may be adapted to other scenarios of substantive interest in health services research.

Assessing the immediate impact of COVID-19 on surgical oncology practice: Experience from an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Northeastern United States.

BACKGROUND: The effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on surgical oncology practice are not yet quantified. The aim of this study was to measure the immediate impact of COVID-19 on surgical oncology practice volume. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients treated at an NCI-Comprehensive Cancer Center was performed. "Pre-COVID" era was defined as January-February 2020 and "COVID" as March-April 2020. Primary outcomes were clinic visits and operative volume by surgical oncology subspecialty. RESULTS: Abouyt 907 new patient visits, 3897 follow-up visits, and 644 operations occurred during the study period. All subspecialties experienced significant decreases in new patient visits during COVID, though soft tissue oncology (Mel/Sarc), gynecologic oncology (Gyn/Onc), and endocrine were disproportionately affected. Telehealth visits increased to 11.4% of all visits by April. Mel/Sarc, Gyn/Onc, and Breast experienced significant operative volume decreases during COVID (25.8%, p = 0.012, 43.6% p < 0.001, and 41.9%, p < 0.001, respectively), while endocrine had no change and gastrointestinal oncology had a slight increase (p = 0.823) in the number of cases performed. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are wide-ranging within surgical oncology subspecialties. The addition of telehealth is a viable avenue for cancer patient care and should be considered in surgical oncology practice.

Effect of surgeons' annual operative volume on the risk of permanent Hypoparathyroidism, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and Haematoma following thyroidectomy: analysis of United Kingdom registry of endocrine and thyroid surgery (UKRETS).

PURPOSE: Categorize data to investigate the surgeon volume outcome relationship in thyroidectomies. Determine the evidence base for recommending a minimum number of thyroidectomies performed per year to maintain surgical competency. METHODS: Data on thyroid operations in the United Kingdom Registry of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgery (UKRETS) from 01/09/2010 to 31/08/2016 was analysed. The primary outcome measure was permanent hypoparathyroidism (PH). Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLN) and post-operative haematoma were also examined. Exclusion criteria included patient age > 85 or < 18 years, and surgeons contributing <10 operations. Data analysis was performed using general additive models and mixed effect logistic regression for PH and binary logistic regression for others. RESULTS: For PH 10313 bilateral thyroid operations were analysed. The Annual rate (AR, p = 0.012) and nodal dissection (P < 10-7) were significant factors. 25,038 thyroidectomies were analysed to investigate the effect of surgeon Volume on RLN palsy and haematoma. Age, retrosternal goitre, routine laryngoscopy, re-operation, nodal Dissection, bilateral thyroidectomy, RLN monitoring and surgeon volume were significantly associated with RLN palsy. Post-operative haematoma showed no significant correlation to surgeon volume. Categorisation of AR showed that PH and RLN palsy rates declined in surgeons performing >50 cases/year to a minimum of 3% and 2.6% respectively in highest volume AR group (>100 cases/year). CONCLUSION: Surgeon annual operative volume is a factor in determining outcome from thyroid surgery. Results are limited by a high proportion of missing data, which could potentially bias the outcome, but tentatively suggests the minimum recommended number of thyroid operations / year should be 50 cases.

Operative volume and surgical case distribution in Uganda's public sector: a stratified randomized evaluation of nationwide surgical capacity.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about operative volume, distribution of cases, or capacity of the public sector to deliver essential surgical services in Uganda. METHODS: A standardized mixed-methods surgical assessment and retrospective operative logbook review were completed at 16 randomly selected public hospitals serving 64·0% of Uganda's population. RESULTS: A total of 3014 operations were recorded, annualizing to a surgical volume of 36,670 cases/year or 144·5 operations/100,000people/year. Absolute surgical volume was greater at regional referral than general hospitals (p < 0·001); but, relative surgical volume/catchment population was greater at the general versus regional level (p = 0·03). Most patients undergoing operations were women (78·3%) with a mean age of 26·9 years. The overall case distribution was 69·0% obstetrics/gynecology, 23·7% general surgery, 4·0% orthopedics, and 3·3% other subspecialties. Cesarean sections were the most common operation (55·8%). Monthly operative volume was strongly predicted by number of surgical, anesthetic, and obstetric physician providers (훽=10·72, p = 0·005, R2 = 0·94) when controlling for confounders. Notably, operative volume was not correlated with availability of electricity, oxygen, light source, suction, blood, instruments, suture, gloves, intravenous fluid, or antibiotics. CONCLUSION: An understanding of operative case volume and distribution is essential in facilitating targeted interventions to strengthen surgical capacity. These data suggest that surgical workforce is the critical driver of operative volume in the Ugandan public sector. Investment in the surgical workforce is imperative to ensure access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical and anaesthesia care.

Not all operative experiences are created equal: a 19-year analysis of a single center's case logs.

BACKGROUND: Although national operative volumes have remained stable, surgical educators should appreciate the changing experience of today's surgical residents. We set out to evaluate operative volume trends at our institution and study the impact of resident learning styles on operative experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education operative log data from 1999 to 2017 for a single general surgery residency program were examined. All residents completed the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Statistical analyses were performed using linear regression analysis, Student's t-test, and Fischer's exact test. RESULTS: Over the study period, 106 general surgery residents graduated from our program. There were 87% action learners and 13% observation learners. Although there was no change in total major, total chief, or total non-chief cases, a decrease in teaching assistant cases was observed. Subcategory analysis revealed that there was an increase in operative volume on graduation in the following categories: skin, soft tissue, and breast; alimentary tract; abdomen; pancreas; operative trauma; pediatric; basic laparoscopy; complex laparoscopy; and endoscopy with a concurrent decrease in liver, vascular, and endocrine. Learning style analysis found that action learners completed significantly more cases than observation learners in most domains in which operative volume increased. CONCLUSIONS: While the operative volume at our center remained stable over the study period, the experience of general surgery residents has become narrowed toward a less subspecialized, general surgery experience. These shifts may disproportionally impact trainees as observation learners operate less than action learners. Residency programs should therefore incorporate methods such as learning style assessment to identify residents at risk of a suboptimal experience.

Operative Landscape at Canadian Neurosurgery Residency Programs.

Background Currently, the literature lacks reliable data regarding operative case volumes at Canadian neurosurgery residency programs. Our objective was to provide a snapshot of the operative landscape in Canadian neurosurgical training using the trainee-led Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative. METHODS: Anonymized administrative operative data were gathered from each neurosurgery residency program from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014. Procedures were broadly classified into cranial, spine, peripheral nerve, and miscellaneous procedures. A number of prespecified subspecialty procedures were recorded. We defined the resident case index as the ratio of the total number of operations to the total number of neurosurgery residents in that program. Resident number included both Canadian medical and international medical graduates, and included residents on the neurosurgery service, off-service, or on leave for research or other personal reasons. RESULTS: Overall, there was an average of 1845 operative cases per neurosurgery residency program. The mean numbers of cranial, spine, peripheral nerve, and miscellaneous procedures were 725, 466, 48, and 193, respectively. The nationwide mean resident case indices for cranial, spine, peripheral nerve, and total procedures were 90, 58, 5, and 196, respectively. There was some variation in the resident case indices for specific subspecialty procedures, with some training programs not performing carotid endarterectomy or endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the breadth of neurosurgical training within Canadian neurosurgery residency programs. These results may help inform the implementation of neurosurgery training as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons residency training transitions to a competence-by-design curriculum.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on endocrine operations in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the United States (US) healthcare system. Endocrine operations are predominantly elective and were likely affected. Therefore, our aim was to determine the effect of the pandemic on endocrine operations. STUDY DESIGN: The Vizient Clinical Data Base® was examined for cases from 1/2019-12/2022 using ICD10 and CPT codes for thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal operations. Control chart analysis identified trends in operative volume. Negative binomial regression was utilized to analyze demographic trends. RESULTS: Monthly volumes for all operations from 515 hospitals decreased at the beginning of 2020, except for operations for adrenal malignancy. Inpatient operations (Thyroid -17.1%, Parathyroid -20.9%, p â€‹< â€‹0.001 for both) experienced more significant and longer lasting disruptions than outpatient operations (Thyroid -2.6%, p â€‹= â€‹0.883, Parathyroid -9.1%, p â€‹= â€‹0.098). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted endocrine operations across the US. While all adrenal operations and outpatient thyroid and parathyroid operations have returned to pre-pandemic levels, inpatient operations for thyroid and parathyroid remain decreased.

Impact of Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency on General Surgery Resident and Vascular Fellow Operative Volume: A National Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The impact of integrated vascular surgery (VS) residency (0 + 5) programs on general surgery (GS) resident and VS fellow (5 + 2) operative volume has not been investigated on a national scale. METHODS: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) case logs were reviewed for GS resident, VS resident, and VS fellow operative volume from 2001-2021. Integrated VS resident data was available from 2012-2021, corresponding with the introduction of the 0 + 5 paradigm. Trends in operative volume were evaluated via linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The national cohort of chief GS resident graduates increased from 1005 to 1357 per year. Total operative volume also increased from 932 to 1039 cases (+7.4 cases/yr, R2 = .80, P < .0001) among GS residents. Major vascular cases decreased among GS residents from 138 to 101 cases (-2.4 cases/yr, R2 = .58, P < .0001) with a decrease in proportion of chief-level vascular cases from 30.4% to 11.9% (-1.0%/yr, R2 = .92, P < .0001). Palliative procedures (amputations and hemodialysis access) comprised a significant proportion of GS cases (median 44.7%). Concurrently, integrated VS graduates increased from 11 to 37 per year, with an increase in major vascular case volume from 506 to 658 cases (+18.4 cases/yr, R2 = .63, P = .01). Total VS fellow major case volume also increased from 369 to 444 cases (+3.5 cases/yr, R2 = .73, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of the 0 + 5 intgrated VS residency paradigm has correlated with a significant decrease in GS operative experience in major vascular procedures on a national level. Traditional VS fellow case volume does not appear to be impacted by 0 + 5 integrated residents. Further analysis with program-level data may help to explain the causative relationship of these findings.

Experience of surgical subspecialty residents on general surgery rotations.

BACKGROUND: Surgical subspecialty residents complete 5-6 years of training which includes general surgery rotations. A lack of data exists evaluating these rotations. This study aims to identify discrepancies in subspecialty training and improve the quality of surgical education. METHODS: Case logs for surgical subspecialty residents and general surgery residents at our institution were analyzed and queried for cases performed on general surgery rotations. A survey was distributed to subspecialty residents regarding their perceptions of these rotations. RESULTS: 50 residents were included in the study and the majority were male (n = 27, 54%). Subspecialty residents perform fewer cases per month compared to general surgery residents (13 vs 21, p < 0.001). 75% of subspecialty residents were satisfied with their experience on general surgery rotations. CONCLUSIONS: Subspecialty residents perform fewer operations on general surgery rotations. Despite this, most are satisfied with off-service rotations and believe they are an important part of their education.

Trends in Orthopedic Management of Distal Radius Fractures Among Medicare Beneficiaries From 2019 to 2020: A Claims Analysis.

Purpose: Radius and ulna fractures are among the most common fractures. These fractures are managed through operative or nonsurgical treatment, with varying implications in terms of cost and functional outcome. There are few studies that robustly characterize the management of distal radius fractures (DRFs) in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this has not been studied among the Medicare patient population, who are particularly vulnerable to fragility fractures and COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to analyze the services provided to Medicare beneficiaries both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine how procedure volume was affected in this patient population. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed services using the physician or supplier procedure summary data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. All services provided by physicians between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020, were included. The data were stratified by US census region using insurance carrier number and pricing locality codes. We also compared data between states that maintained governors affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties for the duration of the study. Results: There was an overall decrease in claims regarding DRFs management from 2019 to 2020. There was a dramatic decline in procedure volume (-6.3% vs -12.9%). Of all distal radius related claims there was a relative increase in the proportion of operatively managed DRFs in 2020, from 50.2% to 52.0%. The Midwest saw the greatest decline in operatively managed DRFs, whereas the West experienced the smallest per-capita decline across all procedures. After separating the data by party affiliation, it was also found that operative and nonsurgical procedure volumes fell more sharply in states with Democratic governors. Conclusions: This study shows a decrease in DRF procedural volume among Medicare beneficiaries. This data suggests that the operative and nonsurgical management of DRFs may have been affected by pandemic factors such as quarantine guidelines and supply chain or resource limitations. This may assist surgeons and health care systems in predicting how similar crises may affect operative volume. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic IV.

Impact of COVID-19 on Spinal Diagnosis and Procedural Volume in the United States.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a national database. OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 resulted in the widespread shifting of hospital resources to handle surging COVID-19 cases resulting in the postponement of surgeries, including numerous spine procedures. This study aimed to quantify the impact that COVID-19 had on the number of treated spinal conditions and diagnoses during the pandemic. METHODS: Using CPT and ICD-10 codes, TriNetX, a national database, was utilized to quantify spine procedures and diagnoses in patients >18 years of age. The period of March 2020-May 2021 was compared to a reference pre-pandemic period of March 2018-May 2019. Each time period was then stratified into four seasons of the year, and the mean average number of procedures per healthcare organization was compared. RESULTS: In total, 524,394 patient encounters from 53 healthcare organizations were included in the analysis. There were significant decreases in spine procedures and diagnoses during March-May 2020 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Measurable differences were noted for spine procedures during the winter of 2020-2021, including a decrease in lumbar laminectomy and anterior cervical arthrodesis. Comparing the pandemic period to the pre-pandemic period showed significant reductions in most spine procedures and treated diagnoses; however, there was an increase in open repair of thoracic fractures during this period. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 resulted in a widespread decrease in spinal diagnosis and treated conditions. An inverse relationship was observed between new COVID-19 cases and spine procedural volume. Recent increases in procedural volume from pre-pandemic levels are promising signs that the spine surgery community has narrowed the gap in unmet care produced by the pandemic.

Quality Metrics and Indicators for Surgical Training: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Surgical training quality is critical to ensure that trainees receive adequate preparation to perform surgical procedures independently and that patients receive safe, effective, and high-quality care. Numerous surgical training quality indicators have been proposed, investigated and implemented. However, the existing evidence base for these indicators is limited, with most studies originating from English-speaking, high-income countries. OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aimed to identify the range of quality indicators that have been proposed and evaluated in the literature, and to critically evaluate the existing evidence base for these indicators. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE and Embase databases to identify studies reporting on surgical training quality indicators. A total of 68 articles were included in the review. RESULTS: Operative volume is the most commonly cited indicator and has been investigated for its effects on trainee exam performance and career progression. Other indicators include operative diversity, workplace-based assessments, regular evaluation and feedback, academic achievements, formal teaching, and learning agreements, and direct observation of procedural skills. However, these indicators are largely based on qualitative analyses and expert opinions and have not been validated quantitatively using clear outcome measures for trainees and patients. CONCLUSIONS: Future research is necessary to establish evidence-based indicators of high-quality surgical training, including in low-resource settings. Quantitative and qualitative studies are required to validate existing indicators and to identify new indicators that are relevant to diverse surgical training environments. Lastly, any approach to surgical training quality must prioritize the benefit to both trainees and patients, ensuring training success, career progression, and patient safety.

Trends in pancreatic surgery experience in general surgery residency in the US, 1990-2021.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized a decline in resident pancreatic operative experience. The study assesses trends in that experience since 1990. METHODS: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) national case log data of general surgery residency graduates from 1990 to 2021 were reviewed. Collected and analyzed were the mean and median total number of pancreatic operations per resident, the mean number of specific case types performed, and the annual number of residency graduates. For selected procedures, the mean number of cases by resident role (Surgeon-Chief and Surgeon-Junior) was also analyzed. RESULTS: Both the mean and median total number of resident pancreatic operations has declined since 2009 as have the mean number of several specific pancreatic case types, including resections. The annual number of residency graduates has significantly increased since 1990, and particularly since 2009. CONCLUSIONS: Resident volume in pancreatic operations has significantly declined over the last decade.

Asleep-awake-asleep versus hypnosis for low-grade glioma surgery: long term follow-up outcome.

BACKGROUND: Hypnosis-aided craniotomy is a safe alternative to standard asleep-awake-asleep (AAA) surgery in glioma surgery. The impact of these two anesthetic methods on tumor prognosis has never been assessed. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the possible impact of the type of sedation (i.e., hypnosedation vs. standard sedation) on postoperative outcomes in awake surgery for gliomas. METHODS: Adult patients who underwent awake surgery for a diffuse glioma, excluding glioblastomas, between May 2011 and December 2019 at the authors' institution were included in the analysis. Pearson Chi-square, Fisher exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for inferential analyses. RESULTS: Sixty-one (61) patients were included, thirty-one were female (50.8 %), and the mean age was 41.8 years (SD = 11.88). Most patients had IDH mutated tumors (n = 51; 83.6%). Twenty-six patients (42.6%) were hypnosedated while 35 (57.4%) received standard AAA procedure. The overall median follow-up time was 48 months (range: 10 months-120 months). Our results did not identify any significant difference between both techniques in terms of extent of resection (sub-total resection >95% rates were 11.48% vs. 8.20%, OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 0.62-8.44; P = 0.34) and of overall survival (87.5% of patients in the AAA surgery group reach 9 years OS vs. 79% in the hypnosis cohort, cHR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.12-6.04; P = 0.87). CONCLUSION: Hypnosis for awake craniotomy is rarely proposed although it is a suitable alternative to standard sedation in awake craniotomy for LGGs, with similar results in terms of extent of resection or survival.

Impact of COVID-19 Governmental Restrictions on Emergency General Surgery Operative Volume and Severity.

BACKGROUND: To describe the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency general surgery operative volumes during governmental shutdowns secondary to the pandemic and characterize differences in disease severity, morbidity, and mortality during this time compared to previous years. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study compares patients who underwent emergency general surgery operations at a tertiary hospital from March 1st to May 31st of 2020 to 2019. Average emergent cases per day were analyzed, comparing identical date ranges between 2020 (pandemic group) and 2019 (control group). Secondary analysis was performed analyzing disease severity, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: From March 1st to May 31st, 2020, 2.5 emergency general surgery operations were performed on average daily compared to 3.0 operations on average daily in 2019, a significant decrease (P = .03). No significant difference was found in presenting disease severity, morbidity, or mortality between the pandemic and control groups. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates a decrease of 65% in emergency general surgery operations during governmental restrictions secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease in operations was not associated with worse disease severity, morbidity, or mortality.

Do surgeons adjust clinical productivity after maternity leave?

BACKGROUND: It has been speculated that women's productivity decreases after maternity leave. In this study, we measured if surgeon clinical productivity decreases after a maternity leave or other types of leave. METHODS: Data from a large medical center was used to measure surgeon productivity before (pre) and after (post) a leave of absence. Post-to-pre productivity ratios were calculated for each leave based on operative volumes and Relative Value Units (RVUs). Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed for the post/pre productivity ratios, adjusting for surgeon characteristics. RESULTS: Fifty leaves of absence, from 30 surgeons, were analyzed. There was no significant difference between post and pre leave productivity for maternity leave or other types of leave. There was also no significant difference when comparing post/pre productivity ratios between maternity leaves versus other types of leave (volume: 0.06, p = 0.52; RVU: 0.08, p = 0.58). CONCLUSION: Surgeons do not significantly reduce clinical productivity after maternity or other types of leaves.

General Surgery Trainee Cases Over Time: Postgraduate Year Matters.

BACKGROUND: Trainees and attending surgeons alike have concerns about resident and fellow operative volume/breadth, competency, and overall readiness for practice. This is an important topic within surgical graduate medical education. Our goal was to analyze the change in general surgery trainee operative experience over time by postgraduate year. METHODS: Institutional operative records from two corresponding three-month time periods in 2009 and 2018 at the residency program's main hospital site were reviewed. Cases assisted on by general, vascular, or thoracic surgery trainees were included. The number of cases per level, combination of trainees in each case, and categories of cases were compared over time. RESULTS: There were 1940 cases in 2009 and 1967 cases in 2018 over the respective time periods. The distribution of trainees was different (P < .001), with a similar number of PGY-1 and fellow cases, a decrease in PGY-2 and PGY-5 cases, and an increase in PGY-3 and PGY-4 cases. The number of cases with two trainees, double scrubbed cases, increased from 19.6% to 26.8% (P < .001). In addition, there were differences in the resident years that double scrubbed cases together, an increase in robotic and endovascular surgery, and a decrease in open cases. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis of cases shows that resident operative volume over approximately a decade has been largely preserved, with some change in the distribution of cases based on trainee level, an increase in cases with more than one trainee, and a rise of minimally invasive surgery with a corresponding decrease in open cases.