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Sample records for surgical group assessed

  1. Crowd-sourced assessment of surgical skills in cricothyrotomy procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghdasi, Nava; Bly, Randall; White, Lee W; Hannaford, Blake; Moe, Kris; Lendvay, Thomas S

    2015-06-15

    Objective assessment of surgical skills is resource intensive and requires valuable time of expert surgeons. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of a large group of laypersons using a crowd-sourcing tool to grade a surgical procedure (cricothyrotomy) performed on a simulator. The grading included an assessment of the entire procedure by completing an objective assessment of technical skills survey. Two groups of graders were recruited as follows: (1) Amazon Mechanical Turk users and (2) three expert surgeons from University of Washington Department of Otolaryngology. Graders were presented with a video of participants performing the procedure on the simulator and were asked to grade the video using the objective assessment of technical skills questions. Mechanical Turk users were paid $0.50 for each completed survey. It took 10 h to obtain all responses from 30 Mechanical Turk users for 26 training participants (26 videos/tasks), whereas it took 60 d for three expert surgeons to complete the same 26 tasks. The assessment of surgical performance by a group (n = 30) of laypersons matched the assessment by a group (n = 3) of expert surgeons with a good level of agreement determined by Cronbach alpha coefficient = 0.83. We found crowd sourcing was an efficient, accurate, and inexpensive method for skills assessment with a good level of agreement to experts' grading. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. The role of student surgical interest groups and surgical Olympiads in anatomical and surgical undergraduate training in Russia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dydykin, Sergey; Kapitonova, Marina

    2015-01-01

    Traditional department-based surgical interest groups in Russian medical schools are useful tools for student-based selection of specialty training. They also form a nucleus for initiating research activities among undergraduate students. In Russia, the Departments of Topographical Anatomy and Operative Surgery play an important role in initiating student-led research and providing learners with advanced, practical surgical skills. In tandem with department-led activities, student surgical interest groups prepare learners through surgical competitions, known as "Surgical Olympiads," which have been conducted in many Russian centers on a regular basis since 1988. Surgical Olympiads stimulate student interest in the development of surgical skills before graduation and encourage students to choose surgery as their postgraduate specialty. Many of the participants in these surgical Olympiads have become highly qualified specialists in general surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, gynecology, and emergency medicine. The present article emphasizes the role of student interest groups and surgical Olympiads in clinical anatomical and surgical undergraduate training in Russia. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

  3. "Reflection-Before-Practice" Improves Self-Assessment and End-Performance in Laparoscopic Surgical Skills Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganni, Sandeep; Botden, Sanne M B I; Schaap, Dennis P; Verhoeven, Bas H; Goossens, Richard H M; Jakimowicz, Jack J

    To establish whether a systematized approach to self-assessment in a laparoscopic surgical skills course improves accordance between expert- and self-assessment. A systematic training course in self-assessment using Competency Assessment Tool was introduced into the normal course of evaluation within a Laparoscopic Surgical Skills training course for the test group (n = 30). Differences between these and a control group (n = 30) who did not receive the additional training were assessed. Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands (n = 27), and GSL Medical College, Rajahmundry, India (n = 33). Sixty postgraduate year 2 and 3 surgical residents who attended the 2-day Laparoscopic Surgical Skills grade 1 level 1 curriculum were invited to participate. The test group (n = 30) showed better accordance between expert- and self-assessment (difference of 1.5, standard deviation [SD] = 0.2 versus 3.83, SD = 0.6, p = 0.009) as well as half the number (7 versus 14) of cases of overreporting. Furthermore, the test group also showed higher overall mean performance (mean = 38.1, SD = 0.7 versus mean = 31.8, SD = 1.0, p assessment can be viewed as responsible for this and can be seen as "reflection-before-practice" within the framework of reflective practice as defined by Donald Schon. Our results suggest that "reflection-before-practice" in implementing self-assessment is an important step in the development of surgical skills, yielding both better understanding of one's strengths and weaknesses and also improving overall performance. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Approaching time is important for assessment of endoscopic surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokunaga, Masakazu; Egi, Hiroyuki; Hattori, Minoru; Yoshimitsu, Masanori; Sumitani, Daisuke; Kawahara, Tomohiro; Okajima, Masazumi; Ohdan, Hideki

    2012-05-01

    This study aimed to verify whether the approaching time (the time taken to reach the target point from another point, a short distance apart, during point-to-point movement in endoscopic surgery), assessed using the Hiroshima University Endoscopic Surgical Assessment Device (HUESAD), could distinguish the skill level of surgeons. Expert surgeons (who had performed more than 50 endoscopic surgeries) and novice surgeons (who had no experience in performing endoscopic surgery) were tested using the HUESAD. The approaching time, total time, and intermediate time (total time--approaching time) were measured and analyzed using the trajectory of the tip of the instrument. The approaching time and total time were significantly shorter in the expert group than in the novice group (p time did not significantly differ between the groups (p > 0.05). The approaching time, which is a component of the total time, is very mportant in the measurement of the total time to assess endoscopic surgical skills. Further, the approaching time was useful for skill assessment by the HUESAD for evaluating the skill of surgeons performing endoscopic surgery.

  5. Assessment of Surgical Skills and Competency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatti, Nasir I

    2017-10-01

    Evaluation of surgical skills and competency are important aspects of the medical education process. Measurable and reproducible methods of assessment with objective feedback are essential components of surgical training. Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) is widely used across the medical specialties and otolaryngology-specific tools have been developed and validated for sinus and mastoid surgery. Although assessment of surgical skills can be time-consuming and requires human and financial resources, new evaluation methods and emerging technology may alleviate these barriers while also improving data collection practices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Crowd-sourced assessment of technical skills: an adjunct to urology resident surgical simulation training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holst, Daniel; Kowalewski, Timothy M; White, Lee W; Brand, Timothy C; Harper, Jonathan D; Sorenson, Mathew D; Kirsch, Sarah; Lendvay, Thomas S

    2015-05-01

    Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining services from a large group of people, typically an online community. Validated methods of evaluating surgical video are time-intensive, expensive, and involve participation of multiple expert surgeons. We sought to obtain valid performance scores of urologic trainees and faculty on a dry-laboratory robotic surgery task module by using crowdsourcing through a web-based grading tool called Crowd Sourced Assessment of Technical Skill (CSATS). IRB approval was granted to test the technical skills grading accuracy of Amazon.com Mechanical Turk™ crowd-workers compared to three expert faculty surgeon graders. The two groups assessed dry-laboratory robotic surgical suturing performances of three urology residents (PGY-2, -4, -5) and two faculty using three performance domains from the validated Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills assessment tool. After an average of 2 hours 50 minutes, each of the five videos received 50 crowd-worker assessments. The inter-rater reliability (IRR) between the surgeons and crowd was 0.91 using Cronbach's alpha statistic (confidence intervals=0.20-0.92), indicating an agreement level between the two groups of "excellent." The crowds were able to discriminate the surgical level, and both the crowds and the expert faculty surgeon graders scored one senior trainee's performance above a faculty's performance. Surgery-naive crowd-workers can rapidly assess varying levels of surgical skill accurately relative to a panel of faculty raters. The crowds provided rapid feedback and were inexpensive. CSATS may be a valuable adjunct to surgical simulation training as requirements for more granular and iterative performance tracking of trainees become mandated and commonplace.

  7. Metrics for Objective Assessment of Surgical Skills Workshop

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Satava, Richard

    2001-01-01

    On 9-10 July, 2001 the Metrics for Objective Assessment of Surgical Skills Workshop convened an international assemblage of subject matter experts in objective assessment of surgical technical skills...

  8. Assessing Technical Competence in Surgical Trainees: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szasz, Peter; Louridas, Marisa; Harris, Kenneth A; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Grantcharov, Teodor P

    2015-06-01

    To systematically examine the literature describing the methods by which technical competence is assessed in surgical trainees. The last decade has witnessed an evolution away from time-based surgical education. In response, governing bodies worldwide have implemented competency-based education paradigms. The definition of competence, however, remains elusive, and the impact of these education initiatives in terms of assessment methods remains unclear. A systematic review examining the methods by which technical competence is assessed was conducted by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane database of systematic reviews. Abstracts of retrieved studies were reviewed and those meeting inclusion criteria were selected for full review. Data were retrieved in a systematic manner, the validity and reliability of the assessment methods was evaluated, and quality was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation classification. Of the 6814 studies identified, 85 studies involving 2369 surgical residents were included in this review. The methods used to assess technical competence were categorized into 5 groups; Likert scales (37), benchmarks (31), binary outcomes (11), novel tools (4), and surrogate outcomes (2). Their validity and reliability were mostly previously established. The overall Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation for randomized controlled trials was high and low for the observational studies. The definition of technical competence continues to be debated within the medical literature. The methods used to evaluate technical competence predominantly include instruments that were originally created to assess technical skill. Very few studies identify standard setting approaches that differentiate competent versus noncompetent performers; subsequently, this has been identified as an area with great research potential.

  9. Knowing the operative game plan: a novel tool for the assessment of surgical procedural knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balayla, Jacques; Bergman, Simon; Ghitulescu, Gabriela; Feldman, Liane S; Fraser, Shannon A

    2012-08-01

    What is the source of inadequate performance in the operating room? Is it a lack of technical skills, poor judgment or a lack of procedural knowledge? We created a surgical procedural knowledge (SPK) assessment tool and evaluated its use. We interviewed medical students, residents and training program staff on SPK assessment tools developed for 3 different common general surgery procedures: inguinal hernia repair with mesh in men, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and right hemicolectomy. The tools were developed as a step-wise assessment of specific surgical procedures based on techniques described in a current surgical text. We compared novice (medical student to postgraduate year [PGY]-2) and expert group (PGY-3 to program staff) scores using the Mann-Whitney U test. We calculated the total SPK score and defined a cut-off score using receiver operating characteristic analysis. In all, 5 participants in 7 different training groups (n = 35) underwent an interview. Median scores for each procedure and overall SPK scores increased with experience. The median SPK for novices was 54.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 21.6-58.8) compared with 98.05 (95% CP 94.1-100.0) for experts (p = 0.012). The SPK cut-off score of 93.1 discriminates between novice and expert surgeons. Surgical procedural knowledge can reliably be assessed using our SPK assessment tool. It can discriminate between novice and expert surgeons for common general surgical procedures. Future studies are planned to evaluate its use for more complex procedures.

  10. Cross-platform digital assessment forms for evaluating surgical skills

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Steven Arild Wuyts

    2015-01-01

    developed for the rating of surgical skills. The database platform used in this study was reasonably priced, intuitive for the user, and flexible. The forms have been provided online as free downloads that may serve as the basis for further development or as inspiration for future efforts. In conclusion......A variety of structured assessment tools for use in surgical training have been reported, but extant assessment tools often employ paper-based rating forms. Digital assessment forms for evaluating surgical skills could potentially offer advantages over paper-based forms, especially in complex...... assessment situations. In this paper, we report on the development of cross-platform digital assessment forms for use with multiple raters in order to facilitate the automatic processing of surgical skills assessments that include structured ratings. The FileMaker 13 platform was used to create a database...

  11. Cross-platform digital assessment forms for evaluating surgical skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven Arild Wuyts Andersen

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available A variety of structured assessment tools for use in surgical training have been reported, but extant assessment tools often employ paper-based rating forms. Digital assessment forms for evaluating surgical skills could potentially offer advantages over paper-based forms, especially in complex assessment situations. In this paper, we report on the development of cross-platform digital assessment forms for use with multiple raters in order to facilitate the automatic processing of surgical skills assessments that include structured ratings. The FileMaker 13 platform was used to create a database containing the digital assessment forms, because this software has cross-platform functionality on both desktop computers and handheld devices. The database is hosted online, and the rating forms can therefore also be accessed through most modern web browsers. Cross-platform digital assessment forms were developed for the rating of surgical skills. The database platform used in this study was reasonably priced, intuitive for the user, and flexible. The forms have been provided online as free downloads that may serve as the basis for further development or as inspiration for future efforts. In conclusion, digital assessment forms can be used for the structured rating of surgical skills and have the potential to be especially useful in complex assessment situations with multiple raters, repeated assessments in various times and locations, and situations requiring substantial subsequent data processing or complex score calculations.

  12. Assessing the Nontechnical Skills of Surgical Trainees: Views of the Theater Team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Jundi, Wissam; Wild, Jonathan; Ritchie, Judith; Daniels, Sarah; Robertson, Eleanor; Beard, Jonathan

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to explore the views of members of theater teams regarding the proposed introduction of a workplace-based assessment of nontechnical skills of surgeons (NOTSS) into the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme in the United Kingdom. In addition, the previous training and familiarity of the members of the surgical theater team with the concept and assessment of NOTSS would be evaluated. A regional survey of members of theater teams (consultant surgeons, anesthetists, scrub nurses, and trainees) was performed at 1 teaching and 2 district general hospitals in South Yorkshire. There were 160 respondents corresponding to a response rate of 81%. The majority (77%) were not aware of the NOTSS assessment tool with only 9% of respondents reporting to have previously used the NOTSS tool and just 3% having received training in NOTSS assessment. Overall, 81% stated that assessing NOTSS was as important as assessing technical skills. Trainees attributed less importance to nontechnical skills than the other groups (p ≤ 0.016). Although opinion appears divided as to whether the presence of a consultant surgeon in theater could potentially make it difficult to assess a trainee's leadership skills and decision-making capabilities, overall 60% agree that the routine use of NOTSS assessment would enhance safety in the operating theater and 80% agree that the NOTSS tool should be introduced to assess the nontechnical skills of trainees in theater. However, a significantly lower proportion of trainees (45%) agreed on the latter compared with the other groups (p = 0.001). Our survey demonstrates acceptability among the theater team for the introduction of the NOTSS tool into the surgical curriculum. However, lack of familiarity highlights the importance of faculty training for assessors before such an introduction. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Assessment of laparoscopic psychomotor skills in interns using the MIST Virtual Reality Simulator: a prerequisite for those considering surgical training?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cope, Daron H; Fenton-Lee, Douglas

    2008-04-01

    Selection for surgical training in Australia is currently based on assessment of a structured curriculum vitae, referral reports from selected clinicians and an interview. The formal assessment of laparoscopic psychomotor skill and ability to attain skills is not currently a prerequisite for selection. The aim of this study was to assess the innate psychomotor skills of interns and also to compare interns with an interest in pursuing a surgical career to interns with those with no interest in pursuing a surgical career. Twenty-two interns were given the opportunity to carry out tasks on the Minimal Invasive Surgical Trainer, Virtual Reality (Mentice, Gothenburg, Sweden) Simulator. The candidates were required to complete six tasks, repeated six times each. Scores for each task were calculated objectively by the simulator software. Demographic data were similar between the two groups. Although some candidates who were interested in pursuing a surgical career performed poorly on the simulator, there was no significant difference when comparing the two groups. The Minimal Invasive Surgical Trainer, Virtual Reality (Mentice) Simulator provides an objective and comparable assessment of laparoscopic psychomotor skills. We can conclude that interns have varying inherent ability as judged by the simulator and this does not seem to have an influence on their career selection. There was no significant difference in the scores between the two groups. Interns with and without inherent abilities have aspirations to pursue surgical careers and their aptitude does not seem to influence this decision. Surgical colleges could use psychomotor ability assessments to recruit candidates to pursue a career in surgery. Trainees needing closer monitoring and additional training could be identified early and guided to achieve competency.

  14. Assessment of technical and nontechnical skills in surgical residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponton-Carss, Alicia; Kortbeek, John B; Ma, Irene W Y

    2016-11-01

    Surgical competence encompasses both technical and nontechnical skills. This study seeks to evaluate the validity evidence for a comprehensive surgical skills examination and to examine the relationship between technical and nontechnical skills. Six examination stations assessing both technical and nontechnical skills, conducted yearly for surgical trainees (n = 120) between 2010 and 2014 are included. The assessment tools demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. Interstation reliability for technical skills was low (alpha = .39). Interstation reliability for the nontechnical skills was lower (alpha range -.05 to .31). Nontechnical skills domains were strongly correlated, ranging from r = .65, P skills were inconsistent, ranging from poor (r = -.06; P = .54) to moderate (r = .45; P skills are necessary to assess overall surgical competency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Assessment of Periodontal Status of Surgically Exposed and Orthodontically Aligned Impacted Maxillary Canines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adina Coșarcă

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the periodontal status of impacted canines after 5 years following completion of the combined surgical and orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods: We examined 20 labially impacted canines and 20 palatally impacted canines at 5 years after the end of treatment. We assessed the periodontal status of these teeth. Results: Different outcomes were found regarding the probing depth and the amount of keratinized gingiva in the two mentioned groups of teeth. Conclusions: The assessed periodontal indices may signal the appearance of a periodontal disease around the teeth that were surgically and orthodontically treated

  16. The Role of Crowdsourcing in Assessing Surgical Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katz, Andrew J

    2016-08-01

    Assessing surgical skill is critical in improving patient care while reducing medical errors, length of stay, and readmission rates. Crowdsourcing provides 1 potential method for accurately assessing this; only recently has crowdsourcing been studied as a valid way to provide feedback to surgeons. The results of such studies are explored. A systematic literature search was performed on PubMed to identify studies that have attempted to validate crowdsourcing as a method for assessing surgical skill. Through a combination of abstract screening and full-length review, 9 studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Crowdsourcing has been validated as an important way to provide feedback for surgical skill. It has been demonstrated to be effective in both dry-lab and live surgery, for a variety of tasks and methods. However, more studies must be performed to ensure that crowdsourcing can provide quality feedback in a wider variety of scenarios.

  17. Video and accelerometer-based motion analysis for automated surgical skills assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zia, Aneeq; Sharma, Yachna; Bettadapura, Vinay; Sarin, Eric L; Essa, Irfan

    2018-03-01

    Basic surgical skills of suturing and knot tying are an essential part of medical training. Having an automated system for surgical skills assessment could help save experts time and improve training efficiency. There have been some recent attempts at automated surgical skills assessment using either video analysis or acceleration data. In this paper, we present a novel approach for automated assessment of OSATS-like surgical skills and provide an analysis of different features on multi-modal data (video and accelerometer data). We conduct a large study for basic surgical skill assessment on a dataset that contained video and accelerometer data for suturing and knot-tying tasks. We introduce "entropy-based" features-approximate entropy and cross-approximate entropy, which quantify the amount of predictability and regularity of fluctuations in time series data. The proposed features are compared to existing methods of Sequential Motion Texture, Discrete Cosine Transform and Discrete Fourier Transform, for surgical skills assessment. We report average performance of different features across all applicable OSATS-like criteria for suturing and knot-tying tasks. Our analysis shows that the proposed entropy-based features outperform previous state-of-the-art methods using video data, achieving average classification accuracies of 95.1 and 92.2% for suturing and knot tying, respectively. For accelerometer data, our method performs better for suturing achieving 86.8% average accuracy. We also show that fusion of video and acceleration features can improve overall performance for skill assessment. Automated surgical skills assessment can be achieved with high accuracy using the proposed entropy features. Such a system can significantly improve the efficiency of surgical training in medical schools and teaching hospitals.

  18. Toward an objective assessment of technical skills: a national survey of surgical program directors in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkhayal, Abdullah; Aldhukair, Shahla; Alselaim, Nahar; Aldekhayel, Salah; Alhabdan, Sultan; Altaweel, Waleed; Magzoub, Mohi Elden; Zamakhshary, Mohammed

    2012-01-01

    After almost a decade of implementing competency-based programs in postgraduate training programs, the assessment of technical skills remains more subjective than objective. National data on the assessment of technical skills during surgical training are lacking. We conducted this study to document the assessment tools for technical skills currently used in different surgical specialties, their relationship with remediation, the recommended tools from the program directors' perspective, and program directors' attitudes toward the available objective tools to assess technical skills. This study was a cross-sectional survey of surgical program directors (PDs). The survey was initially developed using a focus group and was then sent to 116 PDs. The survey contains demographic information about the program, the objective assessment tools used, and the reason for not using assessment tools. The last section discusses the recommended tools to be used from the PDs' perspective and the PDs' attitude and motivation to apply these tools in each program. The associations between the responses to the assessment questions and remediation were statistically evaluated. Seventy-one (61%) participants responded. Of the respondents, 59% mentioned using only nonstandardized, subjective, direct observation for technical skills assessment. Sixty percent use only summative evaluation, whereas 15% perform only formative evaluations of their residents, and the remaining 22% conduct both summative and formative evaluations of their residents' technical skills. Operative portfolios are kept by 53% of programs. The percentage of programs with mechanisms for remediation is 29% (19 of 65). The survey showed that surgical training programs use different tools to assess surgical skills competency. Having a clear remediation mechanism was highly associated with reporting remediation, which reflects the capability to detect struggling residents. Surgical training leadership should invest more in

  19. Development and validation of a composite scoring system for robot-assisted surgical training--the Robotic Skills Assessment Score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowriappa, Ashirwad J; Shi, Yi; Raza, Syed Johar; Ahmed, Kamran; Stegemann, Andrew; Wilding, Gregory; Kaouk, Jihad; Peabody, James O; Menon, Mani; Hassett, James M; Kesavadas, Thenkurussi; Guru, Khurshid A

    2013-12-01

    A standardized scoring system does not exist in virtual reality-based assessment metrics to describe safe and crucial surgical skills in robot-assisted surgery. This study aims to develop an assessment score along with its construct validation. All subjects performed key tasks on previously validated Fundamental Skills of Robotic Surgery curriculum, which were recorded, and metrics were stored. After an expert consensus for the purpose of content validation (Delphi), critical safety determining procedural steps were identified from the Fundamental Skills of Robotic Surgery curriculum and a hierarchical task decomposition of multiple parameters using a variety of metrics was used to develop Robotic Skills Assessment Score (RSA-Score). Robotic Skills Assessment mainly focuses on safety in operative field, critical error, economy, bimanual dexterity, and time. Following, the RSA-Score was further evaluated for construct validation and feasibility. Spearman correlation tests performed between tasks using the RSA-Scores indicate no cross correlation. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were performed between the two groups. The proposed RSA-Score was evaluated on non-robotic surgeons (n = 15) and on expert-robotic surgeons (n = 12). The expert group demonstrated significantly better performance on all four tasks in comparison to the novice group. Validation of the RSA-Score in this study was carried out on the Robotic Surgical Simulator. The RSA-Score is a valid scoring system that could be incorporated in any virtual reality-based surgical simulator to achieve standardized assessment of fundamental surgical tents during robot-assisted surgery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Assessing suturing techniques using a virtual reality surgical simulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazemi, Hamed; Rappel, James K; Poston, Timothy; Hai Lim, Beng; Burdet, Etienne; Leong Teo, Chee

    2010-09-01

    Advantages of virtual-reality simulators surgical skill assessment and training include more training time, no risk to patient, repeatable difficulty level, reliable feedback, without the resource demands, and ethical issues of animal-based training. We tested this for a key subtask and showed a strong link between skill in the simulator and in reality. Suturing performance was assessed for four groups of participants, including experienced surgeons and naive subjects, on a custom-made virtual-reality simulator. Each subject tried the experiment 30 times using five different types of needles to perform a standardized suture placement task. Traditional metrics of performance as well as new metrics enabled by our system were proposed, and the data indicate difference between trained and untrained performance. In all traditional parameters such as time, number of attempts, and motion quantity, the medical surgeons outperformed the other three groups, though differences were not significant. However, motion smoothness, penetration and exit angles, tear size areas, and orientation change were statistically significant in the trained group when compared with untrained group. This suggests that these parameters can be used in virtual microsurgery training.

  1. Assessment methods in surgical training in the United Kingdom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evgenios Evgeniou

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available A career in surgery in the United Kingdom demands a commitment to a long journey of assessment. The assessment methods used must ensure that the appropriate candidates are selected into a programme of study or a job and must guarantee public safety by regulating the progression of surgical trainees and the certification of trained surgeons. This review attempts to analyse the psychometric properties of various assessment methods used in the selection of candidates to medical school, job selection, progression in training, and certification. Validity is an indicator of how well an assessment measures what it is designed to measure. Reliability informs us whether a test is consistent in its outcome by measuring the reproducibility and discriminating ability of the test. In the long journey of assessment in surgical training, the same assessment formats are frequently being used for selection into a programme of study, job selection, progression, and certification. Although similar assessment methods are being used for different purposes in surgical training, the psychometric properties of these assessment methods have not been examined separately for each purpose. Because of the significance of these assessments for trainees and patients, their reliability and validity should be examined thoroughly in every context where the assessment method is being used.

  2. Accuracy Assessment of Immediate and Delayed Implant Placements Using CAD/CAM Surgical Guides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alzoubi, Fawaz; Massoomi, Nima; Nattestad, Anders

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of immediately placed implants using Anatomage Invivo5 computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) surgical guides and compare the accuracy to delayed implant placement protocol. Patients who had implants placed using Anatomage Invivo5 CAD/CAM surgical guides during the period of 2012-2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients who received immediate implant placements and/or delayed implant placements replacing 1-2 teeth were included in this study. Pre- and postsurgical images were superimposed to evaluate deviations at the crest, apex, and angle. A total of 40 implants placed in 29 patients were included in this study. The overall mean deviations measured at the crest, apex, and angle were 0.86 mm, 1.25 mm, and 3.79°, respectively. The means for the immediate group deviations were: crest = 0.85 mm, apex = 1.10, and angle = 3.49°. The means for the delayed group deviations were: crest = 0.88 mm, apex = 1.59, and angle = 4.29°. No statistically significant difference was found at the crest and angle; however, there was a statistically significant difference between the immediate and delayed group at the apex, with the immediate group presenting more accurate placements at the apical point than the delayed group. CAD/CAM surgical guides can be reliable tools to accurately place implants immediately and/or in a delayed fashion. No statistically significant differences were found between the delayed and the immediate group at the crest and angle, however apical position was more accurate in the immediate group.

  3. Factors associated with simulator-assessed laparoscopic surgical skills of veterinary students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilkenny, Jessica J; Singh, Ameet; Kerr, Carolyn L; Khosa, Deep K; Fransson, Boel A

    2017-06-01

    OBJECTIVE To determine whether simulator-assessed laparoscopic skills of veterinary students were associated with training level and prior experience performing nonlaparoscopic veterinary surgery and other activities requiring hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. DESIGN Experiment. SAMPLE 145 students without any prior laparoscopic surgical or fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) simulator experience in years 1 (n = 39), 2 (34), 3 (39), and 4 (33) at a veterinary college. PROCEDURES A questionnaire was used to collect data from participants regarding experience performing veterinary surgery, playing video games, and participating in other activities. Participants performed a peg transfer, pattern cutting, and ligature loop-placement task on an FLS simulator, and FLS scores were assigned by an observer. Scores were compared among academic years, and correlations between amounts of veterinary surgical experience and FLS scores were assessed. A general linear model was used to identify predictors of FLS scores. RESULTS Participants were predominantly female (75%), right-hand dominant (92%), and between 20 and 29 years of age (98%). No significant differences were identified among academic years in FLS scores for individual tasks or total FLS score. Scores were not significantly associated with prior surgical or video game experience. Participants reporting no handicraft experience had significantly lower total FLS scores and FLS scores for task 2 than did participants reporting a lot of handicraft experience. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Prior veterinary surgical and video game experience had no influence on FLS scores in this group of veterinary students, suggesting that proficiency of veterinary students in FLS may require specific training.

  4. Toward an objective assessment of technical skills: a national survey of surgical program directors in Saudi Arabia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alkhayal A

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abdullah Alkhayal,1 Shahla Aldhukair,2 Nahar Alselaim,1 Salah Aldekhayel,1 Sultan Alhabdan,1 Waleed Altaweel,3 Mohi Elden Magzoub,4 Mohammed Zamakhshary1,21Department of Surgery, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Public Health Section, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Urology Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Medical Education, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaBackground: After almost a decade of implementing competency-based programs in postgraduate training programs, the assessment of technical skills remains more subjective than objective. National data on the assessment of technical skills during surgical training are lacking. We conducted this study to document the assessment tools for technical skills currently used in different surgical specialties, their relationship with remediation, the recommended tools from the program directors’ perspective, and program directors’ attitudes toward the available objective tools to assess technical skills.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey of surgical program directors (PDs. The survey was initially developed using a focus group and was then sent to 116 PDs. The survey contains demographic information about the program, the objective assessment tools used, and the reason for not using assessment tools. The last section discusses the recommended tools to be used from the PDs’ perspective and the PDs’ attitude and motivation to apply these tools in each program. The associations between the responses to the assessment questions and remediation were statistically evaluated.Results: Seventy-one (61% participants responded. Of the respondents, 59% mentioned using only nonstandardized, subjective, direct observation for technical skills assessment. Sixty percent use only summative

  5. The assessment of surgical skills as a complement to the training method. Revision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Fernández, J; Bachiller-Burgos, J; Serrano-Pascual, Á; Cózar-Olmo, J M; Díaz-Güemes Martín-Portugués, I; Pérez-Duarte, F J; Hernández-Hurtado, L; Álvarez-Ossorio, J L; Sánchez-Margallo, F M

    2016-01-01

    The acquisition and improvement of surgical skills constitute a fundamental element in the training of any practitioner. At present, however, the assessment of these skills is a scarcely developed area of research. The aim of this study was to analyse the peculiarities of the various assessment systems and establish the minimum criteria that a skills and knowledge assessment system should meet as a method for assessing surgical skills in urological surgery. Scientific literature review aimed at the various currently available assessment systems for skills and competencies (technical and nontechnical), with a special focus on the systematic reviews and prospective studies. After conducting the review, we found that the various assessment systems for surgical competence have, in our opinion, a number of shortcomings. There is a certain degree of subjectivity in the assessment of surgeons by the evaluators. The assessment of nontechnical competencies is not formally recorded. There is no description of a follow-up assessment or any basic parameters associated with healthcare quality. There is no registration of associated competencies associated with the various surgical techniques. There is also no ranking of these competencies and the specific peculiarities for their application. We believe that the development of a new assessment system for surgical competencies (technical and nontechnical) aimed at assessing urologists in the various surgical techniques is necessary. To this end, our team has worked on developing the Evaluation System for Surgical Competencies on Laparoscopy, which is based on the definition, ranking and assessment of competencies demonstrated by surgeons. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. [Surgical assessment of complications after thyroid gland operations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dralle, H

    2015-01-01

    The extent, magnitude and technical equipment used for thyroid surgery has changed considerably in Germany during the last decade. The number of thyroidectomies due to benign goiter have decreased while the extent of thyroidectomy, nowadays preferentially total thyroidectomy, has increased. Due to an increased awareness of surgical complications the number of malpractice claims is increasing. In contrast to surgical databases the frequency of complications in malpractice claims reflects the individual impact of complications on the quality of life. In contrast to surgical databases unilateral and bilateral vocal fold palsy are therefore at the forefront of malpractice claims. As guidelines are often not applicable for the individual surgical expert review, the question arises which are the relevant criteria for the professional expert witness assessing the severity of the individual complication. While in surgical databases major complications after thyroidectomy, such as vocal fold palsy, hypoparathyroidism, hemorrhage and infections are equally frequent (1-3 %), in malpractice claims vocal fold palsy is significantly more frequent (50 %) compared to hypoparathyroidism (15 %), hemorrhage and infections (about 5 % each). To avoid bilateral nerve palsy intraoperative nerve monitoring has become of utmost importance for surgical strategy and malpractice suits alike. For surgical expert review documentation of individual risk-oriented indications, the surgical approach and postoperative management are highly important. Guidelines only define the treatment corridors of good clinical practice. Surgical expert reviews in malpractice suits concerning quality of care and causality between surgical management, complications and sequelae of complications are therefore highly dependent on the grounds and documentation of risk-oriented indications for thyroidectomy, intraoperative and postoperative surgical management.

  7. Assessment of carprofen and buprenorphine on recovery of mice after surgical removal of the mammary fat pad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamson, Trinka W; Kendall, Lon V; Goss, Sherri; Grayson, Kevin; Touma, Chadi; Palme, Rupert; Chen, Jane Q; Borowsky, Alexander D

    2010-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the level of pain elicited by mammary fat pad removal surgery and the effects of postoperative analgesics on recovery. Female FVB mice were anesthetized, and mammary fat pad removal was performed. After surgery, mice received carprofen, buprenorphine, a combination of carprofen and buprenorphine, or saline treatment. Additional mice received anesthesia but no surgery or treatment. Food and water intake, body weight, wheel running activity, and a visual assessment score were recorded daily for 4 d after surgery and compared with presurgical findings. Corticosterone metabolites in fecal samples were analyzed at 12 and 24 h postsurgically and compared with baseline values. All surgical groups had significantly decreased food intake at 24 h, with a return to baseline by 48 h. The combination treatment resulted in a significantly decreased water intake and body weight at 24 h. All surgical groups had significantly decreased wheel running activity at 24 h only. The visual assessment scores indicated mild pain for all surgical groups, with the buprenorphine treated mice showing the highest pain index scores, as compared with nonsurgical controls. Fecal corticosterone metabolite levels did not differ significantly between any of the groups or across time. The parameters used in this study did not indicate that administration of these analgesic regimens improved recovery as compared with that of saline-treated mice. Care should be taken when using visual assessment scores to evaluate pain in mice, given that analgesics may have side effects that inadvertently elevate the score.

  8. Effects of Frequent Glove Change on Outcomes of Orthopaedic Surgical Procedures - A Multicenter Study on Surgical Gloves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nishit Palo

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Intact surgical gloves are a barrier to microorganisms migration between surgical team members and the patient. The surgical gloves are changed at various junctures but the effects of changing gloves during surgical procedures on various surgical parameters or clinical outcomes are not established. Aim: To determine rationale of glove change during orthopaedic procedures, differences amongst surgical parameters with and without changing the surgical gloves and whether frequent glove change affected surgical parameters or clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: A prospective multicenter study conducted at three centers from January 2014 to January 2016. A 250 patients were divided into 2 groups (n=125 each in Group 1, surgical team operated with regular changing of gloves. In Group 2, only 1 set of double gloves were worn throughout the procedure. Surgical parameters or clinical outcomes were assessed for both the groups. Statistical analyses included the median, mode, range, Interquartile Range (IQR and sample standard deviation (s and independent-samples t-test. Bacterial counts were expressed as median with (IQR. Results: Surgical Timing Difference was 10 (S.D.- 4.2 minutes more in Group-1 (<0.05, Surgical Cost was higher in Group-1 by Rs.150-450 (<0.05. Outer glove micro-perforation rate was 5.85% and 8.15% in group-1 and 2 respectively with no inner glove perforation or Surgical Site Infections. Outer glove micro perforations were proportional to duration of surgery; operations lasting 120-210 and 61-120 minutes had 66.6% and 37.2% micro perforation rates respectively (p<0.05. Conclusion: Under standard operating conditions, procedures performed without glove change are shorter and cost effective than procedures performed with regular glove change with similar surgical and functional results. Judicious use of surgical gloves is a patient and environment friendly option, thereby reducing the hospital’s biomedical waste load.

  9. A prospective single center study to assess the impact of surgical stabilization in patients with rib fracture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khandelwal, Gaurav; Mathur, R K; Shukla, Sumit; Maheshwari, Ankur

    2011-01-01

    To compare the intensity of pain and duration of return to normal activity in patients with rib fractures treated with surgical stabilization with plating versus conventional treatment modalities. This study was conducted over a 12 month period. Patients with rib fractures were assessed by numerical pain scale. Patients having pain scale less than 5 were excluded from study. Patients having pain scale of 5 or more than 5 were treated with conventional treatment for next 10 days. On 11th day patients were again assessed by numerical pain scale and patients having score less than 5 were excluded from study. Patients having pain scale of 5, 6, and 7 were treated with conventional treatment and patients having pain scale of 8, 9, and 10 were selected for operative management. Operative and control group were compared on basis of intensity of pain and duration of return to normal activity. Follow up was done on 5, 15, and 30 post operative day. There was less pain in operative group as compared to control group. Mean rib fracture pain in operative group was 9.15, 2.31, 1.12 as compared to 6.25, 5.96, 4.50 in control group on 5, 15 and 30 post operative days. Also there was early return to normal activity in operative group. Surgical stabilization of rib fracture, an underutilized intervention is better than conventional conservative management in terms of both, decrease in intensity of pain and early return to normal activity. Copyright © 2011 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Development and validation of trauma surgical skills metrics: Preliminary assessment of performance after training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shackelford, Stacy; Garofalo, Evan; Shalin, Valerie; Pugh, Kristy; Chen, Hegang; Pasley, Jason; Sarani, Babak; Henry, Sharon; Bowyer, Mark; Mackenzie, Colin F

    2015-07-01

    Maintaining trauma-specific surgical skills is an ongoing challenge for surgical training programs. An objective assessment of surgical skills is needed. We hypothesized that a validated surgical performance assessment tool could detect differences following a training intervention. We developed surgical performance assessment metrics based on discussion with expert trauma surgeons, video review of 10 experts and 10 novice surgeons performing three vascular exposure procedures and lower extremity fasciotomy on cadavers, and validated the metrics with interrater reliability testing by five reviewers blinded to level of expertise and a consensus conference. We tested these performance metrics in 12 surgical residents (Year 3-7) before and 2 weeks after vascular exposure skills training in the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET) course. Performance was assessed in three areas as follows: knowledge (anatomic, management), procedure steps, and technical skills. Time to completion of procedures was recorded, and these metrics were combined into a single performance score, the Trauma Readiness Index (TRI). Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test compared pretraining/posttraining effects. Mean time to complete procedures decreased by 4.3 minutes (from 13.4 minutes to 9.1 minutes). The performance component most improved by the 1-day skills training was procedure steps, completion of which increased by 21%. Technical skill scores improved by 12%. Overall knowledge improved by 3%, with 18% improvement in anatomic knowledge. TRI increased significantly from 50% to 64% with ASSET training. Interrater reliability of the surgical performance assessment metrics was validated with single intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.7 to 0.98. A trauma-relevant surgical performance assessment detected improvements in specific procedure steps and anatomic knowledge taught during a 1-day course, quantified by the TRI. ASSET training reduced time to complete vascular

  11. Discharge from an emergency department observation unit and a surgical assessment unit

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, Helen; Qvist, Niels; Backer Mogensen, Christian

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the experiences of patients with acute abdominal pain at discharge from an emergency department observation unit compared with discharge from a surgical assessment unit.......To investigate the experiences of patients with acute abdominal pain at discharge from an emergency department observation unit compared with discharge from a surgical assessment unit....

  12. MOJECT: MOTION ANALYSIS TO SUPPORT ASSESSMENT OF SURGICAL SKILLS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uineken, Ruben; Groot Jebbink, Erik; Halfwerk, F.R.; Bulten, Anne; Knoben, Peter; Roux, Moritz; Wicik, Ola; Groenier, Marleen

    2018-01-01

    Assessment of surgical skills is usually performed through direct observation by experts. This is subjective, expensive and requires assessor training. Motion analysis can support objective and cost-effective assessment. The aim of the current study is to design a low-cost, unobtrusive system for

  13. Extended score interval in the assessment of basic surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acosta, Stefan; Sevonius, Dan; Beckman, Anders

    2015-01-01

    The Basic Surgical Skills course uses an assessment score interval of 0-3. An extended score interval, 1-6, was proposed by the Swedish steering committee of the course. The aim of this study was to analyze the trainee scores in the current 0-3 scored version compared to a proposed 1-6 scored version. Sixteen participants, seven females and nine males, were evaluated in the current and proposed assessment forms by instructors, observers, and learners themselves during the first and second day. In each assessment form, 17 tasks were assessed. The inter-rater reliability between the current and the proposed score sheets were evaluated with intraclass correlation (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The distribution of scores for 'knot tying' at the last time point and 'bowel anastomosis side to side' given by the instructors in the current assessment form showed that the highest score was given in 31 and 62%, respectively. No ceiling effects were found in the proposed assessment form. The overall ICC between the current and proposed score sheets after assessment by the instructors increased from 0.38 (95% CI 0.77-0.78) on Day 1 to 0.83 (95% CI 0.51-0.94) on Day 2. A clear ceiling effect of scores was demonstrated in the current assessment form, questioning its validity. The proposed score sheet provides more accurate scores and seems to be a better feedback instrument for learning technical surgical skills in the Basic Surgical Skills course.

  14. Values of iodine metabolism biomarkers in assessing the iodine nutrition status in surgically treated patients with thyroid disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jian-hua; Wu, Lian; Yu, Song-lin; Fang, Hui-ling; Kamg, Wei-ming; Cheng, Xin-qi; Lu, Jie; Yu, Jian-chun; Qiu, Ling

    2015-04-01

    To assess the clinical application value of iodine metabolism biomarkers in assessing iodine nutrition status in surgically treated patients with thyroid disease. Blood,morning urine and 24-hour urine samples were collected in 31 healthy volunteers and in 30 surgically treated patients with thyroid disease before and after surgery. Iodine concentration was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The iodine metabolism biomarkers including serum iodine (SI), morning urine iodine(UI), morning urine iodine/urine creatinine ratio (UI/UCr), 24-hour urine iodine (24 h UI), and 24-hour urine iodine excretion (24 h UIE) were evaluated in these two groups. In addition, the validation coincidence rate of iodine metabolism biomarkers in healthy volunteers to different reference ranges including World Health Organization, Mayo Clinic, and Quest Diagnostics were calculated. The UI/UCr ratio of pre-operative thyroid disease patients was significantly lower than that of healthy volunteers (P0.05) between these two groups. The SI, UI ,and 24 h UI in postoperative thyroid disease patients were significantly higher than those of the pre-operative patients (all Piodine metabolism biomarkers. The UI/UCr ratio may be used for iodine nutrition evaluation in surgically treated patients with thyroid disease.

  15. Assessment of Periodontal Status of Surgically Exposed and Orthodontically Aligned Impacted Maxillary Canines

    OpenAIRE

    Adina Coșarcă; Mariana Păcurar; Cecilia Petrovan; Alina Ormenișan

    2014-01-01

    Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the periodontal status of impacted canines after 5 years following completion of the combined surgical and orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods: We examined 20 labially impacted canines and 20 palatally impacted canines at 5 years after the end of treatment. We assessed the periodontal status of these teeth. Results: Different outcomes were found regarding the probing depth and the amount of keratinized gingiva in the two mentioned groups of t...

  16. Assessment of surgeon fatigue by surgical simulators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuwairqi K

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Khaled Tuwairqi,1 Jessica H Selter,2 Shameema Sikder3 1College of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 2Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 3Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Background: The impact of fatigue on surgical performance and its implications for patient care is a growing concern. While investigators have employed a number of different tools to measure the effect of fatigue on surgical performance, the use of the surgical simulator has been increasingly implemented for this purpose. The goal of this paper is to review the published literature to achieve a better understanding of evaluation of fatigue on performance as studied with surgical simulators. Methods: A PubMed and Cochrane search was conducted using the search terms “simulator”, “surgery”, and “fatigue”. In total, 50 papers were evaluated, and 20 studies were selected after application of exclusion criteria. Articles were excluded if they did not use the simulator to assess the impact of fatigue on surgeon performance. Systematic reviews and case reports were also excluded. Results: Surgeon fatigue led to a consistent decline in cognitive function in six studies. Technical skills were evaluated in 18 studies, and a detrimental impact was reported in nine studies, while the remaining nine studies showed either no change or positive results with regard to surgical skills after experience of fatigue. Two pharmacological intervention studies reversed the detrimental impact of fatigue on cognitive function, but no change or a worsening effect was recognized for technical skills. Conclusion: Simulators are increasingly being used to evaluate the impact of fatigue on the surgeon's performance. With regard to the impact of fatigue in this regard, studies have demonstrated a consistent decline in cognitive function and mixed outcomes for technical skills. Larger studies that relate the simulator's results to real surgical

  17. Self-assessment in laparoscopic surgical skills training: Is it reliable?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganni, Sandeep; Chmarra, Magdalena K; Goossens, Richard H M; Jakimowicz, Jack J

    2017-06-01

    The concept of self-assessment has been widely acclaimed for its role in the professional development cycle and self-regulation. In the field of medical education, self-assessment has been most used to evaluate the cognitive knowledge of students. The complexity of training and evaluation in laparoscopic surgery has previously acted as a barrier in determining the benefits self-assessment has to offer in comparison with other fields of medical education. Thirty-five surgical residents who attended the 2-day Laparoscopic Surgical Skills Grade 1 Level 1 curriculum were invited to participate from The Netherlands, India and Romania. The competency assessment tool (CAT) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was used for self- and expert-assessment and the resulting distributions assessed. A comparison between the expert- and self-assessed aggregates of scores from the CAT agreed with previous studies. Uniquely to this study, the aggregates of individual sub-categories-'use of instruments'; 'tissue handling'; and errors 'within the component tasks' and the 'end product' from both self- and expert-assessments-were investigated. There was strong positive correlation (r s  > 0.5; p assessment in all categories with only the 'tissue handling' having a weaker correlation (r s  = 0.3; p = 0.04). The distribution of the mean of the differences between self-assessment and expert-assessment suggested no significant difference between the scores of experts and the residents in all categories except the 'end product' evaluation where the difference was significant (W = 119, p = 0.03). Self-assessment using the CAT form gives results that are consistently not different from expert-assessment when assessing one's proficiency in surgical skills. Areas where there was less agreement could be explained by variations in the level of training and understanding of the assessment criteria.

  18. Cooperative Study of the Spanish Pancreas Transplant Group (GETP): Surgical Complications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moya-Herraiz, Angel; Muñoz-Bellvis, Luis; Ferrer-Fábrega, Joana; Manrique Municio, Alejandro; Pérez-Daga, José Antonio; Muñoz-Casares, Cristóbal; Alarcó-Hernández, Antonio; Gómez-Gutiérrez, Manuel; Casanova-Rituerto, Daniel; Sanchez-Bueno, Francisco; Jimenez-Romero, Carlos; Fernández-Cruz Pérez, Laureano

    2015-05-01

    Technical failure in pancreas transplant has been the main cause of the loss of grafts. In the last few years, the number of complications has reduced, and therefore the proportion of this problem. The Spanish Pancreas Transplant Group wanted to analyze the current situation with regard to surgical complications and their severity. A retrospective and multicenter study was performed. 10 centers participated, with a total of 410 pancreas transplant recipients between January and December 2013. A total of 316 transplants were simultaneous with kidney, 66 after kidney, pancreas-only 10, 7 multivisceral and 11 retrasplants. Surgical complication rates were 39% (n=161). A total of 7% vascular thrombosis, 13% bleeding, 6% the graft pancreatitis, 12% surgical infections and others to a lesser extent. Relaparotomy rate was 25%. The severity of complications were of type IIIb (13%), type II (12%) and type IVa (8.5%). Graft loss was 8%. Early mortality was 0.5%. The percentage of operations for late complications was 17%. The number of surgical complications after transplantation is not negligible, affecting one in 3 patients. They are severe in one out of 5 and, in one of every 10 patients graft loss occurs. Therefore, there is still a significant percentage of surgical complications in this type of activity, as shown in our country. Copyright © 2014 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  19. A Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effects of Competition on the Development of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Daniel A; Gomez, Ernest D; Beyer-Berjot, Laura; Khajuria, Ankur; Williams, Noel N; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

    2015-01-01

    Serious games have demonstrated efficacy in improving participation in surgical training activities, but studies have not yet demonstrated the effect of serious gaming on performance. This study investigated whether competitive training (CT) affects laparoscopic surgical performance. A total of 20 novices were recruited, and 18 (2 dropouts) were randomized into control or CT groups to perform 10 virtual reality laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs). Competitiveness of each participant was assessed. The CT group members were informed they were competing to outperform one another for a prize; performance ranking was shown before each session. The control group did not compete. Performance was assessed on time, movements, and instrument path length. Quality of performance was assessed with a global rating scale score. There were no significant intergroup differences in baseline skill or measured competitiveness. Time and global rating scale score, at final LC, were not significantly different between groups; however, the CT group was significantly more dexterous than control and had significantly lower variance in number of movements and instrument path length at the final LC (p = 0.019). Contentiousness was inversely related to time in the CT group. This was the first randomized controlled trial to investigate if CT can enhance performance in laparoscopic surgery. CT may lead to improved dexterity in laparoscopic surgery but yields otherwise similar performance to that of standard training in novices. Competition may have different effects on novices vs experienced surgeons, and subsequent research should investigate CT in experienced surgeons as well. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Surgical ergonomics. Analysis of technical skills, simulation models and assessment methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaspyros, Sotiris C; Kar, Ashok; O'Regan, David

    2015-06-01

    Over the past two centuries the surgical profession has undergone a profound evolution in terms of efficiency and outcomes. Societal concerns in relation to quality assurance, patient safety and cost reduction have highlighted the issue of training expert surgeons. The core elements of a training model build on the basic foundations of gross and fine motor skills. In this paper we provide an analysis of the ergonomic principles involved and propose relevant training techniques. We have endeavored to provide both the trainer and trainee perspectives. This paper is structured into four sections: 1) Pre-operative preparation issues, 2) technical skills and instrument handling, 3) low fidelity simulation models and 4) discussion of current concepts in crew resource management, deliberate practice and assessment. Rehearsal, warm-up and motivation-enhancing techniques aid concentration and focus. Appropriate posture, comprehension of ergonomic principles in relation to surgical instruments and utilisation of the non-dominant hand are essential skills to master. Low fidelity models can be used to achieve significant progress through the early stages of the learning curve. Deliberate practice and innate ability are complementary to each other and may be considered useful adjuncts to surgical skills development. Safe medical care requires that complex patient interventions be performed by highly skilled operators supported by reliable teams. Surgical ergonomics lie at the heart of any training model that aims to produce professionals able to function as leaders of a patient safety oriented culture. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Effects of Flipped Learning Using Online Materials in a Surgical Nursing Practicum: A Pilot Stratified Group-Randomized Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Myung Kyung; Park, Bu Kyung

    2018-01-01

    This study examined the effect of flipped learning in comparison to traditional learning in a surgical nursing practicum. The subjects of this study were 102 nursing students in their third year of university who were scheduled to complete a clinical nursing practicum in an operating room or surgical unit. Participants were randomly assigned to either a flipped learning group (n = 51) or a traditional learning group (n = 51) for the 1-week, 45-hour clinical nursing practicum. The flipped-learning group completed independent e-learning lessons on surgical nursing and received a brief orientation prior to the commencement of the practicum, while the traditional-learning group received a face-to-face orientation and on-site instruction. After the completion of the practicum, both groups completed a case study and a conference. The student's self-efficacy, self-leadership, and problem-solving skills in clinical practice were measured both before and after the one-week surgical nursing practicum. Participants' independent goal setting and evaluation of beliefs and assumptions for the subscales of self-leadership and problem-solving skills were compared for the flipped learning group and the traditional learning group. The results showed greater improvement on these indicators for the flipped learning group in comparison to the traditional learning group. The flipped learning method might offer more effective e-learning opportunities in terms of self-leadership and problem-solving than the traditional learning method in surgical nursing practicums.

  2. Effects of pharmaceutical counselling on antimicrobial use in surgical wards: intervention study with historical control group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grill, Eva; Weber, Alexandra; Lohmann, Stefanie; Vetter-Kerkhoff, Cornelia; Strobl, Ralf; Jauch, Karl-Walter

    2011-07-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the impact of pharmaceutical consulting on the quality of antimicrobial use in a surgical hospital department in a prospective controlled intervention study. Patients receiving pharmaceutical intervention (intervention group, IG, n = 317) were compared with a historical control group (control group, CG, n = 321). During the control period, antimicrobial use was monitored without intervention. During the subsequent intervention period, a clinical pharmacist reviewed the prescriptions and gave advice on medication. Intervention reduced the length of antimicrobial courses (IG = 10 days, CG = 11 days, incidence rate ratio for i.v. versus o.p. = 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.84 to 0.93) and shortened i.v. administration (IG = 8 days, CG = 10 days, hazard rate = 1.76 in favour of switch from i.v. to p.o., 95% confidence interval 1.23 to 2.52). Intervention also helped to avoid useless combination therapy and reduced total costs for antimicrobials. A clinical pharmacist who reviews prescriptions can promote an increase in efficiency, for example, by shortening the course of treatment. Counselling by ward-based clinical pharmacists was shown to be effective to streamline antimicrobial therapy in surgical units and to increase drug safety. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Surgical versus non-surgical management for pleural empyema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redden, Mark D; Chin, Tze Yang; van Driel, Mieke L

    2017-03-17

    Empyema refers to pus in the pleural space, commonly due to adjacent pneumonia, chest wall injury, or a complication of thoracic surgery. A range of therapeutic options are available for its management, ranging from percutaneous aspiration and intercostal drainage to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or thoracotomy drainage. Intrapleural fibrinolytics may also be administered following intercostal drain insertion to facilitate pleural drainage. There is currently a lack of consensus regarding optimal treatment. To assess the effectiveness and safety of surgical versus non-surgical treatments for complicated parapneumonic effusion or pleural empyema. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2016, Issue 9), MEDLINE (Ebscohost) (1946 to July week 3 2013, July 2015 to October 2016) and MEDLINE (Ovid) (1 May 2013 to July week 1 2015), Embase (2010 to October 2016), CINAHL (1981 to October 2016) and LILACS (1982 to October 2016) on 20 October 2016. We searched ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for ongoing studies (December 2016). Randomised controlled trials that compared a surgical with a non-surgical method of management for all age groups with pleural empyema. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data, and checked the data for accuracy. We contacted trial authors for additional information. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. We included eight randomised controlled trials with a total of 391 participants. Six trials focused on children and two on adults. Trials compared tube thoracostomy drainage (non-surgical), with or without intrapleural fibrinolytics, to either VATS or thoracotomy (surgical) for the management of pleural empyema. Assessment of risk of bias for the included studies was generally unclear for selection and blinding but low for attrition and reporting bias. Data analyses compared

  4. The role of multimedia in surgical skills training and assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shariff, Umar; Seretis, Charalampos; Lee, Doreen; Balasubramanian, Saba P

    2016-06-01

    Multimedia is an educational resource that can be used to supplement surgical skills training. The aim of this review was to determine the role of multimedia in surgical training and assessment by performing a systematic review of the literature. A systematic review for published articles was conducted on the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE (1992 to November 2014), SCOPUS (1992 to November 2014) and EMBASE (1992 to November 2014). For each study the educational content, study design, surgical skill assessed and outcomes were recorded. A standard data extraction form was created to ensure systematic retrieval of relevant information. 21 studies were included; 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 7 non-randomized controlled trials (Non-RCTs). Technical skills were assessed in 7 RCTs and 3 non-RCTs; cognitive skills were assessed in 9 RCTs and 4 non-RCTs. In controlled studies, multimedia was associated with significant improvement in technical skills (4 studies; 4 RCTs) and cognitive skills (7 studies; 6 RCTs). In two studies multimedia was inferior in comparison to conventional teaching. Evaluation of multimedia (9 studies) demonstrated strongly favourable results. This review suggests that multimedia effectively facilitates both technical and cognitive skills acquisition and is well accepted as an educational resource. Copyright © 2015 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Comprehensive Surgical Coaching Enhances Surgical Skill in the Operating Room: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonrath, Esther M; Dedy, Nicolas J; Gordon, Lauren E; Grantcharov, Teodor P

    2015-08-01

    The aim of the study was to determine whether individualized coaching improved surgical technical skill in the operating room to a higher degree than current residency training. Clinical training in the operating room is a valuable opportunity for surgeons to acquire skill and knowledge; however, it often remains underutilized. Coaching has been successfully used in various industries to enhance performance, but its role in surgery has been insufficiently investigated. This randomized controlled trial was conducted at one surgical training program. Trainees undergoing a minimally invasive surgery rotation were randomized to either conventional training (CT) or comprehensive surgical coaching (CSC). CT included ward and operating room duties, and regular departmental teaching sessions. CSC comprised performance analysis, debriefing, feedback, and behavior modeling. Primary outcome measures were technical performance as measured on global and procedure-specific rating scales, and surgical safety parameters, measured by error count. Operative performance was assessed by blinded video analysis of the first and last cases recorded by the participants during their rotation. Twenty residents were randomized and 18 completed the study. At posttraining the CSC group (n = 9) scored significantly higher on a procedure-specific skill scale compared with the CT group (n = 9) [median, 3.90 (interquartile range, 3.68-4.30) vs 3.60 (2.98-3.70), P = 0.017], and made fewer technical errors [10 (7-13) vs 18 (13-21), P = 0.003]. Significant within-group improvements for all skill metrics were only noted in the CSC group. Comprehensive surgical coaching enhances surgical training and results in skill acquisition superior to conventional training.

  6. Shoulder morbidity after non-surgical treatment of the neck

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wouwe, Merian van; Bree, Remco de; Kuik, Dirk J.; Goede, Cees J.T. de; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M.; Doornaert, Patricia; Rene Leemans, C.

    2009-01-01

    Background and purpose: Reports on shoulder function after non-surgical treatment are not available. In the present study shoulder morbidity after surgical and non-surgical treatment of the neck is determined and compared. Materials and methods: In 100 head and neck cancer patients 174 neck sides were treated by surgery (n = 51) or (chemo)radiation (n = 123). Abduction, anteflexion, endorotation and exorotation were assessed. Subjective measurements were performed using the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ) and stiffness reporting. Results: Predictive factors for SDQ-score > 0 (n = 54) were VAS pain score, stiffness, abduction, anteflexion, physiotherapy, low shoulder position and surgical treatment. The SDQ, stiffness and pain scores were significantly higher in the surgically treated group than in the non-surgical group (p < 0.01). Anteflexion, abduction and exorotation were less impaired in the non-surgically treated group than in the surgically treated group (p < 0.01). No differences between neck dissection and neck dissection with post-operative radiotherapy, and radiotherapy and chemoradiation were found for these movements. Conclusions: Shoulder morbidity is often present after non-surgical treatment of the neck, but to a lesser extent compared to surgical treatment. Radiotherapy adds no morbidity to neck dissection and chemotherapy does not add extra morbidity to primary radiation

  7. Comparison of Selected Protein Levels in Tumour and Surgical Margin in a Group of Patients with Oral Cavity Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strzelczyk, Joanna Katarzyna; Gołąbek, Karolina; Cuber, Piotr; Krakowczyk, Łukasz; Owczarek, Aleksander Jerzy; Fronczek, Martyna; Choręża, Piotr; Hudziec, Edyta; Ostrowska, Zofia

    2017-08-01

    Oral cavity cancer belongs to head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma group. The purpose of the study was to assess the levels of certain proteins in a tumour and surgical margin in a group of patients with oral cavity cancer. The levels of DAPK1, MGMT, CDH1, SFRP1, SFRP2, RORA, TIMP3, p16, APC and RASSF1 proteins were measured by ELISA in tissue homogenates. The protein levels of DAPK1, MGMT, CDH1, SFRP2 and RASSF1 were significantly higher in tumour tissue than in the margin, contrary to TIMP3 which was lower in the tumour itself. DAPK1 level in the tumour was significantly higher in females than in males, the MGMT and p16 levels were lower in the tumours with lymph node metastasis (N1 + N2) than in N0 samples. The CDH1 expression was higher in a group with smoking habits, whereas TIMP3 was lower in this group. Changes in the levels of proteins in tumour and surgical margin may be either reflective of tumour occurrence and development, or they might be also responsible for the progress and reoccurrence of the disease. Levels of the studied proteins might be good prognostic factors; however, further studies are required.

  8. Automated surgical skill assessment in RMIS training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zia, Aneeq; Essa, Irfan

    2018-05-01

    Manual feedback in basic robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) training can consume a significant amount of time from expert surgeons' schedule and is prone to subjectivity. In this paper, we explore the usage of different holistic features for automated skill assessment using only robot kinematic data and propose a weighted feature fusion technique for improving score prediction performance. Moreover, we also propose a method for generating 'task highlights' which can give surgeons a more directed feedback regarding which segments had the most effect on the final skill score. We perform our experiments on the publicly available JHU-ISI Gesture and Skill Assessment Working Set (JIGSAWS) and evaluate four different types of holistic features from robot kinematic data-sequential motion texture (SMT), discrete Fourier transform (DFT), discrete cosine transform (DCT) and approximate entropy (ApEn). The features are then used for skill classification and exact skill score prediction. Along with using these features individually, we also evaluate the performance using our proposed weighted combination technique. The task highlights are produced using DCT features. Our results demonstrate that these holistic features outperform all previous Hidden Markov Model (HMM)-based state-of-the-art methods for skill classification on the JIGSAWS dataset. Also, our proposed feature fusion strategy significantly improves performance for skill score predictions achieving up to 0.61 average spearman correlation coefficient. Moreover, we provide an analysis on how the proposed task highlights can relate to different surgical gestures within a task. Holistic features capturing global information from robot kinematic data can successfully be used for evaluating surgeon skill in basic surgical tasks on the da Vinci robot. Using the framework presented can potentially allow for real-time score feedback in RMIS training and help surgical trainees have more focused training.

  9. Surgical instruction for general practitioners: how, who and how often?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Collins, Anne M

    2010-07-01

    Educational programmes, designed to meet the training needs of General Practitioners (GPs) performing minor surgical procedures, have previously been shown to increase their surgical workload. The change in the level of competence following these programmes has not been assessed. The aims of this study were two-fold: to evaluate the vertical mattress suture for construct validity and to assess the impact of plastic surgery training on the surgical skill of GPs. Thirty non-consultant hospital doctors and 27 self-selected GPs were included. Using a modified objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) scoring system, construct validity of the vertical mattress suture was confirmed. The median total OSATS score was 16 points (26.7%) in the novice group (medical registrars), 38.5 points (64.2%) in the intermediate group (surgical SHOs) and 59 points (98.3%) in the expert group (surgical registrars, p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). Objective assessment in the GP group immediately following practical instruction revealed a median overall improvement of 31.7% (19 points) in total OSATS scores (p<0.001, Friedman non-parametric test, F). At six months follow-up all course participants had improved compared to their baseline. A median overall improvement of 13 points (21.7%) was noted (p<0.001, F). However, the majority (80%, n=20) had deteriorated from the standard set immediately after the course with a median overall reduction in total OSATS scores of six points (10%, p=0.001, F). Plastic surgery training is immediately efficacious in improving the technical proficiency of GPs. Through objective assessment of a standardised suture task we demonstrated a low rate of educational decay of 10% over a six-month period.

  10. Prospective randomized assessment of single versus double-gloving for general surgical procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na'aya, H U; Madziga, A G; Eni, U E

    2009-01-01

    There is increased tendency towards double-gloving by general surgeons in our practice, due probably to awareness of the risk of contamination with blood or other body fluids during surgery. The aim of the study was to compare the relative frequency of glove puncture in single-glove versus double glove sets in general surgical procedures, and to determine if duration of surgery affects perforation rate. Surgeons at random do single or double gloves at their discretion, for general surgical procedures. All the gloves used by the surgeons were assessed immediately after surgery for perforation. A total of 1120 gloves were tested, of which 880 were double-glove sets and 240 single-glove sets. There was no significant difference in the overall perforation rate between single and double glove sets (18.3% versus 20%). However, only 2.3% had perforations in both the outer and inner gloves in the double glove group. Therefore, there was significantly greater risk for blood-skin exposure in the single glove sets (p < 0.01). The perforation rate was also significantly greater during procedures lasting an hour or more compared to those lasting less than an hour (p < 0.01). Double-gloving reduces the risk of blood-skin contamination in all general surgical procedures, and especially so in procedures lasting an hour or more.

  11. Blood transfusion knowledge of surgical residents: is an educational intervention effective?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Champion, Caitlin; Saidenberg, Elianna; Lampron, Jacinthe; Pugh, Debra

    2017-04-01

    Evidence-based transfusion education for surgical residents is crucial to improving practice. A pilot study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of an education module for improving transfusion knowledge among surgical residents. Modules were developed and delivered by experts in surgery and transfusion medicine. They were delivered to residents in their first 2 years of training (Surgical Foundations), and to General Surgery residents across all years of training. Premodule and postmodule and retention knowledge assessments were used to assess efficacy. Median assessment scores for each group were compared using a two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum analysis. Chi-square tests were used to compare each group's correct response rates for each question across the three tests. Median assessment scores of residents in the Surgical Foundations program improved from a mean of 60% premodule to 80% postmodule and remained at 80% in the retention assessment (p transfusion dose, preoperative blood management, management of reactions, and informed consent (p Transfusion knowledge of surgical residents was improved by a collaborative educational initiative. This could serve as a model for other training programs to improve resident knowledge of evidence-based transfusion practices. The efficacy of such interventions in changing practice remains untested. © 2017 AABB.

  12. Assessment scale of risk for surgical positioning injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Camila Mendonça de Moraes; Haas, Vanderlei José; Dantas, Rosana Aparecida Spadoti; Oliveira, Cheila Gonçalves de; Galvão, Cristina Maria

    2016-08-29

    to build and validate a scale to assess the risk of surgical positioning injuries in adult patients. methodological research, conducted in two phases: construction and face and content validation of the scale and field research, involving 115 patients. the Risk Assessment Scale for the Development of Injuries due to Surgical Positioning contains seven items, each of which presents five subitems. The scale score ranges between seven and 35 points in which, the higher the score, the higher the patient's risk. The Content Validity Index of the scale corresponded to 0.88. The application of Student's t-test for equality of means revealed the concurrent criterion validity between the scores on the Braden scale and the constructed scale. To assess the predictive criterion validity, the association was tested between the presence of pain deriving from surgical positioning and the development of pressure ulcer, using the score on the Risk Assessment Scale for the Development of Injuries due to Surgical Positioning (pposicionamiento quirúrgico en pacientes adultos. investigación metodológica, conducida en dos etapas: construcción y validación de faz y de contenido de la escala e investigación de campo, con la participación de 115 pacientes. la Escala de Evaluación de Riesgo para el Desarrollo de Lesiones Debidas al Posicionamiento Quirúrgico contiene siete ítems, siendo que cada uno presenta cinco subítems. La puntuación de esa escala varia de siete a 35 puntos en que, cuanto mayor la puntuación, mayor el riesgo del paciente. El Índice de Validez de Contenido de la escala fue 0,88. Mediante la aplicación de la prueba t de Student, para igualdad de medias, fue constatada validez de criterio concurrente entre los scores de la escala de Braden y de la escala construida. Para evaluar la validez de criterio predictiva, fue testada la asociación de la presencia de dolor debido al posicionamiento quirúrgico y el desarrollo de úlcera por presión con el score de

  13. Twelve tips for assessing surgical performance and use of technical assessment scales

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Strandbygaard, Jeanett; Scheele, Fedde; Sørensen, Jette Led

    2017-01-01

    Using validated assessment scales for technical competence can help structure and standardize assessment and feedback for both the trainee and the supervisor and thereby avoid bias and drive learning. Correct assessment of operative skills can establish learning curves and allow adequate monitoring....... However, the assessment of surgical performance is not an easy task, since it includes many proxy parameters, which are hard to measure. Although numerous technical assessment scales exist, both within laparoscopic and open surgery, the validity evidence is often sparse, and this can raise doubts about...... reliability and educational outcome. Furthermore, the implementation of technical assessment scales varies due to several obstacles and doubts about accurate use. In this 12-tips article, we aim to give the readers a critical and useful appraisal of some of the common questions and misunderstandings regarding...

  14. Condition-specific Quality of Life Assessment at Each Stage of Class III Surgical Orthodontic Treatment -A Prospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tachiki, Chie; Nishii, Yasushi; Takaki, Takashi; Sueishi, Kenji

    2018-01-01

    Surgical orthodontic treatment has been reported to improve oral health-related quality of life (OHRQL). Such treatment comprises three stages: pre-surgical orthodontic treatment; orthognathic surgery; and post-surgical orthodontic treatment. Most studies have focused on change in OHRQL between before and after surgery. However, it is also necessary to evaluate OHRQL at the pre-surgical orthodontic treatment stage, as it may be negatively affected by dental decompensation compared with at pre-treatment. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the influence of surgical orthodontic treatment on QOL by assessing change in condition-specific QOL at each stage of treatment in skeletal class III cases. Twenty skeletal class III patients requiring surgical orthodontic treatment were enrolled in the study. Each patient completed the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ), which was developed for patients with dentofacial deformity. Its items are grouped into 4 domains: "social aspects of dentofacial deformity"; "facial esthetics"; "oral function"; and "awareness of dentofacial esthetics". The questionnaire was completed at the pre-treatment, pre-surgical orthodontic treatment, and post-surgical orthodontic treatment stages. The results revealed a significant worsening in scores between at pre-treatment and pre-surgical orthodontic treatment in the domains of facial esthetics and oral function (ppre-surgical orthodontic and post-surgical orthodontic treatment in all domains except awareness of dentofacial esthetics (ppre-surgical orthodontic treatment stage. Significant correlations were also observed between improvement in upper and lower lip difference, soft tissue pogonion protrusion, and ANB angle and improvement in OQLQ scores at the post-surgical orthodontic treatment stage. These results indicate that morphologic change influences OHRQL in patients undergoing surgical orthodontic treatment not only after surgery, but also during pre-surgical

  15. Comparison of postoperative surgical site infection after preoperative marking done with non-sterile stationary grade markers versus sterile surgical markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mir, Z.A.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: To compare the frequencies of post- operative surgical site infection after preoperative marking done with non-sterile stationary. grade markers versus sterile surgical markers in the same patient. Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: The department of Plastic surgery, Mayo hospital, Lahore from August 2013 to August 2014. Methods: This study was conducted after taking approval from the departmental ethical committee. Forty consecutive patients were included. A sterile surgical marker was used to mark one incision site while an alcohol based stationary grade marker was used to mark another incision site on the same patient. A standard preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative protocol was followed. Cultures were performed on swabs taken from the incision sites and surgical site infection was assessed for 30 days. Results: The study included 40 patients; 17 males and 23 females. The mean age of subjects was 25.32 ± 19.69 years with the minimum age being 2 years and the maximum being 63 years. No growth was seen in cultures taken from all the incision sites after skin preparation in the non sterile stationary grade marker group as well as the sterile surgical grade marker group. Also no surgical site infection appeared during the 30 day postoperative observation period in the non sterile stationary grade marker group as well as the sterile surgical grade marker group. (author)

  16. Surgical versus non-surgical management of abdominal injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyo-Ita, Angela; Chinnock, Paul; Ikpeme, Ikpeme A

    2015-11-13

    Injury to the abdomen can be blunt or penetrating. Abdominal injury can damage internal organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, intestine, and large blood vessels. There are controversies about the best approach to manage abdominal injuries. To assess the effects of surgical and non-surgical interventions in the management of abdominal trauma in a haemodynamically stable and non-peritonitic abdomen. We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group's Specialised Register, The Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE(R), Ovid MEDLINE(R) In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE(R) Daily and Ovid OLDMEDLINE(R), EMBASE Classic+EMBASE (Ovid), ISI WOS (SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI, CPCI-S & CPSI-SSH), CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), and clinical trials registers, and screened reference lists. We ran the most recent search on 17 September 2015. Randomised controlled trials of surgical interventions and non-surgical interventions involving people with abdominal injury who were haemodynamically stable with no signs of peritonitis. The abdominal injury could be blunt or penetrating. Two review authors independently applied the selection criteria. Data were extracted by two authors using a standard data extraction form, and are reported narratively. Two studies are included, which involved a total of 114 people with penetrating abdominal injuries. Both studies are at moderate risk of bias because the randomisation methods are not fully described, and the original study protocols are no longer available. The studies were undertaken in Finland between 1992 and 2002, by the same two researchers.In one study, 51 people were randomised to surgery or an observation protocol. None of the participants in the study died. Seven people had complications: 5 (18.5%) in the surgical group and 2 (8.3%) in the observation group; the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.42; Fischer's exact). Among the 27 people who had surgery, 6 (22.2%) surgeries were negative laparotomies, and 15 (55.6%) were non

  17. Surgical outcomes in two different age groups with Focal Cortical Dysplasia type II: Any real difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez-Molina, Jorge Luis; Di Giacomo, Roberta; Mariani, Valeria; Deleo, Francesco; Cardinale, Francesco; Uscátegui-Daccarett, Angélica María; Lorenzana, Pablo; Tassi, Laura

    2017-05-01

    Focal Cortical Dysplasias (FCDs) represent a common architectural cortical disorder underlying drug-resistant focal epilepsy. So far, studies aimed at evaluating whether age at surgery is a factor influencing surgical outcome are lacking, so that data on the comparison between patients harboring Type II FCD operated at younger age and those operated at adult age are still scarce. We compared presurgical clinical features and surgical outcomes of patients with histopathologically diagnosed Type II FCD undergoing surgery at an earlier age with those operated after 20 years of age. We retrospectively analyzed 1660 consecutive patients operated at the "Claudio Munari" Epilepsy Surgery Centre. There were 289 patients (17.4%) with a neuropathological diagnosis of Type II FCD. We included two different groups of patients, the first one including patients operated on at less than 6years, the second sharing the same seizure onset age but with delayed surgery, carried out after the age of 20. Seizure characteristics and, neuropsychological and postoperative seizure outcomes were evaluated by study group. Forty patients underwent surgery before the age of 6 and 66 patients after the age of 20. Surgical outcome was favorable in the whole population (72.6% were classified in Engel's Class Ia+Ic), independently from age at surgery. In the children group, 32 patients were classified in Class I, including 30 (75%) children in classes Ia and Ic. In the adult group, 53 belonged to Class I of whom 47 (71%) were in classes Ia and Ic. The percentage of permanent complications, the surgical outcomes, and AED withdrawal did not significantly differ by study group. Our results indicate that there is no difference between the groups, suggesting that outcome depends mainly on the histological findings and not on timing of surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Objective assessment of surgical performance and its impact on a national selection programme of candidates for higher surgical training in plastic surgery.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Carroll, Sean M

    2012-02-01

    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a transparent, fair and objective assessment programme for the selection of surgical trainees into higher surgical training (HST) in plastic surgery in the Republic of Ireland. METHODS: Thirty-four individuals applied for HST in plastic surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in the academic years 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. Eighteen were short-listed for interview and further assessment. All applicants were required to report on their undergraduate educational performance and their postgraduate professional development. Short-listed applicants completed validated objective assessment simulations of surgical skills, an interview and assessment of their suitability for a career in surgery. RESULTS: When applicants\\' short-listing scores were combined with their interview scores and assessment of their suitability for a career in surgery, individuals who were selected for HST in plastic surgery performed significantly better than those who were not (P<0.002). However, when the assessment of technical skills scores were added the significance level of this difference increased further (P<0.0001) as did the statistical power of the difference to 99.9%, thus increasing the robustness of the selection package. CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggest that the assessment protocol we used to select individuals for HST in plastic surgery reliably and statistically significantly discriminated between the performances of candidates.

  19. Evaluation of surgical treatment in mandibular condyle fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vesnaver, Aleš; Ahčan, Uroš; Rozman, Janez

    2012-12-01

    In the past, fractures of the mandibular condylar process were, as a rule, treated conservatively. At the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia, our doctrine was changed in 2002 on the basis of preliminary results and reports in the literature, and these fractures were started to be treated surgically by open reduction and internal fixation with miniplates and screws, which led to good results and a shorter rehabilitation period. The goal of this study was to determine the safety and efficiency of surgical treatment, as well as to compare long-term results of surgical and conservative treatment, as objectively as possible. Two groups of patients, which had all sustained a unilateral, extra-articular mandibular condyle fracture, were compared. In the test group, there were 42 surgically treated patients, and in the control group, 20 conservatively treated patients. Clinical parameters and X-ray images were assessed in both groups and compared by the two tailed Student t test, and in case of attributive variables by the χ(2) test. Within the surgically treated group, postoperative and intraoperative complications were noted: temporary facial nerve palsy, development of a parotid salivary fistula, disturbance of auricle sensibility due to injury of the greater auricular nerve, miniplate fracture, as well as intraoperative bleeding, postoperative haematoma formation, infection, reoperation due to fragment malposition and other complications. Postoperative scars were also assessed. Statistically significant differences between the surgically and conservatively treated patients were found when comparing clinical parameters as well as X-ray images, the results being better in the surgically treated group. Complications of surgical treatment were also noted, the most important among them temporary paresis of facial nerve branches, which occurred in 10 patients (24%). Plate fractures occurred in five patients (12

  20. Assessment of the changes in quality of life of patients with class II and III deformities during and after orthodontic-surgical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baherimoghaddam, T; Tabrizi, R; Naseri, N; Pouzesh, A; Oshagh, M; Torkan, S

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess and compare the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients with class II and III deformities during and after orthodontic-surgical treatment. Thirty class III and 28 class II patients were evaluated at baseline (T0), just prior to surgery (T1), at 6 months after surgery (T2), and at 12 months after debonding (T3). OHRQoL was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Friedman two-way analysis of variance and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were performed to compare the relative changes in OHRQoL during treatment. Significant changes in the overall OHIP-14 scores were observed during and after orthodontic-surgical treatment in both groups. During the pre-surgical stage, psychological discomfort and psychological disability decreased in class III patients, and class II patients experienced a significant deterioration in psychological discomfort during the same period. Six months after surgery, patients in both groups showed improvements in psychological discomfort, social disability, and handicap. Physical disability and functional limitation showed further improvement at 12 months after debonding in class II patients. This study reaffirms that orthodontic-surgical treatment has a significant effect on the OHRQoL of class III and class II patients. Copyright © 2015 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Can we assess healing of surgically treated long bone fractures on radiograph?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perlepe, V; Omoumi, P; Larbi, A; Putineanu, D; Dubuc, J-E; Schubert, T; Vande Berg, B

    2018-06-01

    To determine the frequency and causes for limitations in the radiographic evaluation of surgically treated long bone fractures. Six readers separately scored 140 sets of antero-posterior (AP) and lateral radiographs of surgically treated long bone fractures, using a radiographic union score (RUS). We determined the rate of assessability of the fracture edges at each of the four cortical segments (n=560) seen tangentially on the two radiographs and the causes for non-assessability. The rate of feasibility of the RUS (more than two fracture edges assessable per fracture) was determined and compared according to different parameters. Fracture edges were visible in 71% to 81% of the 560 cortical segments. Metal hardware superimposition was the most frequent cause for non-assessability (79-95%). RUS values could be calculated in 58% to 75% of fractures. Scoring was statistically significantly less frequently calculable in plated (31-56%) than in nailed fractures (90-97%), in distal (47-61%) than in proximal (78-89%) bones and in upper (27-49%) than in lower (76-91%) limb bones (P≤0.01). The type of stabilization hardware is the main limiting factor in the radiographic assessment of surgically treated long bone fractures. Scoring was feasible in only 31% to 56% of plated fractures. Copyright © 2018 Société française de radiologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR FEMOROACETABULAR IMPINGEMENT IN A GROUP THAT PERFORMS SQUATS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polesello, Giancarlo Cavalli; Cinagawa, Eduardo Hitoshi Tsuge; Cruz, Paulo Daniel Sousa Santa; de Queiroz, Marcelo Cavalheiro; Borges, Cristian Jandrey; Junior, Walter Ricioli; Daniachi, Daniel; Guimarães, Rodrigo Pereira; Honda, Emerson Kiyoshi; Ono, Nelson Keiske

    2012-01-01

    Describe the results from arthroscopic surgical treatment on a group of patients who developed symptoms after repetitive physical activity of moving their hips in a position of hyperflexion, as in leg presses and squats. The study group comprised 47 individuals (48 hips) who developed the onset of painful symptoms associated with hip hyperflexion exercises (leg presses or squats) and underwent arthroscopic treatment. The patients were evaluated radiographically and clinically according to the "Harris Hip Score", as modified by Byrd (MHHS), pre and postoperatively, and were asked about their return to sports activities and the surgical findings. The mean preoperative and postoperative MHHS, respectively, were 60 points (SD 11.0, range 38.5 to 92.4) and 95.9 points (SD 7.7, range 63.8 to 100), with an increase of 35.9 points (P < 0.001). Regarding physical activity, 30 individuals (71.5%) resumed sports activities after surgery, and 25 of them (83.4%) at the previous level. Six patients (12.8%) did not resume activities because of persistent pain. During arthroscopy, 48 hips (100%) presented lesions of the acetabular labrum, and 41 hips (85.4%) had acetabular chondral lesions. The patients with painful symptoms after hip hyperflexion exercises associated with femoroacetabular impingement presented improvements after arthroscopic treatment.

  3. Workplace-based assessment in surgical training: experiences from the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eardley, Ian; Bussey, Maria; Woodthorpe, Adrian; Munsch, Chris; Beard, Jonathan

    2013-06-01

    The Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme was launched in the United Kingdom in 2007. At its heart was the reliance upon clear, defined curricula, competence-based training and the use of workplace-based assessments to assess the competence. The principle assessments used were Case-based Discussion, Procedure-based Assessments (PBA), Direct Observation of Procedural Skills, and Clinical Evaluation Exercise and a Multisource Feedback tool. We report the initial experience with that system, and most importantly, the experience with workplace-based assessment. Themes include issues around faculty development, misuse of assessments, inappropriate timing of assessments, concerns about validity and reliability of the assessments and concerns about the actual process of workplace-based assessments. Of the assessments, the PBA performed best. As a consequence, there has been an increased focus upon faculty development, while some of the assessments have been redesigned in line with the PBA. A global rating scale has been introduced that uses clinical anchors. The rating scales have also been altered with a reduction in the number of ratings while an enhanced description of the complexity of the case has been introduced within the Case-based Discussion and the Clinical Evaluation Exercise. A re-evaluation will take place in the near future. © 2013 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  4. High-frequency ultrasound in carpal tunnel syndrome: assessment of patient eligibility for surgical treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Kapuścińska

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS is the most common entrapment neuropathy and a frequent cause of sick leaves because of work-related hand overload. That is why an early diagnosis and adequate treatment (conservative or surgical are essential for optimal patient management. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the usefulness of high-frequency ultrasound in CTS for the assessment of patient eligibility for surgical treatment. Material and methods: The study involved 62 patients (50 women and 12 men, aged 28–70, mean age 55.2 with scheduled surgeries of CTS on the basis of clinical symptoms, physical examination performed by a neurosurgeon and a positive result of EMG testing. The ultrasound examinations of the wrist were performed in all these patients. On the basis of the collected data, the author has performed multiple analyses to confi rm the usefulness of ultrasound imaging in assessing patient eligibility for surgical treatment of CTS. Results: US examinations showed evidence of median nerve compression at the level of the carpal tunnel in all of the examined patients. This was further confi rmed during surgical procedures. The mean value of the cross-sectional area at the proximal part of the pisiform bone was 17.45 mm2 (min. 12 mm2 , max. 31 mm2 . Nerve hypoechogenicity proximal to the nerve compression site was visible in all 62 patients (100%. Increased nerve vascularity on the transverse section was present in 50 patients (80.65%. Conclusions: Ultrasonography with the use of high-frequency transducers is a valuable diagnostic tool both for assessing patient eligibility for surgical treatment of CTS, and in postoperative assessment of the treatment efficacy.

  5. Assessment of communication, professionalism, and surgical skills in an objective structured performance-related examination (OSPRE): a psychometric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponton-Carss, Alicia; Hutchison, Carol; Violato, Claudio

    2011-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a performance assessment of communication, professionalism, and surgical skills competencies for surgery residents. Fourteen residents from the general surgery program of the University of Calgary were assessed in 7 surgical simulation stations that included communication and professionalism skills. The internal consistency reliability of the checklists and global rating scales combined was adequate for communication (α = .75-.92) and surgical skills (α = .86-.96), but not for professionalism (α = 0). There was evidence of validity as surgical skills performance improved as a function of postgraduate year level but not for the professionalism checklist. Surgical skills and communication correlated in the 2 stations assessed (r = .55 and .57; P communication skills. Further instrument development is required to assess professionalism in a structured examination context. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Assessment of surgical portosystemic shunts and associated complications: The diagnostic and therapeutic role of radiologists

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taslakian, Bedros, E-mail: btaslakian@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); Faraj, Walid, E-mail: wf07@aub.edu.lb [Department of General Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); Khalife, Mohammad, E-mail: mk12@aub.edu.lb [Department of General Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); Al-Kutoubi, Aghiad, E-mail: mk00@aub.edu.lb [Department of Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); El-Merhi, Fadi, E-mail: fe19@aub.edu.lb [Department of Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); Saade, Charbel, E-mail: cs39@aub.edu.lb [Department of Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); Hallal, Ali, E-mail: ah05@aub.edu.lb [Department of General Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon); Haydar, Ali, E-mail: ah24@aub.edu.lb [Department of Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020—PO Box: 11-0236, Beirut (Lebanon)

    2015-08-15

    Highlights: • Portal hypertension is the pathological increase in portal venous pressure. • Surgical portosystemic shunting is an accepted methods to decrease portal venous pressure. • Surgical portosystemic shunts are divided into selective and nonselective. • Shunt thrombosis is a serious complication, resulting in shunt dysfunction. • Imaging is essential in the assessment of the shunt function and anatomy. - Abstract: Surgical portosystemic shunting, the formation of a vascular connection between the portal and systemic venous circulation, has been used as a treatment to reduce portal venous pressure. Although the use of portosystemic shunt surgery in the management of portal hypertension has declined during the past decade in favour of alternative therapies, and subsequently surgeons and radiologists became less familiar with the procedure, it remains a well-established treatment. Knowledge of different types of surgical portosystemic shunts, their pathophysiology and complications will help radiologists improve communication with surgeons and enhance their understanding of the diagnostic and therapeutic role of radiology in the assessment and management of these shunts. Optimal assessment of the shunt is essential to determine its patency and allow timely intervention. Both non-invasive and invasive imaging modalities complement each other in the evaluation of surgical portosystemic shunts. Interventional radiology plays an important role in the management of complications, such as shunt thrombosis and stenosis. This article describes the various types of surgical portosystemic shunts, explains the anatomy and pathophysiology of these shunts, illustrates the pearls and pitfalls of different imaging modalities in the assessment of these shunts and demonstrates the role of radiologists in the interventional management of complications.

  7. Assessment of surgical portosystemic shunts and associated complications: The diagnostic and therapeutic role of radiologists

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taslakian, Bedros; Faraj, Walid; Khalife, Mohammad; Al-Kutoubi, Aghiad; El-Merhi, Fadi; Saade, Charbel; Hallal, Ali; Haydar, Ali

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Portal hypertension is the pathological increase in portal venous pressure. • Surgical portosystemic shunting is an accepted methods to decrease portal venous pressure. • Surgical portosystemic shunts are divided into selective and nonselective. • Shunt thrombosis is a serious complication, resulting in shunt dysfunction. • Imaging is essential in the assessment of the shunt function and anatomy. - Abstract: Surgical portosystemic shunting, the formation of a vascular connection between the portal and systemic venous circulation, has been used as a treatment to reduce portal venous pressure. Although the use of portosystemic shunt surgery in the management of portal hypertension has declined during the past decade in favour of alternative therapies, and subsequently surgeons and radiologists became less familiar with the procedure, it remains a well-established treatment. Knowledge of different types of surgical portosystemic shunts, their pathophysiology and complications will help radiologists improve communication with surgeons and enhance their understanding of the diagnostic and therapeutic role of radiology in the assessment and management of these shunts. Optimal assessment of the shunt is essential to determine its patency and allow timely intervention. Both non-invasive and invasive imaging modalities complement each other in the evaluation of surgical portosystemic shunts. Interventional radiology plays an important role in the management of complications, such as shunt thrombosis and stenosis. This article describes the various types of surgical portosystemic shunts, explains the anatomy and pathophysiology of these shunts, illustrates the pearls and pitfalls of different imaging modalities in the assessment of these shunts and demonstrates the role of radiologists in the interventional management of complications

  8. Three-dimensional aesthetic assessment of class II patients before and after orthognathic surgery and its association with quantitative surgical changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storms, A S; Vansant, L; Shaheen, E; Coucke, W; de Llano-Pérula, M Cadenas; Jacobs, R; Politis, C; Willems, G

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to compare evaluations of the aesthetic outcome of class II orthognathic patients, as performed by observers with varying expertise using three-dimensional (3D) facial images, and to examine the relationship of aesthetic ratings in relation to quantitative surgical changes. Pre- and postoperative 3D facial images of 20 surgically treated class II patients (13 female, 7 male) were assessed for aesthetics by orthodontists, maxillofacial surgeons, and laypeople. Attractiveness ratings for the lips, chin, and overall facial aesthetics were evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale. Correlation between the aesthetic scores was obtained and quantitative surgical changes were examined. For all groups of observers, significant improvements in attractiveness scores were found, especially for the chin assessment. Orthodontists perceived the greatest improvement and laypeople the smallest. Overall, laypeople scored higher with less variability, but with lower intra- and inter-observer agreement. No significant correlation was found between the aesthetic improvement and soft tissue surgical changes. To avoid patient dissatisfaction, it is important to bear in mind that the demands and perception of aesthetic improvement after orthognathic surgery are higher for clinicians than for the general public. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  9. Cognitive and Technical Skill Assessment in Surgical Education: a Changing Horizon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vergis, Ashley; Hardy, Krista

    2017-04-01

    Assessment is an integral component of training and credentialing surgeons for practice. Traditional methods of cognitive and technical appraisal are well established but have clear shortcomings. This review outlines the components of the surgical care assessment model, identifies the deficits of current evaluation techniques, and discusses novel and emerging technologies that attempt to ameliorate this educational void.

  10. Getting lost in translation? Workplace based assessments in surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Jason M

    2013-10-01

    Workplace based assessments (WBA) are integral to the competence-based surgical training curriculum that currently exists in the UK. The GMC emphasise the value of WBA's as assessments for learning (formative), rather than as assessments of learning (summative). Current implementation of WBA's in the workplace though, is at odds with their intended use, with the formative functions often being overlooked in favour of the summative, as exemplified by the recent announcement that trainees are required to complete a minimum of 40 WBA's a year, an increase from 24. Even before this increase, trainees viewed WBA's as tick-box exercises that negatively impact upon training opportunities. As a result, the tools are commonly misused, often because both trainees and trainers lack understanding of the benefits of full engagement with the formative learning opportunities afforded by WBA's. To aid the transition in mind-set of trainees and trainers to the purpose of assessment in the workplace, the GMC propose the introduction of 'supervised learning events' and 'assessments of performance' to supersede 'WBA's'. The impact of this change and how these will be integrated into surgical training is yet to be seen, but is likely to be a step in the right direction. Copyright © 2013 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Crowd-sourced assessment of technical skills: an opportunity for improvement in the assessment of laparoscopic surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deal, Shanley B; Lendvay, Thomas S; Haque, Mohamad I; Brand, Timothy; Comstock, Bryan; Warren, Justin; Alseidi, Adnan

    2016-02-01

    Objective, unbiased assessment of surgical skills remains a challenge in surgical education. We sought to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of Crowd-Sourced Assessment of Technical Skills. Seven volunteer general surgery interns were given time for training and then testing, on laparoscopic peg transfer, precision cutting, and intracorporeal knot-tying. Six faculty experts (FEs) and 203 Amazon.com Mechanical Turk crowd workers (CWs) evaluated 21 deidentified video clips using the Global Objective Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills validated rating instrument. Within 19 hours and 15 minutes we received 662 eligible ratings from 203 CWs and 126 ratings from 6 FEs over 10 days. FE video ratings were of borderline internal consistency (Krippendorff's alpha = .55). FE ratings were highly correlated with CW ratings (Pearson's correlation coefficient = .78, P Assessment of Technical Skills as a reliable, basic tool to standardize the evaluation of technical skills in general surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Validation of a community-based survey assessing non-obstetric surgical conditions in Burera District, Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linden, Allison F; Maine, Rebecca; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L; Kamanzi, Emmanual; Mody, Gita; Ntakiyiruta, Georges; Kansayisa, Grace; Ntaganda, Edmond; Niyonkuru, Francine; Mubiligi, Joel; Mpunga, Tharcisse; Meara, John G; Riviello, Robert

    2015-04-27

    Community-based surveillance methods to monitor epidemiological progress in surgery have not yet been employed for surgical capacity building. The aim of this study was to create and assess the validity of a questionnaire that collected data for untreated surgically correctable diseases throughout Burera District, northern Rwanda, to accurately plan for surgical services. A structured interview to assess for the presence or absence of ten index surgically treatable conditions (breast mass, cleft lip/palate, club foot, hernia or hydrocele [adult and paediatric]), hydrocephalus, hypospadias, injuries or wounds, neck mass, undescended testes, and vaginal fistula) was created. The interview was built based on previously validated questionnaires, forward and back translated into the local language and underwent focus group augmentation and pilot testing. In March and May, 2012, data collectors conducted the structured interviews with a household representative in 30 villages throughout Burera District, selected using a two-stage cluster sampling design. Rwandan physicians revisited the surveyed households to perform physical examinations on all household members, used as the gold standard to validate the structured interview. Ethical approval was obtained from Boston Children's Hospital (Boston, MA, USA) and the Rwandan National Ethics Committee (Kigali, Rwanda). Informed consent was obtained from all households. 2990 individuals were surveyed, a 97% response rate. 2094 (70%) individuals were available for physical examination. The calculated overall sensitivity of the structured interview tool was 44·5% (95% CI 38·9-50·2) and the specificity was 97·7% (96·9-98·3%; appendix). The positive predictive value was 70% (95% CI 60·5-73·5), whereas the negative predictive value was 91·3% (90·0-92·5). The conditions with the highest sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were hydrocephalus (100% and 100%), clubfoot (100% and 99·8%), injuries or wounds (54·7% and

  13. Assessing the Decrease in the Surgical Population of the University of Puerto Rico-Affiliated Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Norma I; Santiago, Elvis; Luque, César

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the magnitude of the decrease in the surgical population of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR)-affiliated hospitals. We examined all the surgical cases that were entered into the Surgical Database from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015. This database collects patient and procedural information from the surgical services of the UPR-affiliated hospitals. Thus, the number of surgical patients for the 3-year study period was determined and their characteristics recorded. The group was subdivided into 3 subgroups, according to year: 2013, 2014, and 2015. All the variables studied were tabulated for the 3 subgroups and the values compared. The differences between subgroups were evaluated using the chi2 test or ANOVA, whichever was appropriate, with a p-value of less than 0.05 being considered significant. During the 3-year period, the Surgical Database collected information on 14,626 cases. The mean age of the group was 48 (±23) years. The gender distribution indicated that 55% of the sample members were women and 45% were men. A 14% decline in the number of surgical cases occurred from 2013 through 2015. The changes were not limited to a decline in numbers; the patients were sicker, as evidenced by a statistically significant (pPuerto Rico.

  14. Better evidence for earlier assessment and surgical intervention for refractory epilepsy (The BEST study): a mixed methods study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapport, Frances; Shih, Patti; Mitchell, Rebecca; Nikpour, Armin; Bleasel, Andrew; Herkes, Geoffrey; Vagholkar, Sanjyot; Mumford, Virginia

    2017-08-21

    One-third of patients with refractory epilepsy may be candidates for resective surgery, which can lead to positive clinical outcomes if efficiently managed. In Australia, there is currently between a 6-month and 2-year delay for patients who are candidates for respective epilepsy surgery from the point of referral for surgical assessment to the eventual surgical intervention. This is a major challenge for implementation of effective treatment for individuals who could potentially benefit from surgery. This study examines implications of delays following the point of eligibility for surgery, in the assessment and treatment of patients, and the factors causing treatment delays. Mixed methods design: Observations of qualitative consultations, patient and healthcare professional interviews, and health-related quality of life assessments for a group of 10 patients and six healthcare professionals (group 1); quantitative retrospective medical records' reviews examining longitudinal outcomes for 50 patients assessed for, or undergoing, resective surgery between 2014 and 2016 (group 2); retrospective epidemiological study of all individuals hospitalised with a diagnosis of epilepsy in New South Wales (NSW) in the last 5 years (2012-2016; approximately 11 000 hospitalisations per year, total 55 000), examining health services' use and treatment for individuals with epilepsy, including refractory surgery outcomes (group 3). Ethical approval has been granted by the North Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/17/HAWKE/22) and the NSW Population & Health Services Research Ethics Committee (HREC/16/CIPHS/1). Results will be disseminated through publications, reports and conference presentations to patients and families, health professionals and researchers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  15. Cognitive learning and its future in urology: surgical skills teaching and assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafiei, Somayeh B; Hussein, Ahmed A; Guru, Khurshid A

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the current status of novel cognitive training approaches in surgery and to investigate the potential role of cognitive training in surgical education. Kinematics of end-effector trajectories, as well as cognitive state features of surgeon trainees and mentors have recently been studied as modalities to objectively evaluate the expertise level of trainees and to shorten the learning process. Virtual reality and haptics also have shown promising in research results in improving the surgical learning process by providing feedback to the trainee. 'Cognitive training' is a novel approach to enhance training and surgical performance. The utility of cognitive training in improving motor skills in other fields, including sports and rehabilitation, is promising enough to justify its utilization to improve surgical performance. However, some surgical procedures, especially ones performed during human-robot interaction in robot-assisted surgery, are much more complicated than sport and rehabilitation. Cognitive training has shown promising results in surgical skills-acquisition in complicated environments such as surgery. However, these methods are mostly developed in research groups using limited individuals. Transferring this research into the clinical applications is a demanding challenge. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current status of these novel cognitive training approaches in surgery and to investigate the potential role of cognitive training in surgical education.

  16. Assessing Residents' Readiness for OR Autonomy: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Expert Surgical Teachers' Best Practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaodong Phoenix; Sullivan, Amy M; Alseidi, Adnan; Kwakye, Gifty; Smink, Douglas S

    Providing resident autonomy in the operating room (OR) is one of the major challenges for surgical educators today. The purpose of this study was to explore what approaches expert surgical teachers use to assess residents' readiness for autonomy in the OR. We particularly focused on the assessments that experts make prior to conducting the surgical time-out. We conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with expert surgical teachers from March 2016 to September 2016. Purposeful sampling and snowball sampling were applied to identify and recruit expert surgical teachers from general surgery residency programs across the United States to represent a range of clinical subspecialties. All interviews were audio-recorded, deidentified, and transcribed. We applied the Framework Method of content analysis, discussed and reached final consensus on the themes. We interviewed 15 expert teachers from 9 institutions. The majority (13/15) were Program or Associate Program Directors; 47% (7/15) primarily performed complex surgical operations (e.g., endocrine surgery). Five themes regarding how expert surgical teachers determine residents' readiness for OR autonomy before the surgical time-out emerged. These included 3 domains of evidence elicited about the resident (resident characteristics, medical knowledge, and beyond the current OR case), 1 variable relating to attending characteristics, and 1 variable composed of contextual factors. Experts obtained one or more examples of evidence, and adjusted residents' initial autonomy using factors from the attending variable and the context variable. Expert surgical teachers' assessments of residents' readiness for OR autonomy included 5 key components. Better understanding these inputs can contribute to both faculty and resident development, enabling increased resident autonomy and preparation for independent practice. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. A Consortium Approach to Surgical Education in a Developing Country: Educational Needs Assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Mackenzie; Howard, Benjamin M; Yu, Angela; Grey, Douglas; Hofmann, Paul B; Moren, Alexis M; Mchembe, Mabula; Essajee, Abbas; Mndeme, Omari; Peck, James; Schecter, William P

    2015-11-01

    Surgical disease is a global health priority, and improving surgical care requires local capacity building. Single-institution partnerships and surgical missions are logistically limited. The Alliance for Global Clinical Training (hereafter the Alliance) is a consortium of US surgical departments that aims to provide continuous educational support at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (MUHAS). To our knowledge, the Alliance is the first multi-institutional international surgical collaboration to be described in the literature. To assess if the Alliance is effectively responding to the educational needs of MUHAS and Muhimbili National Hospital surgeons. During an initial 13-month program (July 1, 2013, to August 31, 2014), faculty and resident teams from 3 US academic surgical programs rotated at MUHAS as physicians and teachers for 1 month each. To assess the value of the project, we administered anonymous surveys. Anonymous surveys were analyzed on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Free-text answers were analyzed for common themes. During the study period, Alliance members were present at MUHAS for 8 months (1 month each). At the conclusion of the first year of collaboration, 15 MUHAS faculty and 22 MUHAS residents completed the survey. The following 6 areas of educational needs were identified: formal didactics, increased clinical mentorship, longer-term Alliance presence, equitable distribution of teaching time, improved coordination and language skills, and reciprocal exchange rotations at US hospitals. The MUHAS faculty and residents agreed that Alliance members contributed to improved patient care and resident education. A multi-institutional international surgical partnership is possible and leads to perceived improvements in patient care and resident learning. Alliance surgeons must continue to focus on training Tanzanian surgeons. Improving the volunteer surgeons' Swahili-language skills would be an asset. Future

  18. Undergraduate basic surgical skills education: impact on attitudes to a career in surgery and surgical skills acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAnena, P F; O'Halloran, N; Moloney, B M; Courtney, D; Waldron, R M; Flaherty, G; Kerin, M J

    2018-05-01

    Basic surgical skills modules in medical education are effective in teaching skills and increasing confidence among students approaching surgery. However, these modules are not delivered universally and their effect on the professional development of graduates has not been established. We aimed to assess the impact of a 10-week basic surgical skills module on attitudes and technical skills of first year medical students compared to interns. Eighteen students participated and were assessed using a 4-part questionnaire. Technical skills were assessed by observing students perform a basic interrupted suture, using the objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) tool. Fourteen interns were recruited. Students were more confident in surgical scrubbing (mean score 4.0 vs. 2.86, p = 0.001), and performing a basic suture (4.05 vs. 1.93, p = 0.000), more enthusiastic about assisting with an operation (4.5 vs. 3.0, p = 0.001) and more likely to consider a career in surgery (4.16 vs. 2.28, p = 0.000). Technical skills were greater in the student group (mean score 30.8 vs. 19.6, p = 0.001). Five interns had taken part in surgical skills modules as undergraduates. Their technical skills were significantly higher compared to interns who had not (n = 9) (28.8 vs. 14.5, p = 0.006), and they were more likely to consider a career in surgery (3.6 vs. 1.5, p = 0.036). The introduction of surgical skills teaching to the undergraduate medical curriculum has a positive impact on students' attitudes towards surgery and accelerates basic technical skills development. Consideration should be given to development of a standardised undergraduate core curriculum in basic surgical skills teaching.

  19. Clinical outcome in acute small bowel obstruction after surgical or conservative management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Raphael P H; de Saussure, Wassila Oulhaci; Orci, Lorenzo A; Gutzwiller, Eveline M; Morel, Philippe; Ris, Frédéric; Schwenter, Frank

    2014-12-01

    Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is characterized by a high rate of recurrence. In the present study, we aimed to compare the outcomes of patients managed either by conservative treatment or surgical operation for an episode of SBO. The outcomes of all patients hospitalized at a single center for acute SBO between 2004 and 2007 were assessed. The occurrence of recurrent hospitalization, surgery, SBO symptoms at home, and mortality was determined. Among 221 patients admitted with SBO, 136 underwent a surgical procedure (surgical group) and 85 were managed conservatively (conservative group). Baseline characteristics were similar between treatment groups. The median follow-up time (interquartile range) was 4.7 (3.7-5.8) years. Nineteen patients (14.0 %) of the surgical group were hospitalized for recurrent SBO versus 25 (29.4 %) of the conservative group [hazard ratio (HR), 0.5; 95 % CI, 0.3-0.9]. The need for a surgical management of a new SBO episode was similar between the two groups, ten patients (7.4 %) in the surgical group and six patients (7.1 %) in the conservative group (HR, 1.1; 95 % CI, 0.4-3.1). Five-year mortality from the date of hospital discharge was not significantly different between the two groups (age- and sex-adjusted HR, 1.1; 95 % CI, 0.6-2.1). A follow-up evaluation was obtained for 130 patients. Among them, 24 patients (34.8 %) of the surgical group and 35 patients (57.4 %) of the conservative group had recurrent SBO symptoms (odds ratio, 0.4; 95 % CI, 0.2-0.8). The recurrence of SBO symptoms and new hospitalizations were significantly lower after surgical management of SBO compared with conservative treatment.

  20. Short-term efficacy of surgical treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Y; Sun, Y; Ren, L; Qi, X-W; Li, Y; Zhang, F

    2015-10-01

    We wished to explore short-term efficacy of surgical treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with the end-stage renal disease. The treatment methods were subtotal or total parathyroidectomy, or total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation. 63 patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism were randomly divided into three groups which were respectively treated with subtotal parathyroidectomy (SPTX group), total parathyroidectomy (TPTX group), or total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation (TPTX+AT group). The surgical outcomes included operating time, transoperative bleeding volume, length of stay, and cost of hospitalization. In addition, complication (e.g., postoperative wound infection, hematoma, hypocalcemia in perioperative period) rates were compared among groups. Blood levels of calcium and parathyroid hormone were assessed before the surgery, and 1 day, 1 months, 3 months and 6 months after the surgery. The follow-up period comprised 6 months. Surgical outcomes were the lowest in SPTX group and the highest in in TPTX+AT group. There were no significant differences among groups in treatment efficacy. Complication rates were also comparable among the three groups. The occurrence of hypocalcemia was the lowest in SPTX group (p < 0.05 vs. other groups). However, postoperative relapse rate was the highest in this group (p < 0.05 vs. other groups). There were no correlations between the levels of blood calcium and PTH preoperatively and postoperatively. Appropriate surgical treatment is selected in accordance with the patient's condition and willingness, with the attention paid to the prevention of hypocalcemia.

  1. [Comparative effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical treatment for pediatric mandibular condylar fractures].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Min; Wang, Yanyi; Zhang, Lihai; Yao, Jun

    2010-12-01

    To compare the effectiveness of open reduction and conservative treatment for pediatric mandibular condylar fractures and to provide the evidence for the selection of clinical therapy. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from 25 patients with the mandibular condylar fractures between January 1988 and December 2006. Of them, 8 patients (11 fractures) were treated with surgical treatment (surgical group) and 17 patients (22 fractures) with non-surgical treatment (non-surgical group). In surgical group, there were 6 males (9 fractures) and 2 females (2 fractures) with an age range of 8-13 years; fracture was caused by tumbling in 7 cases and by traffic accident in 1 with an interval of 1-6 days between injury and hospitalization; and 5 cases were identified as unilateral condylar fractures (3 complicated by mental fractures) and 3 cases as bilateral condylar fractures complicated by mental fractures. In non-surgical group, there were 12 males (15 fractures) and 5 females (7 fractures) with an age range of 3-12 years; fracture was caused by falling from height in 4 cases, by tumbling in 10, and by traffic accident in 3 with an interval of 1-25 days between injury and hospitalization; and 12 cases were identified as unilateral condylar fractures (3 complicated by mental fractures) and 5 cases as bilateral condylar fractures (1 complicated by mental fracture). Incision healed by first intention in surgical group, and 25 cases were followed up 1-6 years with an average of 3.5 years. At 12 months after treatment, no temporomandibular joint pain, eating disorder, or limited mandibular movement occurred in 2 groups. No significant difference was observed in opening mouth extent, protrusive and lateral movements between 2 groups at 6 and 12 months (P > 0.05). During centric occlusion, mental point located at the midline with symmetric face figure. Two patients in surgical group and 3 in non-surgical group had slight snap when opening their mouths. Mandible

  2. Natural history and surgical results in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okiyama, Koichi; Nagano, Osamu; Machida, Toshio; Serizawa, Toru; Ono, Junichi; Higuchi, Yoshinori

    2008-01-01

    The management of patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) is controversial. We aimed to assess the natural history of UIAs and evaluate the surgical results. We analyzed 154 patients (181 saccular UIAs) with no history of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from a different aneurysm. Aneurysms were detected by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or by 3-dimensional CT angiography. Although the most frequent reason for the diagnosis was routine brain examinations of healthy patients or a vague symptom such as headache or dizziness, 15 patients were symptomatic. The natural history in patients who did not have surgery (follow-up group: 76 cases, 95 aneurysms) was assessed, and the surgical outcome of UIAs (surgical group: 78 cases, 86 aneurysms) was evaluated. Among 76 patients in the follow-up group, 7 had SAH. The mean latency period to aneurysm rupture was 3.2 months. The aneurysms with subsequent bleeding ranged from 5 to 25 mm (19.3 mm on average), whereas those without ranged from 1 to 28 mm (4.5 mm on average). The rupture rates of UIAs in anterior and posterior circulation were 6.2% and 14.3%, respectively. All ruptured cases were females. Mortality and morbidity associated with UIAs in the follow-up group were 3.9% and 3.9%, respectively. In the surgical group, no mortality was noted. Permanent morbidity associated with prospective repair of UIAs was 5.1%, although the morbidity of the patients with preoperative Rankin scores of 0 or 1 was 1.3%. Transient morbidity was observed in 6 patients (7.7%) with the size of the aneurysm 19.8 mm on average. The natural history and surgical results in patients with UIAs are modified by several factors including aneurysm size and location, the patient's age and gender, the medical status and the patient's preoperative Rankin score. The present results indicated that these factors should be considered in deciding whether to treat UIAs, and that careful assessment of the surgical benefits might be essential

  3. Perioperative blood transfusion does not decrease survival after surgical treatment of spinal metastases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Caroline; Lönn, Lars; Morgen, Søren Schmidt

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE: To assess whether perioperative allogenic blood transfusions in patients undergoing surgical treatment for spinal metastases independently influence patient survival. METHODS: A retrospective study including 170 consecutive patients undergoing surgical treatment for spinal metastases in ...... 12-month survival. Future studies should assess if a liberal transfusion regime can be applied to this group of patients; thereby, prioritizing early postoperative mobilization....

  4. A Descriptive Analysis of the Use of Workplace-Based Assessments in UK Surgical Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalhoub, Joseph; Santos, Cristel; Bussey, Maria; Eardley, Ian; Allum, William

    2015-01-01

    Workplace-based assessments (WBAs) were introduced formally in the UK in 2007. The aim of the study was to describe the use of WBAs by UK surgical trainees and examine variations by training region, specialty, and level of training. The database of the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme was examined for WBAs between August 2007 and July 2013, with in-depth analysis of 2 periods: August 2011 to July 2012 and August 2012 to July 2013. The numbers of validated WBAs per trainee per year increased more than 7-fold, from median 6 per trainee in 2007 to 2008, to 39 in 2011 to 2012, and 44 in 2012 to 2013. In the period 2011 to 2012, 58.4% of core trainees completed the recommended 40 WBAs, with only 38.1% of specialty trainees achieving 40 validated WBAs. In the period 2012 to 2013, these proportions increased to 67.7% and 57.0% for core and specialty trainees, respectively. Core trainees completed more WBAs per year than specialty trainees in the same training region. London core trainees completed the highest numbers of WBAs in both the periods 2011 to 2012 (median 67) and 2012 to 2013 (median 74). There was a peak in WBAs completed by London specialty trainees in the period 2012 to 2013 (median 63). The most validated WBAs were completed by ST1/CT1 (specialty surgical training year, core surgical training year), with a gradual decrease in median WBAs to ST4, followed by a plateau; in the period 2012 to 2013, there was an increase in WBAs at ST8. Core surgical trainees complete ~50% "operative" (procedure-based assessment/direct observation of procedural skills) and ~50% "nonoperative" assessments (case-based discussion/clinical evaluation exercise). During specialty training, procedure-based assessments represented ~46% of WBAs, direct observation of procedural skills 11.2%, case-based discussion ~23%, and clinical evaluation exercise ~15%. UK surgical trainees are, on an average, undertaking 1 WBA per week. Variation exists in use of WBAs between training

  5. Can Image-Defined Risk Factors Predict Surgical Complications in Localized Neuroblastoma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoneda, Akihiro; Nishikawa, Masanori; Uehara, Shuichiro; Oue, Takaharu; Usui, Noriaki; Inoue, Masami; Fukuzawa, Masahiro; Okuyama, Hiroomi

    2016-02-01

    Image-defined risk factors (IDRFs) have been propounded for predicting the surgical risks associated with localized neuroblastoma (NB) since 2009. In 2011, a new guideline (NG) for assessing IDRFs was published. According to the NG, the situation in which "the tumor is only in contact with renal vessels," should be considered to be "IDRF-present." Previously, this situation was diagnosed as "IDRF absent." In this study, we evaluated the IDRFs in localized NB patients to clarify the predictive capability of IDRFs for surgical complications, as well as the usefulness of the NG. Materials and A total of 107 localized patients with NB were included in this study. The enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance images from the time of their diagnoses were evaluated by a single radiologist. We also analyzed the association of clinical factors, including the IDRFs (before and after applying the NG), with surgical complications. Of the 107 patients, 33 and 74 patients were diagnosed as IDRF-present (OP group), and IDRF-absent (ON group) before the NG, respectively. According to the NG, there were 76 and 31 patients who were classified as IDRF-present (NP group) and IDRF absent (NN group), respectively. Thus, 43 (40%) patients in the ON group were reassigned to the NP group after the NG. Surgical complications were observed in 17 of 82 patients who underwent surgical resection. Of the patients who underwent secondary operations, surgical complication rates were 55% in the OP group and 44% in the NP group. According to a univariate analysis, non-INSS 1, IDRFs before and after the NG and secondary operations were significantly associated with surgical complications. In a multivariate analysis, non-INSS 1 status and IDRFs after the NG were significantly associated with surgical complications. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  6. Economic evaluations of comprehensive geriatric assessment in surgical patients: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eamer, Gilgamesh; Saravana-Bawan, Bianka; van der Westhuizen, Brenden; Chambers, Thane; Ohinmaa, Arto; Khadaroo, Rachel G

    2017-10-01

    Seniors presenting with surgical disease face increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality and have increased treatment costs. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is proposed to reduce morbidity, mortality, and the cost after surgery. A systematic review of CGA in emergency surgical patients was conducted. The primary outcome was cost-effectiveness; secondary outcomes were length of stay, return of function, and mortality. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were predefined. Systematic searches of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database were performed. Text screening, bias assessment, and data extraction were performed by two authors. There were 560 articles identified; abstract review excluded 499 articles and full-text review excluded 53 articles. Eight studies were included; one nonorthopedic trauma and seven orthopedic trauma studies. Bias assessment revealed moderate to high risk of bias for all studies. Economic evaluation assessment identified two high-quality studies and six moderate or low quality studies. Pooled analysis from four studies assessed loss of function; loss of function decreased in the experimental arm (odds ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-0.97). Pooled results for length of stay from five studies found a significant decrease (mean difference: -1.17, 95% CI: -1.63 to -0.71) after excluding the nonorthopedic trauma study. Pooled mortality was significantly decreased in seven studies (risk ratio: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67-0.90). All studies decreased cost and improved health outcomes in a cost-effective manner. CGA improved return of function and mortality with reduced cost or improved utility. Our review suggests that CGA is economically dominant and the most cost-effective care model for orthogeriatric patients. Further research should examine other surgical fields. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Radioactive tracers in the assessment of cleaning of surgical appliances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mostafa, A.B.M.G.; Chackett, K.F.

    1975-01-01

    Radioactive tracers which may be used in the assessment of cleaning of surgical appliances are described. Five labelled compounds were used as soiling material and tested in the rather severe conditions that exist during cleaning cycles. Measurements of decontamination in two cases were considered reliable but in the other three some degree of decomposition of the soil occurred, which falsified the results. (author)

  8. Effect of surgical staging on 539 patients with borderline ovarian tumors: a Turkish Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guvenal, Tevfik; Dursun, Polat; Hasdemir, Pinar S; Hanhan, Merih; Guven, Suleyman; Yetimalar, Hakan; Goksedef, Behice P; Sakarya, Derya K; Doruk, Arzu; Terek, Mustafa C; Saatli, Bahadir; Guzin, Kadir; Corakci, Aydin; Deger, Emek; Celik, Husnu; Cetin, Ahmet; Ozsaran, Aydin; Ozbakkaloglu, Ayşe; Kolusari, Ali; Celik, Cetin; Keles, Refik; Sagir, Fulya G; Dilek, Saffet; Uslu, Turhan; Dikmen, Yilmaz; Altundag, Ozden; Ayhan, Ali

    2013-12-01

    The objectives of this study were to examine demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics and to determine the effects of primary surgery, surgical staging and the extensiveness of staging. In a retrospective Turkish multicenter study, 539 patients, from 14 institutions, with borderline ovarian tumors were investigated. Some of the demographic, clinical and surgical characteristics of the cases were evaluated. The effects of type of surgery, surgical staging; complete or incomplete staging on survival rates were calculated by using Kaplan-Meier method. The median age at diagnosis was 40 years (range 15-84) and 71.1% of patients were premenopausal. The most common histologic types were serous and mucinous. Majority of the staged cases were in Stage IA (73.5%). 242 patients underwent conservative surgery. Recurrence rates were significantly higher in conservative surgery group (8.3% vs. 3%). Of all patients in this study, 294 (54.5%) have undergone surgical staging procedures. Of the patients who underwent surgical staging, 228 (77.6%) had comprehensive staging including lymphadenectomy. Appendectomy was performed on 204 (37.8%) of the patients. The median follow-up time was 36 months (range 1-120 months). Five-year survival rate was 100% and median survival time was 120 months. Surgical staging, lymph node sampling or dissection and appendectomy didn't cause any difference on survival. Comprehensive surgical staging, lymph node sampling or dissection and appendectomy are not beneficial in borderline ovarian tumors surgical management. © 2013.

  9. [Evaluating an effectiveness of surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease combined with hiatal hernia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozharovskiy, V V; Tsyganov, A A; Mozharovskiy, K V; Tarasov, A A

    To assess an effectiveness of surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) combined with hiatal hernia (HH). The trial included 96 patients with GERD and HH who were divided into 2 groups. The principal difference between groups was the use of surgery in the main group and therapeutic treatment in the comparison group. The effectiveness of surgical treatment is superior to therapeutic treatment of GERD by more than 2.5 times. HH combined with GERD is an indication for surgical treatment. Fundoplication cuff should not lead to angular and rotational esophageal deformation. Nissen procedure in Donahue modification (Short Floppy Nissen) simulates optimally the geometry of esophago-gastric junction and His angle.

  10. POSSUM--a model for surgical outcome audit in quality care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, K J; Yii, M K

    2003-10-01

    Comparative surgical audit to monitor quality of care should be performed with a risk-adjusted scoring system rather than using crude morbidity and mortality rates. A validated and widely applied risk adjusted scoring system, P-POSSUM (Portsmouth-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality) methodology, was applied to a prospective series of predominantly general surgical patients at the Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching over a six months period. The patients were grouped into four risk groups. The observed mortality rates were not significantly different from predicted rates, showing that the quality of surgical care was at par with typical western series. The simplicity and advantages of this scoring system over other auditing tools are discussed. The P-POSSUM methodology could form the basis of local comparative surgical audit for assessment and maintenance of quality care.

  11. Mechanism, Assessment and Management of Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis: Recommendations of a Multidisciplinary Study Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Michelle A; Akshintala, Venkata; Albers, Kathryn M; Amann, Stephen T.; Belfer, Inna; Brand, Randall; Chari, Suresh; Cote, Greg; Davis, Brian M.; Frulloni, Luca; Gelrud, Andres; Guda, Nalini; Humar, Abhinav; Liddle, Rodger A.; Slivka, Adam; Gupta, Rachelle Stopczynski; Szigethy, Eva; Talluri, Jyothsna; Wassef, Wahid; Wilcox, C Mel; Windsor, John; Yadav, Dhiraj; Whitcomb, David C.

    2015-01-01

    Description Pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) remains the primary clinical complaint and source of poor quality of life. However, clear guidance on evaluation and treatment is lacking. Methods Pancreatic Pain working groups reviewed information on pain mechanisms, clinical pain assessment and pain treatment in CP. Levels of evidence were assigned using the Oxford system, and consensus was based on GRADE. A consensus meeting was held during PancreasFest 2012 with substantial post-meeting discussion, debate, and manuscript refinement. Results Twelve discussion questions and proposed guidance statements were presented. Conference participates concluded: Disease Mechanism: Pain etiology is multifactorial, but data are lacking to effectively link symptoms with pathologic feature and molecular subtypes. Assessment of Pain: Pain should be assessed at each clinical visit, but evidence to support an optimal approach to assessing pain character, frequency and severity is lacking. Management: There was general agreement on the roles for endoscopic and surgical therapies, but less agreement on optimal patient selection for medical, psychological, endoscopic, surgical and other therapies. Conclusions Progress is occurring in pain biology and treatment options, but pain in patients with CP remains a major problem that is inadequately understood, measured and managed. The growing body of information needs to be translated into more effective clinical care. PMID:26620965

  12. Endoscopic or surgical intervention for painful obstructive chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed Ali, Usama; Pahlplatz, Johanna M; Nealon, Wiliam H; van Goor, Harry; Gooszen, Hein G; Boermeester, Marja A

    2015-03-19

    Endoscopy and surgery are the treatment modalities of choice for patients with chronic pancreatitis and dilated pancreatic duct (obstructive chronic pancreatitis). Physicians face, without clear consensus, the choice between endoscopy or surgery for this group of patients. To assess and compare the effects and complications of surgical and endoscopic interventions in the management of pain for obstructive chronic pancreatitis. We searched the following databases in The Cochrane Library: CENTRAL (2014, Issue 2), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2014, Issue 2), and DARE (2014, Issue 2). We also searched the following databases up to 25 March 2014: MEDLINE (from 1950), Embase (from 1980), and the Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science (CPCI-S) (from 1990). We performed a cross-reference search. Two review authors independently performed the selection of trials. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of endoscopic or surgical interventions in obstructive chronic pancreatitis. We included trials comparing endoscopic versus surgical interventions as well as trials comparing either endoscopic or surgical interventions to conservative treatment (i.e. non-invasive treatment modalities). We included relevant trials irrespective of blinding, the number of participants randomised, and the language of the article. We used standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. Two authors independently extracted data from the articles. We evaluated the methodological quality of the included trials and requested additional information from study authors in the case of missing data. We identified three eligible trials. Two trials compared endoscopic intervention with surgical intervention and included a total of 111 participants: 55 in the endoscopic group and 56 in the surgical group. Compared with the endoscopic group, the surgical group had a higher proportion of participants with pain relief, both at middle/long-term follow-up (two to

  13. Preoperative CT assessment of esophageal carcinoma : comparison between the patients with and without recurrence of esophageal carcinoma after surgical resection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Young Hen; Oh, Yu Whan; Cho, Kyu Ran; Park, Bum Jin; Lee, Nam Jun; Chung, Kyoo Byung

    2001-01-01

    To determine whether preoperative CT is helpful in predicting the development of recurrent tumor following surgical resection in patients with esophageal cancer. Thirty patients with esophageal cancer in whom preoperative CT of the chest had been performed were included in the study. All had undergone esophagectomy, esophagogastrostomy and lymph node dissection at our institution between 1995 and 1997. They were divided into two groups according to the development of tumor recurrence during the follow-up period of three years. Sixteen patients (group I) suffered tumor recurrence, while the other 14 (group II) remained tumor-free after surgery. In each group, a review of the preoperative CT scans indicated the length, thickness, location and margin of the tumor, and the presence or absence of lymphadenopathy in the mediastinum and/or upper abdomen. Differences in preoperative CT findings between the two groups were assessed by statistical testing. Lymphadenopathy of the mediastinum and/or upper abdomen was seen in 11 (69%) of 16 patients in group I and three (21%) of 14 in group II (p .05). In group I, five esophageal tumors were located in the middle esophagus and eleven in the lower esophagus. In group II, such tumor was located one in the upper esophagus, six in the middle esophagus, and seven in the lower esophagus (p>.05). Patients with preoperative CT findings of lymphadenopathy and/or and indistinct primary tumor margin are more likely to develop tumor recurrence following surgical resection than those without these findings

  14. Differential diagnostic value of procalcitonin in surgical and medical patients with septic shock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clec'h, Christophe; Fosse, Jean-Philippe; Karoubi, Philippe; Vincent, Francois; Chouahi, Imad; Hamza, Lilia; Cupa, Michel; Cohen, Yves

    2006-01-01

    To assess whether different diagnostic and prognostic cutoff values of procalcitonin should be considered in surgical and in medical patients with septic shock. Prospective observational study. Intensive care unit of the Avicenne teaching hospital, France. All patients with septic shock or noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome within 48 hrs after admission. None. Patients were allocated to one of the following groups: group 1 (surgical patients with septic shock), group 2 (surgical patients with noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome), group 3 (medical patients with septic shock), and group 4 (medical patients with noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome). Procalcitonin at study entry was compared between group 1 and group 2 and between group 3 and group 4 to determine the diagnostic cutoff value in surgical and in medical patients, respectively. Procalcitonin was compared between survivors and nonsurvivors from group 1 and group 3 to determine its prognostic cutoff value. One hundred forty-three patients were included: 31 in group 1, 36 in group 2, 36 in group 3, and 40 in group 4. Median procalcitonin levels (ng/mL [interquartile range]) were higher in group 1 than in group 3 (34.00 [7.10-76.00] vs. 8.40 [3.63-24.70], p = .01). In surgical patients, the best diagnostic cutoff value was 9.70 ng/mL, with 91.7% sensitivity and 74.2% specificity. In medical patients, the best diagnostic cutoff value was 1.00 ng/mL, with 80% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Procalcitonin was a reliable early prognostic marker in medical but not in surgical patients with septic shock. A cutoff value of 6.00 ng/mL had 76% sensitivity and 72.7% specificity for separating survivors from nonsurvivors. The diagnostic cutoff value of procalcitonin was higher in surgical than in medical patients. Early procalcitonin was of prognostic interest in medical patients.

  15. Availability of cardiac surgical care in surgical correction of acquired heart defects in patients of older age group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kubatbek S. Urmanbetov

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: A study of accessibility of surgical care to elderly patients (aged 60 and above with valvular heart disease has been conducted at the BSCCS "Bakulev Scientific Center of Cardiovascular Surgery» of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Methods: A retrospective analysis of structure of hospitalizations of 1726 patients, that were hospitalized between 2009 and 2010 at the BSCCS for surgical correction of valvular heart disease was performed. Results: Our study demonstrated that age, on one hand, is not the most significant barrier in the geographical accessibility of cardiac surgical care. On the other hand, it can influence the availability in general, taking into account other factors (urban / rural areas, the presence of cardiac surgical clinics, and clinical status. Provision of cardiac surgical care for patients with heart defects at the BSCCS per 1 million population varies considerably in the context of federal districts and is 0.4 for the Siberian Federal District 30 for the Central Federal District (the highest is 42 for the Moscow Region. Conclusion: Thus, our study demonstrated accessibility of surgical care for elderly patients is the highest for the urban areas with specialized cardiac surgery centers, where patients referred from rural regions

  16. Development of a waste management protocol based on assessment of knowledge and practice of healthcare personnel in surgical departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostafa, Gehan M A; Shazly, Mona M; Sherief, Wafaa I

    2009-01-01

    Good healthcare waste management in a hospital depends on a dedicated waste management team, good administration, careful planning, sound organization, underpinning legislation, adequate financing, and full participation by trained staff. Hence, waste management protocols must be convenient and sensible. To assess the knowledge and practice related to waste management among doctors, nurses, and housekeepers in the surgical departments at Al-Mansoura University Hospital, and to design and validate a waste management protocol for the health team in these settings. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the eight surgical departments at Al-Mansoura University Hospital. All health care personnel and their assistants were included: 38 doctors, 106 nurses, and 56 housekeepers. Two groups of jury were included for experts' opinions validation of the developed protocol, one from academia (30 members) and the other from service providers (30 members). Data were collected using a self-administered knowledge questionnaire for nurses and doctors, and an interview questionnaire for housekeepers. Observation checklists were used for assessment of performance. The researchers developed the first draft of the waste management protocol according to the results of the analysis of the data collected in the assessment phase. Then, the protocol was presented to the jury group for validation, and then was implemented. Only 27.4% of the nurses, 32.1% of the housekeepers, and 36.8% of the doctors had satisfactory knowledge. Concerning practice, 18.9% of the nurses, 7.1% of the housekeepers, and none of the doctors had adequate practice. Nurses' knowledge score had a statistically significant weak positive correlation with the attendance of training courses (r=0.23, pwaste management. The knowledge among nurses is positively affected by attendance of training programs. Based on the findings, a protocol for healthcare waste management was developed and validated. It is recommended to

  17. Prevalence of remaining horizontal instability in high-grade acromioclavicular joint injuries surgically managed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cisneros, Luis Natera; Reiriz, Juan Sarasquete

    2017-04-01

    To determine the prevalence of remaining horizontal instability in high-grade acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injuries surgically managed by means of four different surgical strategies and to assess its relation to the clinical outcomes and the quality of life. In this multicentric non-randomized retrospective study, 53 patients with high-grade ACJ injuries surgically managed (by means of open or arthroscopic surgery) were clinically and radiographically assessed at 24 months or more after shoulder surgery. The presence of post-surgical remaining horizontal instability was evaluated by means of Alexander or axillary X-ray views. The study population was divided into two groups: patients with evidence of post-surgical remaining horizontal instability and patients without evidence of post-surgical remaining horizontal instability at the last follow-up visit. The relationship between remaining horizontal instability and the quality-of-life questionnaires was analyzed. 18.87% (10/53) of the Alexander or axillary X-rays views showed post-surgical remaining horizontal instability at the last follow-up visit (INSTAB-group). Results of the questionnaires were: (1) physical SF36 score (INSTAB-group 57.02 ± 3.17  and NO-INSTAB-group 57.66 ± 3.30, p = 0.583); (2) mental SF36 score (INSTAB-group 53.95 ± 3.98  and NO-INSTAB-group 55.71 ± 3.30, p = 0.150); (3) NRS for pain (INSTAB-group 1.30 ± 1.49 and NO-INSTAB-group 0.83  ± 1.08, p = 0.260); (4) DASH questionnaire (INSTAB-group 5.27 ± 5.42 and NO-INSTAB-group 3.06 ± 2.30, p = 0.049); (5) Constant score (INSTAB-group 93.4 ± 3.5 and NO-INSTAB-group 94.83  ± 4.3, p = 0.333); and Global satisfaction (INSTAB-group 8.7  ± 0.95 and NO-INSTAB-group 8.64 ± 1.03, p = 0.874). Independently of the type of procedure, post-surgical remaining horizontal instability was present in almost one-fifth of the patients, and this group of patients showed a significantly worse DASH score. The

  18. Development and validation of surgical training tool: cystectomy assessment and surgical evaluation (CASE) for robot-assisted radical cystectomy for men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussein, Ahmed A; Sexton, Kevin J; May, Paul R; Meng, Maxwell V; Hosseini, Abolfazl; Eun, Daniel D; Daneshmand, Siamak; Bochner, Bernard H; Peabody, James O; Abaza, Ronney; Skinner, Eila C; Hautmann, Richard E; Guru, Khurshid A

    2018-04-13

    We aimed to develop a structured scoring tool: cystectomy assessment and surgical evaluation (CASE) that objectively measures and quantifies performance during robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) for men. A multinational 10-surgeon expert panel collaborated towards development and validation of CASE. The critical steps of RARC in men were deconstructed into nine key domains, each assessed by five anchors. Content validation was done utilizing the Delphi methodology. Each anchor was assessed in terms of context, score concordance, and clarity. The content validity index (CVI) was calculated for each aspect. A CVI ≥ 0.75 represented consensus, and this statement was removed from the next round. This process was repeated until consensus was achieved for all statements. CASE was used to assess de-identified videos of RARC to determine reliability and construct validity. Linearly weighted percent agreement was used to assess inter-rater reliability (IRR). A logit model for odds ratio (OR) was used to assess construct validation. The expert panel reached consensus on CASE after four rounds. The final eight domains of the CASE included: pelvic lymph node dissection, development of the peri-ureteral space, lateral pelvic space, anterior rectal space, control of the vascular pedicle, anterior vesical space, control of the dorsal venous complex, and apical dissection. IRR > 0.6 was achieved for all eight domains. Experts outperformed trainees across all domains. We developed and validated a reliable structured, procedure-specific tool for objective evaluation of surgical performance during RARC. CASE may help differentiate novice from expert performances.

  19. Open surgical simulation--a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Jennifer; Khatib, Manaf; Bello, Fernando

    2013-01-01

    Surgical simulation has benefited from a surge in interest over the last decade as a result of the increasing need for a change in the traditional apprentice model of teaching surgery. However, despite the recent interest in surgical simulation as an adjunct to surgical training, most of the literature focuses on laparoscopic, endovascular, and endoscopic surgical simulation with very few studies scrutinizing open surgical simulation and its benefit to surgical trainees. The aim of this review is to summarize the current standard of available open surgical simulators and to review the literature on the benefits of open surgical simulation. Open surgical simulators currently used include live animals, cadavers, bench models, virtual reality, and software-based computer simulators. In the current literature, there are 18 different studies (including 6 randomized controlled trials and 12 cohort studies) investigating the efficacy of open surgical simulation using live animal, bench, and cadaveric models in many surgical specialties including general, cardiac, trauma, vascular, urologic, and gynecologic surgery. The current open surgical simulation studies show, in general, a significant benefit of open surgical simulation in developing the surgical skills of surgical trainees. However, these studies have their limitations including a low number of participants, variable assessment standards, and a focus on short-term results often with no follow-up assessment. The skills needed for open surgical procedures are the essential basis that a surgical trainee needs to grasp before attempting more technical procedures such as laparoscopic procedures. In this current climate of medical practice with reduced hours of surgical exposure for trainees and where the patient's safety and outcome is key, open surgical simulation is a promising adjunct to modern surgical training, filling the void between surgeons being trained in a technique and a surgeon achieving fluency in that

  20. Surgical model pig ex vivo for venous dissection teaching in medical schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tube, Milton Ignacio Carvalho; Spencer-Netto, Fernando Antonio Campelo; Oliveira, Anderson Igor Pereira de; Holanda, Arthur Cesário de; Barros, Bruno Leão Dos Santos; Rezende, Caio Cezar Gomes; Cavalcanti, João Pedro Guerra; Batista, Marília Apolinário; Campos, Josemberg Marins

    2017-02-01

    To investigate a method for development of surgical skills in medical students simulating venous dissection in surgical ex vivo pig model. Prospective, analytical, experimental, controlled study with four stages: selection, theoretical teaching, training and assessment. Sample of 312 students was divided into two groups: Group A - 2nd semester students; Group B - students of 8th semester. The groups were divided into five groups of 12 students, trained two hours per week in the semester. They set up four models to three students in each skill station assisted by a monitor. Teaching protocol emergency procedures training were applied to venous dissection, test goal-discursive and OSATS scale. The pre-test confirmed that the methodology has not been previously applied to the students. The averages obtained in the theoretical evaluation reached satisfactory parameters in both groups. The results of applying OSATS scale showed the best performance in group A compared to group B, however, both groups had satisfactory medium. The method was enough to raise a satisfactory level of skill both groups in venous dissection running on surgical swine ex vivo models.

  1. Recruitment to publicly funded trials--are surgical trials really different?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Jonathan A; Ramsay, Craig R; Norrie, John

    2008-09-01

    Good recruitment is integral to the conduct of a high-quality randomised controlled trial. It has been suggested that recruitment is particularly difficult for evaluations of surgical interventions, a field in which there is a dearth of evidence from randomised comparisons. While there is anecdotal speculation to support the inference that recruitment to surgical trials is more challenging than for medical trials we are unaware of any formal assessment of this. In this paper, we compare recruitment to surgical and medical trials using a cohort of publicly funded trials. Overall recruitment to trials was assessed using of a cohort of publicly funded trials (n=114). Comparisons were made by using the Recruitment Index, a simple measure of recruitment activity for multicentre randomised controlled trials. Recruitment at the centre level was also investigated through three example surgical trials. The Recruitment Index was found to be higher, though not statistically significantly, in the surgical group (n=18, median=38.0 IQR (10.7, 77.4)) versus (n=81, median=34.8 IQR (11.7, 98.0)) days per recruit for the medical group (median difference 1.7 (-19.2, 25.1); p=0.828). For the trials where the comparison was between a surgical and a medical intervention, the Recruitment Index was substantially higher (n=6, 68.3 (23.5, 294.8)) versus (n=93, 34.6 (11.7, 90.0); median difference 25.9 (-35.5, 221.8); p=0.291) for the other trials. There was no clear evidence that surgical trials differ from medical trials in terms of recruitment activity. There was, however, support for the inference that medical versus surgical trials are more difficult to recruit to. Formal exploration of the recruitment data through a modelling approach may go some way to tease out where important differences exist.

  2. Virtual reality simulators: current status in acquisition and assessment of surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosman, Peter H; Cregan, Patrick C; Martin, Christopher J; Cartmill, John A

    2002-01-01

    Medical technology is currently evolving so rapidly that its impact cannot be analysed. Robotics and telesurgery loom on the horizon, and the technology used to drive these advances has serendipitous side-effects for the education and training arena. The graphical and haptic interfaces used to provide remote feedback to the operator--by passing control to a computer--may be used to generate simulations of the operative environment that are useful for training candidates in surgical procedures. One additional advantage is that the metrics calculated inherently in the controlling software in order to run the simulation may be used to provide performance feedback to individual trainees and mentors. New interfaces will be required to undergo evaluation of the simulation fidelity before being deemed acceptable. The potential benefits fall into one of two general categories: those benefits related to skill acquisition, and those related to skill assessment. The educational value of the simulation will require assessment, and comparison to currently available methods of training in any given procedure. It is also necessary to determine--by repeated trials--whether a given simulation actually measures the performance parameters it purports to measure. This trains the spotlight on what constitutes good surgical skill, and how it is to be objectively measured. Early results suggest that virtual reality simulators have an important role to play in this aspect of surgical training.

  3. Mersey deanery ophthalmology trainees' views of the objective assessment of surgical and technical skills (OSATS) workplace-based assessment tool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsagkataki, Myrto; Choudhary, Anshoo

    2013-02-01

    Objective assessment of surgical and technical skills (OSATS) workplace-based assessment tool is now mandatory during ophthalmology speciality training in the United Kingdom. The opinions of those undergoing this assessment have not been formally sought. This study evaluated the views of ophthalmology trainees on OSATS assessment as applied to cataract surgery. A questionnaire was circulated to 34 ophthalmology speciality trainees of the Mersey deanery. A total of 28 responses were received. The most positive aspects of the process identified were feedback, learning and opportunity for reflective practice. The most negative aspects were time constraints, assessor's availability and case selection. Of the trainees, 93 % mentioned that no previous agreed action was taken into consideration when filling in subsequent forms and their performance was not discussed in their annual summative assessment. This study highlights important aspects of trainees' perceptions of OSATS. Trainees appreciate the formative aspects of OSATS assessment. Some problems came to light, which can be resolved by specification of standards, training of assessors, and commitment from both trainers and trainees. Changes are needed to allow demonstration of surgical progression with time. The issues identified here will be relevant to other specialities as well. A larger survey would be beneficial.

  4. The consequences of using advanced physical assessment skills in medical and surgical nursing: A hermeneutic pragmatic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zambas, Shelaine I; Smythe, Elizabeth A; Koziol-Mclain, Jane

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the consequences of the nurse's use of advanced assessment skills on medical and surgical wards. Appropriate, accurate, and timely assessment by nurses is the cornerstone of maintaining patient safety in hospitals. The inclusion of "advanced" physical assessment skills such as auscultation, palpation, and percussion is thought to better prepare nurses for complex patient presentations within a wide range of clinical situations. This qualitative study used a hermeneutic pragmatic approach. Unstructured interviews were conducted with five experienced medical and surgical nurses to obtain 13 detailed narratives of assessment practice. Narratives were analyzed using Van Manen's six-step approach to identify the consequences of the nurse's use of advanced assessment skills. The consequences of using advanced assessment skills include looking for more, challenging interpretations, and perseverance. The use of advanced assessment skills directs what the nurse looks for, what she sees, interpretation of the findings, and her response. It is the interpretation of what is seen, heard, or felt within the full context of the patient situation, which is the advanced skill. Advanced assessment skill is the means to an accurate interpretation of the clinical situation and contributes to appropriate diagnosis and medical management in complex patient situations. The nurse's use of advanced assessment skills enables her to contribute to diagnostic reasoning within the acute medical and surgical setting.

  5. Assessment of Surgical and Trauma Capacity in Potosí, Bolivia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blair, Kevin J; Boeck, Marissa A; Gallardo Barrientos, José Luis; Hidalgo López, José Luis; Helenowski, Irene B; Nwomeh, Benedict C; Shapiro, Michael B; Swaroop, Mamta

    Scaling up surgical and trauma care in low- and middle-income countries could prevent nearly 2 million annual deaths. Various survey instruments exist to measure surgical and trauma capacity, including Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PIPES) and International Assessment of Capacity for Trauma (INTACT). We sought to evaluate surgical and trauma capacity in the Bolivian department of Potosí using a combined PIPES and INTACT tool, with additional questions to further inform intervention targets. In June and July 2014 a combined PIPES and INTACT survey was administered to 20 government facilities in Potosí with a minimum of 1 operating room: 2 third-level, 10 second-level, and 8 first-level facilities. A surgeon, head physician, director, or obstetrician-gynecologist completed the survey. Additional personnel responded to 4 short-answer questions. Survey items were divided into subsections, and PIPES and INTACT indices calculated. Medians were compared via Wilcoxon rank sum and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Six of 20 facilities were located in the capital city and designated urban. Urban establishments had higher median PIPES (8.5 vs 6.7, P = .11) and INTACT (8.5 vs 6.9, P = .16) indices compared with rural. More than half of surgeons and anesthesiologists worked in urban hospitals. Urban facilities had higher median infrastructure and procedure scores compared with rural. Fifty-three individuals completed short-answer questions. Training was most desired in laparoscopic surgery and trauma management; less than half of establishments reported staff with trauma training. Surgical and trauma capacity in Potosí was most limited in personnel, infrastructure, and procedures at rural facilities, with greater personnel deficiencies than previously reported. Interventions should focus on increasing the number of surgical and anesthesia personnel in rural areas, with a particular focus on the reported desire for trauma management training. Results

  6. TextWithSurgeryPatients - A Research Hypothesis in Enhancing Education and Physical Assessment for Abdominal Surgical Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Margaret

    2016-01-01

    Medical surgical nurses may not have the time or resources to provide effective pre- and post-operative instructions for patients in today's healthcare system. And, making timely physical assessments following discharge from the hospital is not always straightforward. Therefore, the risk for readmission associated with post-surgical complications is a concern. At present, mobile healthcare technologies and patient care are precipitously evolving and may serve as a resource to enhance communication between the healthcare provider and patient. A mobile telephone text message (short message service [SMS]) intervention for abdominal surgical patients may foster effective education (communication) and timely self-reported physical assessment in the home environment hence preventing deleterious outcomes. The aim of this research proposal is to identify the feasibility of using a SMS intervention via smart phones to improve health outcomes via timely communication, reach large numbers of at-risk surgical patients and, establish and sustain uniform protocols in a cost-efficient manner.

  7. Postsurgical consequences in lower third molar surgical extraction using micromotor and piezosurgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistry, Freddy Kersi; Hegde, Nidarsh Diwakar; Hegde, Mithra Nidarsh

    2016-01-01

    One of the most critical and crucial steps in surgical extraction is cutting the bone or osteotomy, for which many techniques are used, e.g., chisels and mallet, rotary instruments, and ultrasound bone-cutting instruments. If they are not used judiciously, they can be hazardous. To assess the efficiency of piezosurgery unit over micromotor while performing surgical extraction of lower third molars by assessing the time taken for the surgery and measuring postoperative parameters such as pain, trismus, and swelling. Thirty patients having bilateral impacted third molars with the same difficulty index were selected for the study. One side surgical removal was done using micromotor and other side by piezosurgery with an interval of 15 days. After each surgery, time taken to finish was measured and patients were followed up on postoperative days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 15 for assessing pain, trismus, and swelling. Data obtained were statistically analyzed. The mean time taken for the micromotor group is 37.90 min whereas by the piezosurgery group is 54.63 min, showing a statistically significant difference ( P < 0.001). Furthermore, there is statistically significant difference ( P < 0.001) in the level of pain, trismus, and swelling on postoperative days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Even the intragroup comparison of piezosurgical group for trismus and swelling showed no statistically significant difference on postoperative day 7, indicating faster recovery of trismus and swelling. On postoperative day 15, there was no difference in any parameter in both groups indicating complete symptom-free recovery in both groups. It takes more time to perform surgical extraction of third molars when piezosurgical unit is used. Despite that, it causes less pain postoperatively with faster improvement in trismus and quicker reduction in swelling.

  8. Multimedia-based training on Internet platforms improves surgical performance: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pape-Koehler, Carolina; Immenroth, Marc; Sauerland, Stefan; Lefering, Rolf; Lindlohr, Cornelia; Toaspern, Jens; Heiss, Markus

    2013-05-01

    Surgical procedures are complex motion sequences that require a high level of preparation, training, and concentration. In recent years, Internet platforms providing surgical content have been established. Used as a surgical training method, the effect of multimedia-based training on practical surgical skills has not yet been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of multimedia-based training on surgical performance. A 2 × 2 factorial, randomized controlled trial with a pre- and posttest design was used to test the effect of multimedia-based training in addition to or without practical training on 70 participants in four groups defined by the intervention used: multimedia-based training, practical training, and combination training (multimedia-based training + practical training) or no training (control group). The pre- and posttest consisted of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a Pelvi-Trainer and was video recorded, encoded, and saved on DVDs. These were evaluated by blinded raters using a modified objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS). The main evaluation criterion was the difference in OSATS score between the pre- and posttest (ΔOSATS) results in terms of a task-specific checklist (procedural steps scored as correct or incorrect). The groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic parameters, surgical experience, and pretest OSATS scores. The ΔOSATS results were highest in the multimedia-based training group (4.7 ± 3.3; p Multimedia-based training improved surgical performance significantly and thus could be considered a reasonable tool for inclusion in surgical curricula.

  9. Impact of video game genre on surgical skills development: a feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araujo, Thiago Bozzi; Silveira, Filipe Rodrigues; Souza, Dante Lucas Santos; Strey, Yuri Thomé Machado; Flores, Cecilia Dias; Webster, Ronaldo Scholze

    2016-03-01

    The playing of video games (VGs) was previously shown to improve surgical skills. This is the first randomized, controlled study to assess the impact of VG genre on the development of basic surgical skills. Twenty first-year, surgically inexperienced medical students attended a practical course on surgical knots, suturing, and skin-flap technique. Later, they were randomized into four groups: control and/or nongaming (ContG), first-person-shooter game (ShotG), racing game (RaceG), and surgery game (SurgG). All participants had 3 wk of Nintendo Wii training. Surgical and VG performances were assessed by two independent, blinded surgeons who evaluated basal performance (time 0) and performance after 1 wk (time 1) and 3 wk (time 2) of training. The training time of RaceG was longer than that of ShotG and SurgG (P = 0.045). Compared to SurgG and RaceG, VG scores for ShotG improved less between times 0 and 1 (P = 0.010) but more between times 1 and 2 (P = 0.004). Improvement in mean surgical performance scores versus time differed in each VG group (P = 0.011). At time 2, surgical performance scores were significantly higher in ShotG (P = 0.002) and SurgG (P = 0.022) than in ContG. The surgical performance scores of RaceG were not significantly different from the score achieved by ContG (P = 0.279). Different VG genres may differentially impact the development of surgical skills by medical students. More complex games seem to improve performance even if played less. Although further studies are needed, surgery-related VGs with sufficient complexity and playability could be a feasible adjuvant to improving surgical skills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. A comprehensive multi-institutional study of empiric therapy with flomoxef in surgical infections of the digestive organs. The Kyushu Research Group for Surgical Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, M; Takenaka, K; Sugimachi, K

    1994-08-01

    The effect of flomoxef as empiric therapy for surgical infections of the digestive organs was analyzed in 103 patients, most of whom (94.2%) had intra-abdominal infections. Surgical procedures were performed on 73 patients contemporaneously with the flomoxef therapy. Flomoxef is an oxacephem and has a potent and broad bactericidal spectrum against aerobes and anaerobes. It provokes fewer adverse reactions than latamoxef such as vitamin K deficiency and platelet dysfunction. Flomoxef was administered intravenously at a dose 1-4g/day for more than 3 days without any other antimicrobial agent. The clinical response was classified into 3 groups; cured, improved and failed, and both the cured and improved responses were defined as satisfactory. A satisfactory response was obtained in 99 patients (96.1%). Regarding bacteriological response, the overall eradication rate was 81.3%. Adverse reactions including abnormal laboratory data occurred in only two patients. One had abdominal pain, and the other had a mild elevation of transaminases, and both were mild and easily reversible. Therefore, flomoxef is considered to have the potential of becoming one of the most effective agents in empiric therapy for surgical infections of the digestive organs.

  11. Evaluation of the Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid on the Surgical Field in Primary Cleft Palate Surgery on Children-A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durga, Padmaja; Raavula, Parvathi; Gurajala, Indira; Gunnam, Poojita; Veerabathula, Prardhana; Reddy, Mukund; Upputuri, Omkar; Ramachandran, Gopinath

    2015-09-01

    To assess the effect of tranexamic acid on the quality of the surgical field. Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Institutional, tertiary referral hospital. American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I patients, aged 8 to 60 months with Group II or III (Balakrishnan's classification) clefts scheduled for cleft palate repair. Children were randomized into two groups. The control group received saline, and the tranexamic acid group received tranexamic acid 10 mg/kg as a bolus, 15 minutes before incision. Grade of surgical field on a 10-point scale, surgeon satisfaction, and primary hemorrhage. Significant improvements were noted in surgeon satisfaction and median grade of assessment of the surgical field (4 [interquartile range, 4 to 6] in the control group vs. 3 [interquartile range, 2 to 4] in the test group; P = .003) in the tranexamic acid group compared to the control group. Preincision administration of 10 mg/kg of tranexamic acid significantly improved the surgical field during cleft palate repair.

  12. Mental training in surgical education: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davison, Sara; Raison, Nicholas; Khan, Muhammad S; Dasgupta, Prokar; Ahmed, Kamran

    2017-11-01

    Pressures on surgical education from restricted working hours and increasing scrutiny of outcomes have been compounded by the development of highly technical surgical procedures requiring additional specialist training. Mental training (MT), the act of performing motor tasks in the 'mind's eye', offers the potential for training outside the operating room. However, the technique is yet to be formally incorporated in surgical curricula. This study aims to review the available literature to determine the role of MT in surgical education. EMBASE and Medline databases were searched. The primary outcome measure was surgical proficiency following training. Secondary analyses examined training duration, forms of MT and trainees level of experience. Study quality was assessed using Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials scores or Quality Assessment Tool for Before-After (Pre-Post) Studies with No Control Group. Fourteen trials with 618 participants met the inclusion criteria, of which 11 were randomized and three longitudinal. Ten studies found MT to be beneficial. Mental rehearsal was the most commonly used form of training. No significant correlation was found between the length of MT and outcomes. MT benefitted expert surgeons more than medical students or novice surgeons. The majority studies demonstrate MT to be beneficial in surgical education especially amongst more experienced surgeons within a well-structured MT programme. However, overall studies were low quality, lacked sufficient methodology and suffered from small sample sizes. For these reasons, further research is required to determine optimal role of MT as a supplementary educational tool within the surgical curriculum. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  13. OUTCOMES OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HIATAL HERNIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhurbenko G. A.

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: In traditionally performed fundoplications during the treatment of sliding diaphragmatic hernias, the improvement of surgical techniques to restore acute angle of His remains topical. Aim: To develop a method of surgical treatment of hiatus hernias to restore acute angle of His. Material and methods: Patients (n = 74 were divided into two groups: the main group (I (n = 45, in which the developed operation method was applied and the control group (II (n = 29, in which Toupet method was applied to 26 patients, Nissen method – to 3 patients. GERD-Q and GERD-HRQL questionnaires were applied to all patients of the first group before the operation, during discharge from hospital and 6-12 12-18 18-24 months after surgical intervention. Patients of the second group were surveyed 6-12 months after the operation. Results: According to the results of the survey after 6-12 months statistically significant differences were not revealed in the groups: GERD-Q, p<0,386; GERD-HRQL, p<0,1089. In the main group there was a tendency to decrease the points in the GERD-Q survey when compared before and after surgery, p <0.0001. Out of 16 (55% patients of the second group hospitalized after the operation the relapse was revealed in 9 patients, 7 of them were re-operated. 20(43,3% patients of group I underwent inpatient examination, 2 relapsed and no one was re-operated. Conclusion: The efficiency of the suggested operation technique is comparable to Toupet method in the early stages, although when assessing the remote results there are a less number of relapses.

  14. Assessment of Educational Environment of Surgical Theatre at a Teaching Hospital of a Saudi University: Using Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mona Faisal Al-Qahtani

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This study was aimed to determine how medical interns perceive the important factors of the learning environment the surgical theatre at the teaching hospital of the medical school, University of Dammam (UoD. The study also investigated the relationships between the learning environment and academic achievements. Finally, it determined the role and significance of gender on the above perceptions and relationships.Methods: The Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measure (STEEM was used to identify the perceptions of interns on the most important factors prevalent in the surgical theatre as an educational environment. STEEM was administered to all interns during the period of June-September 2009. Ninety-one out of 145 students completed the questionnaire representing a response rate of 63%. Non-parametric statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 17.Results: The STEEM was shown to be internally consistent for the assessment of the overall educational environment in the surgical theatre of UoD. The overall STEEM mean score was 110. For male and female students, the mean scores were 114 and 107 respectively. There were statistically significant gender differences in the perceptions of "learning opportunities" and "teaching and training". Females rated these subscales lower than males. There were no significant associations between academic achievements and perceptions of the educational environment.Conclusion: The interns perceived the learning environment of the surgical theatre as less than satisfactory. In comparison with the males; the perception of the females was less positive, particularly in the areas of learning opportunities, and teaching and training. The study also revealed some other problematic areas in the learning environment of surgical theatre of the teaching hospital of UoD. The results imply that there is much room for improvement. They also indicate that

  15. Surgical management for displaced pediatric proximal humeral fractures: a cost analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shore, Benjamin J; Hedequist, Daniel J; Miller, Patricia E; Waters, Peter M; Bae, Donald S

    2015-02-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to determine which of the following methods of fixation, percutaneous pinning (PP) or intramedullary nailing (IMN), was more cost-effective in the treatment of displaced pediatric proximal humeral fractures (PPHF). A retrospective cohort of surgically treated PPHF over a 12-year period at a single institution was performed. A decision analysis model was constructed to compare three surgical strategies: IMN versus percutaneous pinning leaving the pins exposed (PPE) versus leaving the pins buried (PPB). Finally, sensitivity analyses were performed, assessing the cost-effectiveness of each technique when infection rates and cost of deep infections were varied. A total of 84 patients with displaced PPHF underwent surgical stabilization. A total of 35 cases were treated with IMN, 32 with PPE, and 17 with PPB. The age, sex, and preoperative fracture angulation were similar across all groups. A greater percentage of open reduction was seen in the IMN and PPB groups (p = 0.03), while a higher proportion of physeal injury was seen in the PPE group (p = 0.02). Surgical time and estimated blood loss was higher in the IMN group (p exposed implants approached 55 %. Leaving pins exposed after surgical fixation of PPHF is more cost-effective than either burying pins or using intramedullary fixation.

  16. Reliable and valid assessment of Lichtenstein hernia repair skills

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carlsen, C G; Lindorff Larsen, Karen; Funch-Jensen, P

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE: Lichtenstein hernia repair is a common surgical procedure and one of the first procedures performed by a surgical trainee. However, formal assessment tools developed for this procedure are few and sparsely validated. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity...... of an assessment tool designed to measure surgical skills in Lichtenstein hernia repair. METHODS: Key issues were identified through a focus group interview. On this basis, an assessment tool with eight items was designed. Ten surgeons and surgical trainees were video recorded while performing Lichtenstein hernia...... a significant difference between the three groups which indicates construct validity, p skills can be assessed blindly by a single rater in a reliable and valid fashion with the new procedure-specific assessment tool. We recommend this tool for future assessment...

  17. [NIC as a tool for assessing competences of nursing students in clinical placement at surgical units].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Celma Vicente, Matilde; Ajuria-Imaz, Eloisa; Lopez-Morales, Manuel; Fernandez-Marín, Pilar; Menor-Castro, Alicia; Cano-Caballero Galvez, Maria Dolores

    2015-01-01

    This paper shows the utility of a NIC standardized language to assess the extent of nursing student skills at Practicum in surgical units To identify the nursing interventions classification (NIC) that students can learn to perform in surgical units. To determine the level of difficulty in learning interventions, depending on which week of rotation in clinical placement the student is. Qualitative study using Delphi consensus technique, involving nurses with teaching experience who work in hospital surgical units, where students undertake the Practicum. The results were triangulated through a questionnaire to tutors about the degree of conformity. A consensus was reached about the interventions that students can achieve in surgical units and the frequency in which they can be performed. The level of difficulty of each intervention, and the amount of weeks of practice that students need to reach the expected level of competence was also determined. The results should enable us to design better rotations matched to student needs. Knowing the frequency of each intervention that is performed in each unit determines the chances of learning it, as well as the indicators for its assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. Disposable surgical face masks for preventing surgical wound infection in clean surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allyson Lipp

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Surgical face masks were originally developed to contain and filter droplets containing microorganisms expelled from the mouth and nasopharynx of healthcare workers during surgery, thereby providing protection for the patient. However, there are several ways in which surgical face masks could potentially contribute to contamination of the surgical wound, e.g. by incorrect wear or by leaking air from the side of the mask due to poor string tension. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether disposable surgical face masks worn by the surgical team during clean surgery prevent postoperative surgical wound infection. SEARCH METHODS: We searched The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 14 September 2011; The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 3; Ovid MEDLINE (2008 to August Week 5 2011; Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process &Other Non-Indexed Citations September 13, 2011; Ovid EMBASE (2008 to 2011 Week 35; and EBSCO CINAHL (2008 to 9 September 2011. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs and quasi-randomized controlled trials comparing the use of disposable surgical masks with the use of no mask. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors extracted data independently. MAIN RESULTS: Three trials were included, involving a total of 2113 participants. There was no statistically significant difference in infection rates between the masked and unmasked group in any of the trials. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: From the limited results it is unclear whether the wearing of surgical face masks by members of the surgical team has any impact on surgical wound infection rates for patients undergoing clean surgery.

  19. Quality improvement initiative: Preventative Surgical Site Infection Protocol in Vascular Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parizh, David; Ascher, Enrico; Raza Rizvi, Syed Ali; Hingorani, Anil; Amaturo, Michael; Johnson, Eric

    2018-02-01

    Objective A quality improvement initiative was employed to decrease single institution surgical site infection rate in open lower extremity revascularization procedures. In an attempt to lower patient morbidity, we developed and implemented the Preventative Surgical Site Infection Protocol in Vascular Surgery. Surgical site infections lead to prolonged hospital stays, adjunctive procedure, and additive costs. We employed targeted interventions to address the common risk factors that predispose patients to post-operative complications. Methods Retrospective review was performed between 2012 and 2016 for all surgical site infections after revascularization procedures of the lower extremity. A quality improvement protocol was initiated in January 2015. Primary outcome was the assessment of surgical site infection rate reduction in the pre-protocol vs. post-protocol era. Secondary outcomes evaluated patient demographics, closure method, perioperative antibiotic coverage, and management outcomes. Results Implementation of the protocol decreased the surgical site infection rate from 6.4% to 1.6% p = 0.0137). Patient demographics and comorbidities were assessed and failed to demonstrate a statistically significant difference among the infection and no-infection groups. Wound closure with monocryl suture vs. staple proved to be associated with decreased surgical site infection rate ( p site infections in the vascular surgery population are effective and necessary. Our data suggest that there may be benefit in the incorporation of MRSA and Gram-negative coverage as part of the Surgical Care Improvement Project perioperative guidelines.

  20. Surgical approach to TIR3 cytology class A prospective evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alessandro, Nicola; Fasano, Giovanni Michele; Gilio, Francesco; Iside, Giovanni; Izzo, Maria Lucia; Loffredo, Andrea; Pinto, Margherita; Tramontano, Salvatore; Tramutola, Giuseppe; Citro, Giuseppe

    2014-01-01

    Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has proven to be a safe and reliable method of investigation of thyroid lesions. Referencing to European classification, the associated risk of malignancy for TIR3, category reserved for aspirates that contain architectural and/or nuclear atypia, is variable in such studies. Aims of study were evaluating safety of surgical approach, assessing perioperative parameters surgically related, and estimating neoplastic rate for TIR3 group. A prospective evaluation of all TIR3 submitted to thyroidectomy was conducted by assessing histopatohologic results between January 2005 and December 2012, considering two categories, positive (neoplastic) and negative (not neoplastic) group. Intraoperative and complication rate was analyzed on TIR3 population. A total of 1514 total thyroidectomy was performed from 2005 to 2012: a total of 148 cases was considered on TIR3 group. Positive cases amounted to 64 (43.2%), 29 of which were carcinoma (19.6% of total population) and 35 of which were adenoma, while negative cases amounted to 84 (56.8%). Sensitivity and specificity of TIR3 as neoplastic screening was 43.2% and 82.1%. A total of 32 linfectomies was performed (21.6% of group). Positive group presented a significant lower mean age than negative group (42.1 vs 56.2 years) TIR3 group represents a various category, with probably different malignancy risk. Our results and neoplasms rate confirmed that surgical option should be gold standard, in order to define atypical pattern and reduce delayed diagnoses. Choice of a second FNA or a imaging monitoring should be adopted for specific condition. Fine-needle aspiration, Thyroidectomy, TIR3, Thyroid cancer.

  1. ['Clinical auditing', a novel tool for quality assessment in surgical oncology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Leersum, Nicoline J; Kolfschoten, Nikki E; Klinkenbijl, Jean H G; Tollenaar, Rob A E M; Wouters, Michel W J M

    2011-01-01

    To determine whether systematic audit and feedback of information about the process and outcomes improve the quality of surgical care. Systematic literature review. Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched for publications on 'quality assessment' and 'surgery'. The references of the publications found were examined as well. Publications were included in the review if the effect of auditing on the quality of surgical care had been investigated. In the databases 2415 publications were found. After selection, 28 publications describing the effect of auditing, whether or not combined with a quality improvement project, on guideline adherence or indications of outcomes of care were included. In 21 studies, a statistically significant positive effect of auditing was reported. In 5 studies a positive effect was found, but this was either not significant or statistical significance was not determined. In 2 studies no effect was observed. 5 studies compared the combination of auditing with a quality improvement project with auditing alone; 4 of these reported an additional effect of the quality improvement project. Audit and feedback of quality information seem to have a positive effect on the quality of surgical care. The use of quality information from audits for the purpose of a quality improvement project can enhance the positive effect of the audit.

  2. Using an original triage and on call management tool aids identification and assessment of the acutely unwell surgical patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodge, Stacie; Helliar, Sebastian; Macdonald, Hamish Ian; Mackey, Paul

    2018-01-01

    Until now, there have been no published surgical triage tools. We have developed the first such tool with a tiered escalation policy, aiming to improve identification and management of critically unwell patients. The existing sheet which is used to track new referrals and admissions to the surgical assessment unit was reviewed. The sheet was updated and a traffic light triage tool generated using National Early Warning Scores (NEWS), sepsis criteria and user discretion. A tiered escalation policy to guide urgency of assessment was introduced and education sessions for all staff undertaken, to ensure understanding and compliance. Through multiple 'plan-do-study-act' cycles, the new system and its efficiency have been analysed. Prior to intervention, documentation of NEWS did not occur and only 13% of admission observations were communicated to the surgical team. Following multiple cycles and interventions, 93% of patients were fully triaged, and 80% of 'red' and 'amber' patients' observations were communicated to the surgical team. The average time for a registrar to review a 'red' patient was 37 min and 79% of 'green' patients were reviewed within an hour of their presentation. Rapid identification of the unwell patient is crucial. Here we publish the first triage tool that enables early assessment of septic and otherwise potentially unwell surgical patients.

  3. Video Coaching as an Efficient Teaching Method for Surgical Residents-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soucisse, Mikael L; Boulva, Kerianne; Sideris, Lucas; Drolet, Pierre; Morin, Michel; Dubé, Pierre

    As surgical training is evolving and operative exposure is decreasing, new, effective, and experiential learning methods are needed to ensure surgical competency and patient safety. Video coaching is an emerging concept in surgery that needs further investigation. In this randomized controlled trial conducted at a single teaching hospital, participating residents were filmed performing a side-to-side intestinal anastomosis on cadaveric dog bowel for baseline assessment. The Surgical Video Coaching (SVC) group then participated in a one-on-one video playback coaching and debriefing session with a surgeon, during which constructive feedback was given. The control group went on with their normal clinical duties without coaching or debriefing. All participants were filmed making a second intestinal anastomosis. This was compared to their first anastomosis using a 7-category-validated technical skill global rating scale, the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills. A single independent surgeon who did not participate in coaching or debriefing to the SVC group reviewed all videos. A satisfaction survey was then sent to the residents in the coaching group. Department of Surgery, HôpitalMaisonneuve-Rosemont, tertiary teaching hospital affiliated to the University of Montreal, Canada. General surgery residents from University of Montreal were recruited to take part in this trial. A total of 28 residents were randomized and completed the study. After intervention, the SVC group (n = 14) significantly increased their Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills score (mean of differences 3.36, [1.09-5.63], p = 0.007) when compared to the control group (n = 14) (mean of differences 0.29, p = 0.759). All residents agreed or strongly agreed that video coaching was a time-efficient teaching method. Video coaching is an effective and efficient teaching intervention to improve surgical residents' technical skills. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier

  4. Comparison of surgical and non-surgical orthodontic treatment approaches on occlusal and cephalometric outcomes in patients with Class II Division I malocclusions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheila Daniels

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed to examine end-of-treatment outcomes of severe Class II Division I malocclusion patients treated with surgical or non-surgical approaches. This study tests the hypotheses that occlusal outcomes (ABO-OGS and cephalometric outcomes differ between these groups. Methods A total of 60 patients were included: 20 of which underwent surgical correction and 40 of which did not. Cast grading of initial and final study models was performed and information was gathered from pre- to post-treatment cephalometric radiographs. The end-of-treatment ABO-OGS and cephalometric outcomes were compared to Mann-Whitney U tests and multivariable linear regression models. Results Following adjustment for multiple confounders (age, gender, complexity of case, and skeletal patterns, the final deband score (ABO-OGS was similar for both groups (23.8 for surgical group versus 22.5 for non-surgical group. Those treated surgically had a significantly larger reduction in ANB angle, 3.4° reduction versus 1.5° reduction in the non-surgical group (p = 0.002. The surgical group also showed increased maxillary incisor proclination (p = 0.001 compared to the non-surgical group. This might be attributed to retroclination of maxillary incisors during treatment selection in the non-surgical group—namely, extraction of premolars to mask the discrepancy. Conclusions Those treated surgically had a significantly larger reduction in ANB angle and increased maxillary incisor proclination compared to those treated non-surgically with no significant changes in occlusal outcomes.

  5. [Surgical treatment of thoracic disc herniation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hrabálek, L; Kalita, O; Langová, K

    2010-08-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of different surgical approaches to thoracic disc herniation, and to show the role of segmental fusion and selection of an appropriate microsurgical decompression technique for the successful outcome of surgery. A group of 27 patients, 10 men and 17 women, between 31 and 70 years (average age, 49.33 years) were included in this prospective study. They underwent surgery for thoracic degeneration disc disease in the period from June 1994 to August 2008. In all patients, the severity of myelopathy was assessed using the grading Frankel system and JOA score, axial and radicular pain intensity was evaluated with VAS and ODI rating systems. The diagnosis was established on the basis of thoracic spine radiography, thoracic spine MRI and a CT scan of the segment. A total of 30 thoracic segments, in the range of Th4/Th5 to Th12/L1, were indicated for surgery. Localisation of the hernia was medial at 19 segments, mediolateral at three and lateral at eight segments. Soft disc herniation was found in 17 cases and hard disc protrusion at the remaining 13 segments. Surgery for significant myelopathy was carried out in 23 patients and for pain in four patients. According to the surgical procedure used, the patients were allocated to two groups: group A comprised 10 patients treated without disc replacement through a laminectomy or a costotransversectomy exposure, and group B consisted of 17 patients undergo- ing intersomatic fusion via a thoracotomy. Clinical and radiographic examinations were made at regular intervals for at least 1 year of follow-up. The results of clinical assessment, including JOA scores, JOA Recovery Rate, VAS scores at rest and after exercise and ODI, were statistically analysed for each group and compared. There was a statistically significant difference in JOA evaluation of myelopathy between the groups in group A, the mean JOA score declined from 7.9 to 7.0, i.e., -0.9 point, while in group B it

  6. Effect of surgical skill on surgically-induced astigmatism in cataract surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Numan Eraslan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To evaluate the effect of surgical experience on surgically-induced astigmatism(SIAin patients with uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery.METHODS:Fifty-three eyes of fifty patients, mean age 64.5±10.8y, were randomly divided into two groups(23 eyes and 30 eyes. First group was underwent surgery by cataract specialists and the second was by residents. At baseline all the patients were underwent a complete opthalmological examination including keratometry and autorefractometer measurements. Vector analysis programme including the Alpins' method was used for the calculation of SIA. All the measurements were repeated postoperative first day, first month and second month and changes were recorded. Shapiro Wilk and Mann-Whitney tests were applied for determining the statistical differences between the SIA with two groups.RESULTS:There were no significant differences in demographic data of the groups. Intergroup analysis showed, first group was more effective results in SIA postoperative first day(P=0.002, first month(P=0.004and the second month(P=0.001. For the first group, SIA were 0.79±0.41 diopter(Dat the first postoperative day, 0.54±0.41 D at the first postoperative month and 0.47±0.37 D at the second postoperative month. Second one was 1.27±0.66 D, 0.98±0.56 D and 0.94±0.54 D, respectively.CONCLUSION:According to the results, surgical experience was one of the factors that affects SIA. Residents would perform more phacoemilcification surgery to obtain more surgical experience.

  7. Anxiety in veterinary surgical students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langebæk, Rikke; Eika, Berit; Jensen, Asger Lundorff

    2012-01-01

    The surgical educational environment is potentially stressful and this can negatively affect students' learning. The aim of this study was to investigate whether veterinary students' level of anxiety is higher in a surgical course than in a non-surgical course and if pre-surgical training...... in a Surgical Skills Lab (SSL) has an anxiety reducing effect. Investigations were carried out as a comparative study and a parallel group study. Potential participants were fourth-year veterinary students who attended a surgical course (Basic Surgical Skills) and a non-surgical course (Clinical Examination...... and 28 students from 2010). Our results show that anxiety levels in veterinary students are significantly higher in a surgical course than in a non-surgical course (p...

  8. Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment. A diploma programme in gynaecological endoscopic surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campo, Rudi; Wattiez, Arnaud; Tanos, Vasilis; Di Spiezio Sardo, Attilio; Grimbizis, Grigoris; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Brucker, Sara; Puga, Marco; Molinas, Roger; O'Donovan, Peter; Deprest, Jan; Van Belle, Yves; Lissens, Ann; Herrmann, Anja; Tahir, Mahmood; Benedetto, Chiara; Siebert, Igno; Rabischong, Benoit; De Wilde, Rudy Leon

    2016-04-01

    In recent years, training and education in endoscopic surgery has been critically reviewed. Clinicians, both surgeons as gynaecologist who perform endoscopic surgery without proper training of the specific psychomotor skills are at higher risk to increased patient morbidity and mortality. Although the apprentice-tutor model has long been a successful approach for training of surgeons, recently, clinicians have recognised that endoscopic surgery requires an important training phase outside the operating theatre. The Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment programme (GESEA), recognises the necessity of this structured approach and implements two separated stages in its learning strategy. In the first stage, a skill certificate on theoretical knowledge and specific practical psychomotor skills is acquired through a high stake exam; in the second stage, a clinical programme is completed to achieve surgical competence and receive the corresponding diploma. Three diplomas can be awarded: (a) the Bachelor in Endoscopy; (b) the Minimally Invasive Gynaecological Surgeon (MIGS); and (c) the Master level. The Master level is sub-divided into two separate diplomas: the Master in Laparoscopic Pelvic Surgery and the Master in Hysteroscopy. The complexity of modern surgery has increased the demands and challenges to surgical education and the quality control. This programme is based on the best available scientific evidence and it counteracts the problem of the traditional surgical apprentice tutor model. It is seen as a major step toward standardization of endoscopic surgical training in general. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Virtual reality training for surgical trainees in laparoscopic surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagendran, Myura; Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Loizidou, Marilena; Davidson, Brian R

    2013-08-27

    trial that did not report the numerical values, the authors stated that the operative performance in the virtual reality group was significantly better than the box-trainer group. Virtual reality training appears to decrease the operating time and improve the operative performance of surgical trainees with limited laparoscopic experience when compared with no training or with box-trainer training. However, the impact of this decreased operating time and improvement in operative performance on patients and healthcare funders in terms of improved outcomes or decreased costs is not known. Further well-designed trials at low risk of bias and random errors are necessary. Such trials should assess the impact of virtual reality training on clinical outcomes.

  10. Early and Late Results of the Nuss Procedure in Surgical Treatment of Pectus Excavatum in Different Age Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawlak, Krystian; Gąsiorowski, Łukasz; Gabryel, Piotr; Gałęcki, Bartłomiej; Zieliński, Paweł; Dyszkiewicz, Wojciech

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was a comparison of early and late results in surgical treatment of funnel chest using the Nuss method in patients in various age groups to find the optimal age to perform the corrective procedure. Six hundred eighty patients operated on from June 2002 to October 2012 were included in the retrospective analysis. Patients were divided into 3 different age groups: group A = 156 patients from 7 to 14 years, group B = 328 patients aged 15 to 20 years, and group C = 196 patients older than 20 years of age. The mean follow-up was 33 months. Early non-life-threatening complications developed in 238 (35.0%) patients and frequency increased with age (group A, 24.3%; group B, 37.8%; group C, 38.8%; p = 0.0063). Good and very good corrective effects were achieved in 97.7 % of the entire patient population. Recurrence of the deformity was observed more often in younger patients (group A, 3.2 %) than in the other patients (group B, 1.2%; group C, 1.5%), although the difference between the studied groups was not significant (p = 0.3251). Good cosmetic results obtained with the use of the Nuss operation were not related to the age of the patients. The high incidence of minor complications in older patients seems to be an acceptable cost of a good cosmetic outcome and stable correction. Surgical morbidity is lowest in younger patients; however, the frequency of the recurrence of deformation is higher than in other groups. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Acceptability and feasibility of mini-clinical evaluation exercise as a formative assessment tool for workplace-based assessment for surgical postgraduate students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M K Joshi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Despite an increasing emphasis on workplace-based assessment (WPBA during medical training, the existing assessment system largely relies on summative assessment while formative assessment is less valued. Various tools have been described for WPBA, mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX being one of them. Mini-CEX is well accepted in Western countries, however, reports of its use in India are scarce. We conducted this study to assess acceptability and feasibility of mini-CEX as a formative assessment tool for WPBA of surgical postgraduate students in an Indian setting. Methods: Faculty members and 2nd year surgical residents were sensitized toward mini-CEX and requisite numbers of exercises were conducted. The difficulties during conduction of these exercises were identified, recorded, and appropriate measures were taken to address them. At the conclusion, the opinion of residents and faculty members regarding their experience with mini-CEX was taken using a questionnaire. The results were analyzed using simple statistical tools. Results: Nine faculty members out of 11 approached participated in the study (81.8%. All 16 2nd year postgraduate surgical residents participated (100%. Sixty mini-CEX were conducted over 7 months. Each resident underwent 3–5 encounters. The mean time taken by the assessor for observation was 12.3 min (8–30 min while the mean feedback time was 4.2 min (3–10 min. The faculty reported good overall satisfaction with mini-CEX and found it acceptable as a formative assessment tool. Three faculty members (33.3% reported mini-CEX as more time-consuming while 2 (22.2% found it difficult to carry the exercises often. All residents accepted mini-CEX and most of them reported good to high satisfaction with the exercises conducted. Conclusions: Mini-CEX is well accepted by residents and faculty as a formative assessment tool. It is feasible to utilize mini-CEX for WPBA of postgraduate students of surgery.

  12. Effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on insulin resistance in patients with type II diabetes mellitus and chronic periodontitis, as assessed by C-peptide and the Homeostasis Assessment Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mammen, Jerry; Vadakkekuttical, Rosamma Joseph; George, Joseraj Manaloor; Kaziyarakath, Jaishid Ahadal; Radhakrishnan, Chandni

    2017-08-01

    A bidirectional relationship exists between diabetes and periodontitis. In the present clinical trial, we evaluated the effects of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) on insulin resistance in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic periodontitis. Forty chronic periodontitis patients with type II DM were selected and equally allocated to case and control groups. All patients were assessed for periodontal parameters and systemic parameters. The case group received NSPT, and both groups were re-evaluated after 3 months. All periodontal parameters were found to be significantly improved in the case group compared to the control group 3 months after NSPT. The mean differences in systemic parameters, such as fasting serum C-peptide, Homeostasis Assessment (HOMA) Index-insulin resistance, and HOMA-insulin sensitivity, from baseline to 3 months for the case group were 0.544 ± 0.73, 0.54 ± 0.63, and -25.44 ± 36.81, respectively; for the control group, they were significant at -1.66 ± 1.89, -1.48 ± 1.86, and 31.42 ± 38.82 respectively (P periodontal inflammation could affect glycemic control and insulin resistance. Effective periodontal therapy reduced insulin resistance and improved periodontal health status and insulin sensitivity in patients with type II DM and chronic periodontitis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  13. Assessment Of Common Surgical Conditions ~ncountered Py cal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    on-the-job training by visiting specialists and training at a referral facility as the best method to improve their surgical skills so as to competently deal with major surgical problems in their area. The majority (85%) of the respondents preferred that training should take 6-12 months. Medical officers, supported by periodic visits ...

  14. Single-centre experience of radiation exposure in acute surgical patients: assessment of therapeutic impact and future recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzmaurice, Gerard J; Brown, Robin; Cranley, Brian; Conlon, Enda F; Todd, R Alan J; O'Donnell, Mark E

    2010-09-01

    Radiological investigations have become a key adjunct in patient management and consequently radiation exposure to patients is increasing. The study objectives were to examine the use of radiological investigations in the management of acute surgical patients and to assess whether a guideline-based radiation exposure risk/benefit analysis can aid in the choice of radiological investigation used. A prospective observational study was completed over a 12-week period from April to July 2008 for all acute surgical admissions. Data recorded included demographics, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, investigations, surgical interventions, and final clinical outcome. The use of radiological investigative modalities as an adjunct to clinical assessment was then evaluated against The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) guidelines. A total of 380 acute surgical admissions (M = 174, F = 185, children = 21) were assessed during the study period. Seven hundred thirty-four radiological investigations were performed with a mean of 1.93 investigations per patient. Based on the RCR guidelines, 680 (92.6%) radiological investigations were warranted and included 142 CT scans (19.3%), 129 chest X-rays (17.6%), and 85 abdominal X-rays (11.6%). Clinically, radiological imaging complemented surgical management in 326 patients (85.8%) and the management plan remained unchanged for the remaining 54 patients (14.2%). This accounted for an average radiation dose of 4.18 millisievert (mSv) per patient or 626 days of background radiation exposure. CT imaging was responsible for the majority of the radiation exposure, with a total of 1310 mSv (82.6%) of the total radiation exposure being attributed to CT imaging in 20.8% of acute admissions. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that 92.8% of the CT scans performed were appropriate. Radiation exposure was generally low for the majority of acute surgical admissions. However, it is recommended that CT imaging requests be evaluated carefully

  15. Surgical Competence: Assessing, Acquiring, Maintaining, and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hp 630 Dual Core

    Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Surgery, Royal Aberdeen Children s ... Formerly Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh ... where a highly critical if not toxic climate of low tolerance of surgical failure, with judicial,.

  16. [Evaluation of technical skills in surgical training].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasparian, Andres C; Martinez, A C; JoverClos, R J; Chércoles, R A

    2014-01-01

    technical skills acquisition is considered to be of paramount importance in surgical training. Yet, formal assessment of technical skills is the weakest and less developed area. Currently available resources to evaluate technical skills are largely subjective, and lack of validity and reliability. Direct observation, one of the most frequently used methods, is largely biased by interpersonal subjectivity and personality traits. We propose the creation and use of a new procedure-specific tool for objective assessment of technical skills in surgery to evaluate validity and reliability. laparoscopic cholecystectomy and Lichstenstein's inguinal hernia repair were the chosen procedures. Three groups of comparison were defined according to surgical expertise: initial, intermediate, and experts. Surgeries were videorecorded in real time without identification of the patient or the surgeon. Tapes without any posterior edition were assigned to two expert surgeons in a blind and randomized sequence. A newly proposed procedure-specific rating scale was used for evaluation, as well as Reznick's OSATS global scale. Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test was used to assess validity. p 0.8 granted reliability. from April 2010 to December 2012 36 laparoscopic cholecystectomies and 31 inguinal hernia repairs were recorded. Significant difference was found among groups of comparison for every item (ptechnical skills in surgery is feasible and useful. The tool we proposed showed construct validity and reliability. Video recording of surgical procedures grants durability over time to an ephemeral phenomenon. The objectivity is based on the explicit statements and quantification of every step to be evaluated, and the blind randomization and anonymous treatment of the sample. Sharing the same quality criteria between evaluators is of paramount importance to reach satisfactory results. The process of evaluation always implies a shortened view of the reality.

  17. [Assessment of surgical teleconsultations in a developing country: two years of experience in Djibouti].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertani, A; Menguy, P; Delmas, J M; Launay, F; Mathieu, L; Candoni, P; Dulou, R; Rongiéras, F

    2012-01-01

    Our objective was to assess the influence of teleconsultations on patient management and clinical outcomes in a developing country. All the surgical teleconsultations by a single surgeon (orthopedist) between November 2009 and November 2011 were recorded. Neurosurgery and pediatric orthopedics were the two most important specialities most often concerned, accounting for 67% of the 157 teleconsultations for 138 patients. The teleconsultations resolved the diagnostic uncertainties in 29 of 37 cases (78%). Advice from the expert modified management in 69% cases. Clinical outcomes were good or very good in 86% of the treated patients. This study establishes the feasibility and usefulness of surgical teleconsultations in Djibouti.

  18. Sublingual piroxicam in the management of postoperative pain after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammad, Shadab; Singh, Vibha; Wadhwani, Puneet; Tayade, Himanshu P; Rathod, Onkar K

    2012-01-01

    Surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar is one of the most commonly performed procedures in oral and maxillofacial surgical practice. The role of preoperative and postoperative medications for management of postoperative complications has been extensively evaluated. To assess the therapeutic effect of a single dose of 40 mg sublingual piroxicam (study group) vs 150 mg oral diclofenac (50 mg thrice a day) (control group) in patients undergoing surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar. A total of 100 patients with asymptomatic impacted mandibular third molars were randomized into two groups. One group received two 20-mg tablets of piroxicam once daily on the first and second postoperative days, followed by one 20-mg tablet on the third post-operative day. The other group received one tablet of diclofenac 50 mg orally thrice daily on the first, second, and third post-operative days. Repeated extraoral examinations were done for continuous assessment of swelling, trismus, and reduction in pain. Overall impression of the treating physician and the patient regarding efficacy of study drugs were recorded at the end of the study. In the piroxicam group there was >50% reduction in pain on all three days postoperatively. The incidence of swelling and trismus was found to be higher in the control group as compared to the study group. Adverse events, such as gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, were significantly higher in the diclofenac group (11%) as compared to the piroxicam group (0%). Two sublingual piroxicam 20 mg tablets once daily has better efficacy and tolerability profile than diclofenac 50 mg one tablet thrice daily in the management of pain after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar.

  19. A software-based tool for video motion tracking in the surgical skills assessment landscape

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ganni, S.; Botden, Sanne M.B.I.; Chmarra, M.K.; Goossens, R.H.M.; Jakimowicz, J.J.

    2018-01-01

    Background: The use of motion tracking has been proved to provide an objective assessment in surgical skills training. Current systems, however, require the use of additional equipment or specialised laparoscopic instruments and cameras to extract the data. The aim of this study was to determine

  20. British Military surgical key performance indicators: time for an update?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsden, Max Er; Sharrock, A E; Hansen, C L; Newton, N J; Bowley, D M; Midwinter, M

    2016-10-01

    Key performance indicators (KPIs) are metrics that compare actual care against an ideal structure, process or outcome standard. KPIs designed to assess performance in deployed military surgical facilities have previously been published. This study aimed to review the overall performance of surgical trauma care for casualties treated at Role 3 Camp Bastion, Medical Treatment Facility, Afghanistan, in light of the existing Defence Medical Services (DMS) KPIs. The secondary aims were to assess the utility of the surgical KPIs and make recommendations for future surgical trauma care review. Data on 22 surgical parameters were prospectively collected for 150 injured patients who had primary surgery at Camp Bastion between 1 May 2013 and 20 August 2013. Additional information for these patients was obtained using the Joint Theatre Trauma Register. The authors assessed data recording, applicability and compliance with the KPIs. Median data recording was 100% (IQR 98%-100%), median applicability was 56% (IQR 10%-99%) and median compliance was 78% (IQR 58%-93%). One KPI was not applicable to any patient in our population. Eleven KPIs achieved >80% compliance, five KPIs had 80%-60% compliance and five KPIs had performance of the surgical aspect of military trauma care in 2013. The KPIs highlight areas for improvement in service delivery. Individual KPI development should be driven by evidence and reflect advances in practice and knowledge. A method of stakeholder consultation, and sequential refinement following evidence review, may be the right process to develop the future set of DMS KPIs. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. Phase-contrast MR assessment of pulmonary venous blood flow in children with surgically repaired pulmonary veins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valsangiacomo, Emanuela R.; Yoo, Shi-Joon; Barrea, Catherine; Smallhorn, Jeffrey F.; Macgowan, Christopher K.; Coles, John G.

    2003-01-01

    Pulmonary venous (PV) obstruction may complicate surgical repair of PV abnormalities. By combining phase-contrast cine (PC) imaging and contrast-enhanced angiography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can provide physiological information complementing anatomical diagnosis. To compare the PV flow pattern observed after surgical repair of PV abnormalities with normal PV flow pattern and to investigate the changes occurring in the presence of PV stenosis by using PC MR in children. By using PC MR, PV flow was evaluated in 14 patients (3 months-14 years) who underwent surgical repair for PV abnormalities. Eleven children (8-18 years) were studied as normal controls. Peak flow velocities and patterns were compared among three groups: normal veins (n=23), surgically repaired veins without (n=44) and with stenosis (n=10). Normal and unobstructed pulmonary veins after surgery showed a biphasic or triphasic flow pattern with one or two systolic peaks and a diastolic peak. Unobstructed surgically repaired veins showed decreased peak systolic velocity (P =0.001) and an increased peak diastolic velocity (P=0.005) when compared to normal values. Obstructed veins showed decreased systolic and diastolic velocities when measured upstream from the stenosis. PC MR shows different flow patterns among normal, surgically repaired pulmonary veins with and without stenosis. (orig.)

  2. Systems for tracking minimally invasive surgical instruments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chmarra, M. K.; Grimbergen, C. A.; Dankelman, J.

    2007-01-01

    Minimally invasive surgery (e.g. laparoscopy) requires special surgical skills, which should be objectively assessed. Several studies have shown that motion analysis is a valuable assessment tool of basic surgical skills in laparoscopy. However, to use motion analysis as the assessment tool, it is

  3. Comparative effectiveness of skin antiseptic agents in reducing surgical site infections: a report from the Washington State Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakkarainen, Timo W; Dellinger, E Patchen; Evans, Heather L; Farjah, Farhood; Farrokhi, Ellen; Steele, Scott R; Thirlby, Richard; Flum, David R

    2014-03-01

    Surgical site infections (SSI) are an important source of morbidity and mortality. Chlorhexidine in isopropyl alcohol is effective in preventing central venous-catheter associated infections, but its effectiveness in reducing SSI in clean-contaminated procedures is uncertain. Surgical studies to date have had contradictory results. We aimed to further evaluate the relationship of commonly used antiseptic agents and SSI, and to determine if isopropyl alcohol has a unique effect. We performed a prospective cohort analysis to evaluate the relationship of commonly used skin antiseptic agents and SSI for patients undergoing mostly clean-contaminated surgery from January 2011 through June 2012. Multivariate regression modeling predicted expected rates of SSI. Risk adjusted event rates (RAERs) of SSI were compared across groups using proportionality testing. Among 7,669 patients, the rate of SSI was 4.6%. The RAERs were 0.85 (p = 0.28) for chlorhexidine (CHG), 1.10 (p = 0.06) for chlorhexidine in isopropyl alcohol (CHG+IPA), 0.98 (p = 0.96) for povidone-iodine (PVI), and 0.93 (p = 0.51) for iodine-povacrylex in isopropyl alcohol (IPC+IPA). The RAERs were 0.91 (p = 0.39) for the non-IPA group and 1.10 (p = 0.07) for the IPA group. Among elective colorectal patients, the RAERs were 0.90 (p = 0.48) for CHG, 1.04 (p = 0.67) for CHG+IPA, 1.04 (p = 0.85) for PVI, and 1.00 (p = 0.99) for IPC+IPA. For clean-contaminated surgical cases, this large-scale state cohort study did not demonstrate superiority of any commonly used skin antiseptic agent in reducing the risk of SSI, nor did it find any unique effect of isopropyl alcohol. These results do not support the use of more expensive skin preparation agents. Copyright © 2014 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Comparison of TVT and TOT on urethral mobility and surgical outcomes in stress urinary incontinence with hypermobile urethra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavkaytar, Sabri; Kokanalı, Mahmut Kuntay; Guzel, Ali Irfan; Ozer, Irfan; Aksakal, Orhan Seyfi; Doganay, Melike

    2015-07-01

    To compare the change of urethral mobility after midurethral sling procedures in stress urinary incontinence with hypermobile urethra and assess these findings with surgical outcomes. 141 women who agreed to undergo midurethral sling operations due to stress urinary incontinence with hypermobile urethra were enrolled in this non-randomized prospective observational study. Preoperatively, urethral mobility was measured by Q tip test. All women were asked to complete Urogenital Distress Inventory Short Form (UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire Short Form (IIQ-7) to assess the quality of life. Six months postoperatively, Q tip test and quality of life assessment were repeated. The primary surgical outcomes were classified as cure, improvement and failure. Transient urinary obstruction, de novo urgency, voiding dysfunction were secondary surgical outcomes. Of 141 women, 50 (35. 5%) women underwent TOT, 91 (64.5%) underwent TVT. In both TOT and TVT groups, postoperative Q tip test values, IIQ-7 and UDI-6 scores were statistically reduced when compared with preoperative values. Postoperative Q tip test value in TVT group was significantly smaller than in TOT group [25°(15-45°) and 20° (15-45°), respectively]. When we compared the Q-tip test value, IIQ-7 and UDI-6 scores changes, there were no statistically significant changes between the groups. Postoperative urethral mobility was more frequent in TOT group than in TVT group (40% vs 23.1%, respectively). Postoperative primary and secondary outcomes were similar in both groups. Although midurethral slings decrease the urethtal hypermobility, postoperative mobility status of urethra does not effect surgical outcomes of midurethral slings in women with preoperative urethral hypermobility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Reliable and valid assessment of Lichtenstein hernia repair skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlsen, C G; Lindorff-Larsen, K; Funch-Jensen, P; Lund, L; Charles, P; Konge, L

    2014-08-01

    Lichtenstein hernia repair is a common surgical procedure and one of the first procedures performed by a surgical trainee. However, formal assessment tools developed for this procedure are few and sparsely validated. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of an assessment tool designed to measure surgical skills in Lichtenstein hernia repair. Key issues were identified through a focus group interview. On this basis, an assessment tool with eight items was designed. Ten surgeons and surgical trainees were video recorded while performing Lichtenstein hernia repair, (four experts, three intermediates, and three novices). The videos were blindly and individually assessed by three raters (surgical consultants) using the assessment tool. Based on these assessments, validity and reliability were explored. The internal consistency of the items was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97). The inter-rater reliability was very good with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.93. Generalizability analysis showed a coefficient above 0.8 even with one rater. The coefficient improved to 0.92 if three raters were used. One-way analysis of variance found a significant difference between the three groups which indicates construct validity, p fashion with the new procedure-specific assessment tool. We recommend this tool for future assessment of trainees performing Lichtenstein hernia repair to ensure that the objectives of competency-based surgical training are met.

  6. Assessment of surgical competence in North American graduate periodontics programs: a survey of current practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghiabi, Edmond; Taylor, K Lynn

    2010-08-01

    This cross-sectional study was designed to document the methods utilized by North American graduate periodontics programs in assessing their residents' surgical skills. A survey of clinical skills assessment was mailed to directors of all fifty-eight graduate periodontics programs in Canada and the United States. Thirty-four programs (59 percent) responded. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. The results demonstrate that the most common practice for providing feedback and documenting residents' surgical skills in the programs surveyed was daily one-on-one verbal feedback given by an instructor. The next two most commonly reported methods were a standard checklist developed at program level and a combination of a checklist and verbal comments. The majority of the programs reported that the instructors met collectively once per term to evaluate the residents' progress. The results suggest that graduate periodontics programs provide their residents frequent opportunities for daily practice with verbal feedback from instructors. However, assessment strategies identified in other health professions as beneficial in fostering the integration of clinical skills practices are not employed.

  7. Teamwork Assessment Tools in Modern Surgical Practice: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whittaker, George; Abboudi, Hamid; Khan, Muhammed Shamim; Dasgupta, Prokar; Ahmed, Kamran

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. Deficiencies in teamwork skills have been shown to contribute to the occurrence of adverse events during surgery. Consequently, several teamwork assessment tools have been developed to evaluate trainee nontechnical performance. This paper aims to provide an overview of these instruments and review the validity of each tool. Furthermore, the present paper aims to review the deficiencies surrounding training and propose several recommendations to address these issues. Methods. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify teamwork assessment tools using MEDLINE (1946 to August 2015), EMBASE (1974 to August 2015), and PsycINFO (1806 to August 2015) databases. Results. Eight assessment tools which encompass aspects of teamwork were identified. The Nontechnical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) assessment was found to possess the highest level of validity from a variety of sources; reliability and acceptability have also been established for this tool. Conclusions. Deficits in current surgical training pathways have prompted several recommendations to meet the evolving requirements of surgeons. Recommendations from the current paper include integration of teamwork training and assessment into medical school curricula, standardised formal training of assessors to ensure accurate evaluation of nontechnical skill acquisition, and integration of concurrent technical and nontechnical skills training throughout training. PMID:26425732

  8. Measuring the surgical 'learning curve': methods, variables and competency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Nuzhath; Abboudi, Hamid; Khan, Mohammed Shamim; Dasgupta, Prokar; Ahmed, Kamran

    2014-03-01

    To describe how learning curves are measured and what procedural variables are used to establish a 'learning curve' (LC). To assess whether LCs are a valuable measure of competency. A review of the surgical literature pertaining to LCs was conducted using the Medline and OVID databases. Variables should be fully defined and when possible, patient-specific variables should be used. Trainee's prior experience and level of supervision should be quantified; the case mix and complexity should ideally be constant. Logistic regression may be used to control for confounding variables. Ideally, a learning plateau should reach a predefined/expert-derived competency level, which should be fully defined. When the group splitting method is used, smaller cohorts should be used in order to narrow the range of the LC. Simulation technology and competence-based objective assessments may be used in training and assessment in LC studies. Measuring the surgical LC has potential benefits for patient safety and surgical education. However, standardisation in the methods and variables used to measure LCs is required. Confounding variables, such as participant's prior experience, case mix, difficulty of procedures and level of supervision, should be controlled. Competency and expert performance should be fully defined. © 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.

  9. Assessing the surgical skills of trainees in the operating theatre: a prospective observational study of the methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beard, J D; Marriott, J; Purdie, H; Crossley, J

    2011-01-01

    To compare user satisfaction and acceptability, reliability and validity of three different methods of assessing the surgical skills of trainees by direct observation in the operating theatre across a range of different surgical specialties and index procedures. A 2-year prospective, observational study in the operating theatres of three teaching hospitals in Sheffield. The assessment methods were procedure-based assessment (PBA), Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) and Non-technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS). The specialties were obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) and upper gastrointestinal, colorectal, cardiac, vascular and orthopaedic surgery. Two to four typical index procedures were selected from each specialty. Surgical trainees were directly observed performing typical index procedures and assessed using a combination of two of the three methods (OSATS or PBA and NOTSS for O&G, PBA and NOTSS for the other specialties) by the consultant clinical supervisor for the case and the anaesthetist and/or scrub nurse, as well as one or more independent assessors from the research team. Information on user satisfaction and acceptability of each assessment method from both assessor and trainee perspectives was obtained from structured questionnaires. The reliability of each method was measured using generalisability theory. Aspects of validity included the internal structure of each tool and correlation between tools, construct validity, predictive validity, interprocedural differences, the effect of assessor designation and the effect of assessment on performance. Of the 558 patients who were consented, a total of 437 (78%) cases were included in the study: 51 consultant clinical supervisors, 56 anaesthetists, 39 nurses, 2 surgical care practitioners and 4 independent assessors provided 1635 assessments on 85 trainees undertaking the 437 cases. A total of 749 PBAs, 695 NOTSS and 191 OSATSs were performed. Non-O&G clinical supervisors and

  10. Postoperative assessment of surgical results using three dimensional surface reconstruction CT (3D-CT) in a craniofacial anomaly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishimura, Jiro; Sato, Kaoru; Nishimoto, Hiroshi; Tsukiyama, Takashi; Fujioka, Mutsuhisa; Akagawa, Tetsuya.

    1988-01-01

    In 1983, Michael W. Vannier and Jeffrey L. Marsh developed a computer method that reconstructs three dimensional (3D) born and soft tissue surfaces, given a high resolution CT scan-series of the facial skeleton. This method has been applied to craniofacial anomalies, basal encephaloceles, and musculoskeletal anomalies. In this study, a postoperative assessment of the craniofacial surgical results has been accomplished using this 3D-CT in 2 children with craniofacial dysmorphism. The authors discuss the advantages of this 3D-CT imaging method in the postoperative assessments of craniofacial anomalies. Results are detailed in the following listing : 1) a postoperative 3D-CT reveals the anatomical details corrected by the craniofacial surgery more precisely and stereographically than conventional radiological methods ; 2) secondary changes of the cranium after the surgery, such as bony formation in the area of the osteotomy and postoperative asymmetric deformities, are detected early by the 3D-CT imaging technique, and, 3) 3D-CT mid-sagittal and top axial views of the intracranial skull base are most useful in postoperative assessments of the surgical results. Basesd on our experience, we expect that three dimensional surface reconstructions from CT scans will become to be used widely in the postoperative assessments of the surgical results of craniofacial anomalies. (author)

  11. Simulators and virtual reality in surgical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Betty; Handa, Victoria L

    2006-06-01

    This article explores the pros and cons of virtual reality simulators, their abilities to train and assess surgical skills, and their potential future applications. Computer-based virtual reality simulators and more conventional box trainers are compared and contrasted. The virtual reality simulator provides objective assessment of surgical skills and immediate feedback further to enhance training. With this ability to provide standardized, unbiased assessment of surgical skills, the virtual reality trainer has the potential to be a tool for selecting, instructing, certifying, and recertifying gynecologists.

  12. Surgical wound dehiscence: a conceptual framework for patient assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandy-Hodgetts, Kylie; Carville, Keryln; Leslie, Gavin D

    2018-03-02

    This paper presents a conceptual framework which outlines the risk factors associated with surgical wound dehiscence (SWD) as identified in the literature. The purpose for the development of the conceptual framework was to derive an evidence-based, informed understanding of factors associated with SWD, in order to inform a programme of research on the aetiology and potential risk factors of SWD. Incorporated within the patient-centric conceptual framework are patient related comorbidities, intraoperative and postoperative risk factors related to SWD. These are categorised as either 'mechanical' or 'physiological mechanisms' posited to influence these relationships. The use of the conceptual model for assessment of patients has particular clinical relevance for identification of risk and the management of patients in the pre-, intra- and postoperative period.

  13. Assessment and statistics of surgically induced astigmatism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naeser, Kristian

    2008-05-01

    The aim of the thesis was to develop methods for assessment of surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) in individual eyes, and in groups of eyes. The thesis is based on 12 peer-reviewed publications, published over a period of 16 years. In these publications older and contemporary literature was reviewed(1). A new method (the polar system) for analysis of SIA was developed. Multivariate statistical analysis of refractive data was described(2-4). Clinical validation studies were performed. The description of a cylinder surface with polar values and differential geometry was compared. The main results were: refractive data in the form of sphere, cylinder and axis may define an individual patient or data set, but are unsuited for mathematical and statistical analyses(1). The polar value system converts net astigmatisms to orthonormal components in dioptric space. A polar value is the difference in meridional power between two orthogonal meridians(5,6). Any pair of polar values, separated by an arch of 45 degrees, characterizes a net astigmatism completely(7). The two polar values represent the net curvital and net torsional power over the chosen meridian(8). The spherical component is described by the spherical equivalent power. Several clinical studies demonstrated the efficiency of multivariate statistical analysis of refractive data(4,9-11). Polar values and formal differential geometry describe astigmatic surfaces with similar concepts and mathematical functions(8). Other contemporary methods, such as Long's power matrix, Holladay's and Alpins' methods, Zernike(12) and Fourier analyses(8), are correlated to the polar value system. In conclusion, analysis of SIA should be performed with polar values or other contemporary component systems. The study was supported by Statens Sundhedsvidenskabeligt Forskningsråd, Cykelhandler P. Th. Rasmussen og Hustrus Mindelegat, Hotelejer Carl Larsen og Hustru Nicoline Larsens Mindelegat, Landsforeningen til Vaern om Synet

  14. Assessing fistula and obstetrical surgical capacity in South Kivu, DRC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen C. Morris

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered from decades of conflict and poverty. The Eastern DRC, in particular, continues to be a region dominated by instability, resulting in a fragmented health system. Governments and agencies interested in working towards improving health in the region are often challenged by an absence of knowledge of health metrics, limited capacity for health care delivery and overwhelming needs. The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and Engender Health needs assessment, outlined in this report, demonstrates an effort to better understand the current state of surgical capacity in the region with an emphasis on needs and opportunities related to fistula repair.

  15. Prospective assessment of the quality of life in patients treated surgically for rectal cancer with lower anterior resection and abdominoperineal resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monastyrska, E; Hagner, W; Jankowski, M; Głowacka, I; Zegarska, B; Zegarski, W

    2016-11-01

    Rectal cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life in patients undergoing surgical treatment for the rectal cancer, either lower anterior or abdominoperineal resection. 100 patients suffering from rectal cancer were selected for a prospective study (50-APR, 50-LAR). The quality of life was assessed two times: at the admission to the Department and 6 months following surgery. For assessment of the quality of life, two standard questionnaires were used, EORT QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-C29. The studied groups were not different with respect to demographic factors. The patients who underwent LAR spent less time in hospital (p = 0.00001). The patients undergoing APR scored less with respect to physical ability (p = 0.0434), cognitive (p = 0.0363) and emotional state (p = 0.0463) and on symptom scale (nausea and vomiting - p: 0.0199, diarrhea - p: 0.0000, constipation (p = 0.0018)); however, the patients who were treated with LAR scored less on pain scale (p = 0.0189). The QLQ-C29 questionnaire revealed impaired functioning of patients 6 months following APR in terms of life chances (p = 0.0000) and problems with body weight (p = 0.0212). In both groups, the quality of life improved 6 months after surgery. LAR is a chance for better quality of life for many patients. Six months after surgery, the quality of life of patients improves regardless of the operating method (APR, LAR). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ the Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

  16. Surgical Consideration for Adolescents and Young Adults With Cervical Chordoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Nanzhe; Yang, Xinghai; Yang, Jian; Meng, Tong; Yang, Cheng; Yan, Wangjun; Xiao, Jianru

    2017-05-15

    Retrospective study. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes between adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients and old adult patients with cervical chordoma who were treated surgically and present the surgical consideration for adolescents and young adults with cervical chordoma. With predominance in senior patients, chordoma is distinctively rare in AYAs. Because of the rarity of AYA chordoma, individual case report represents most of the literature on this disease entity on mobile spine and lack of long-term follow up, which leads to the paucity of clinical evidence for treatment planning and prognosis prediction. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the prognosis of AYA patients with cervical chordoma who were treated surgically. We collected the clinical data of these patients and their older counterparts, and further compared the prognosis of the patients in different age groups. To estimate survival curves, Kaplan-Meier method was used, and significance was assessed using a log-rank test. Forty consecutive patients with chordoma of the cervical spine treated in our institution were included in the study. Two groups were identified according to age. Group 1 comprised children and adolescents (age ≤ 25 yrs; n = 9) and Group 2 comprised adults (age > 25 years; n = 31). In comparison, Group 1 was featured by significantly higher rate of recurrence and shorter overall survival, although no difference found in the surgical modality between two groups. There is a dismal prognosis in young patients with chordoma, and thus support the notion that as radical a total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) of the lesions as possible may benefit the overall survival of these young patients. Although the ensuing neurological deficits may be devastating, it will be worth sacrificing if the life expectancy of these young patients is prolonged. 4.

  17. A Patient-Assessed Morbidity to Evaluate Outcome in Surgically Treated Vestibular Schwannomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Shudifat, Abdul Rahman; Kahlon, Babar; Höglund, Peter; Lindberg, Sven; Magnusson, Måns; Siesjo, Peter

    2016-10-01

    Outcome after treatment of vestibular schwannomas can be evaluated by health providers as mortality, recurrence, performance, and morbidity. Because mortality and recurrence are rare events, evaluation has to focus on performance and morbidity. The latter has mostly been reported by health providers. In the present study, we validate 2 new scales for patient-assessed performance and morbidity in comparison with different outcome tools, such as quality of life (QOL) (European Quality of Life-5 dimensions [EQ-5D]), facial nerve score, and work capacity. There were 167 total patients in a retrospective (n = 90) and prospective (n = 50) cohort of surgically treated vestibular schwannomas. A new patient-assessed morbidity score (paMS), a patient-assessed Karnofsky score (paKPS), the patient-assessed QOL (EQ-5D) score, work capacity, and the House-Brackmann facial nerve score were used as outcome measures. Analysis of paMS components and their relation to other outcomes was done as uni- and multivariate analysis. All outcome instruments, except EQ-5D and paKPS, showed a significant decrease postoperatively. Only the facial nerve score (House-Brackmann facial nerve score) differed significantly between the retrospective and prospective cohorts. Out of the 16 components of the paMS, hearing dysfunction, tear dysfunction, balance dysfunction, and eye irritation were most often reported. Both paMS and EQ-5D correlated significantly with work capacity. Standard QOL and performance instruments may not be sufficiently sensitive or specific to measure outcome at the cohort level after surgical treatment of vestibular schwannomas. A morbidity score may yield more detailed information on symptoms that can be relevant for rehabilitation and occupational training after surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Output control of da Vinci surgical system's surgical graspers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Paul J; Schmidt, David E; Duvvuri, Umamaheswar

    2014-01-01

    The number of robot-assisted surgeries performed with the da Vinci surgical system has increased significantly over the past decade. The articulating movements of the robotic surgical grasper are controlled by grip controls at the master console. The user interface has been implicated as one contributing factor in surgical grasping errors. The goal of our study was to characterize and evaluate the user interface of the da Vinci surgical system in controlling surgical graspers. An angular manipulator with force sensors was used to increment the grip control angle as grasper output angles were measured. Input force at the grip control was simultaneously measured throughout the range of motion. Pressure film was used to assess the maximum grasping force achievable with the endoscopic grasping tool. The da Vinci robot's grip control angular input has a nonproportional relationship with the grasper instrument output. The grip control mechanism presents an intrinsic resistant force to the surgeon's fingertips and provides no haptic feedback. The da Vinci Maryland graspers are capable of applying up to 5.1 MPa of local pressure. The angular and force input at the grip control of the da Vinci robot's surgical graspers is nonproportional to the grasper instrument's output. Understanding the true relationship of the grip control input to grasper instrument output may help surgeons understand how to better control the surgical graspers and promote fewer grasping errors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. [Croatian guidelines for perioperative enteral nutrition of surgical patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelić, Marko; Bender, Darija Vranesić; Kelecić, Dina Ljubas; Zupan, Zeljko; Cicvarić, Tedi; Maldini, Branka; Durut, Iva; Rahelić, Velimir; Skegro, Mate; Majerović, Mate; Perko, Zdravko; Sustić, Alan; Madzar, Tomislav; Kovacić, Borna; Kekez, Tihomir; Krznarić, Zeljko

    2014-01-01

    Nutritional status of patients significantly affects the outcome of surgical treatment, whether it's about being obese or malnutrition with loss of muscle mass. Inadequate nutritional support in the perioperative period compromises surgical procedures even in patients who are adequately nourished. In this paper, particular attention was paid to malnourished patients, and their incidence in population hospitalized in surgical wards can be high up to 30%. Special emphasis was paid to the appropriateness of preoperative fasting and to the acceptance of new knowledge in this area of treatment. The aim of this working group was to make guidelines for perioperative nutritional support with different modalities of enteral nutrition. The development of these guidelines was attended by representatives of Croatian Medical Association: Croatian Society for Digestive Surgery, Croatian Society for Clinical Nutrition, Croatian Society of Surgery, Croatian Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Croatian Trauma Society and the Croatian Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. The guidelines are designed as a set of questions that arise daily in clinical practice when preparing patients for surgery and after the surgical treatment, which relate to the assessment of nutritional status, perioperative nutritional support, duration of preoperative fasting period and the selection of food intake route. Assessment of nutritional status and the use of different modes of enteral nutrition should enter into standard protocols of diagnosis and treatment in the Croatian hospitals.

  20. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in the assessment of mandibular invasion by squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Influence on surgical management and post-operative course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrow, E S; Boulanger, T; Wojcik, T; Lemaire, A-S; Raoul, G; Julieron, M

    2016-11-01

    Preoperative evaluation of the bone for invasion by oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma remains challenging. The aim of our study was to compare the accuracy of MRI and CT in detecting mandibular invasion by oral squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, with histologic results as the reference standard, and to assess the influence on surgical management and post-operative course. Patients who were clinically suspected of having bone invasion from oral cavity carcinoma were retrospectively included. A single senior radiologist reviewed MRI images and CT-scans, independently, for the presence or absence of mandibular invasion. The different surgical procedures were compared in terms of length of hospital stay and occurrence of surgical complications. Histological mandibular invasion occurred in 9 of 35 patients (25.7%). None of the preoperative imaging tests failed to detect bone invasion which resulted in a sensitivity of 100% for both MRI and CT. CT had slightly higher specificity than MRI (61.9% and 57.1% respectively) in predicting bone invasion, but no statistically significant difference was found (P=0.32). Specificity of CT and MRI was higher in the edentulous group (75% and 625% respectively) than in the dentate group (53.8% both), although no statistically significant difference was found. The length of hospital stay was increased in the segmental resection group (25±14.5 days) compared to the marginal resection group (13±4.6 days; P=0.004) and to the hemimandibulectomy group (15±7.2 days; P=0.014). Occurrence of post-operative complications, across all categories, was increased in the segmental resection group (70%, n=7/10; P=0.006) compared to the marginal resection group (8.3%, n=1/12) and to the hemimandibulectomy group (23.1%, n=3/13; P=0.04). MRI and CT being equivalent in detecting mandibular invasion, we suggest MRI as single imaging technique in the preoperative assessment of oral cavity SCC. Specificity could be increased if combined with

  1. Advanced surgical skills for exposure in trauma: a new surgical skills cadaver course for surgery residents and fellows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhls, Deborah A; Risucci, Donald A; Bowyer, Mark W; Luchette, Fred A

    2013-02-01

    Surgical education is changing owing to workforce and economic demands. Simulation and other technical teaching methods are used to acquire skills transferable to the operating room. Operative management of traumatic injuries has declined, making it difficult to acquire and maintain competence. The ASSET course was developed by the Committee on Trauma's Surgical Skills Committee to fill a surgical skills need in resident and fellow education. Using a human cadaver, standardized rapid exposure of vital structures in the extremities, neck, thorax, abdomen, retroperitoneum, and pelvis is taught. A retrospective analysis of 79 participants in four ASSET courses was performed. Operative experience data were collected, and self-efficacy questionnaires (SEQs) were administered before and after the course. Course evaluations and instructor evaluation data were analyzed. Student's and paired samples t tests as well as analysis of variance and Spearman ρ correlation coefficient analysis were performed using α at p ASSET course would teach new surgical techniques and that learner self-assessed ability would improve. Participants included 27 PGY-4, 20 PGY-5, 24 PGY-6 or PGY-7 and PGY-8 at other levels of training. Self-assessed confidence improved in all body regions (p knowledge rated at 4.8 and learning new techniques at 4.72. A standardized cadaver-based surgical exposures course offered to senior surgical residents adds new surgical skills and improves participant self-assessed ability to perform emergent surgical exposure of vital structures.

  2. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at high risk for surgical complications: summary assessment of the California Technology Assessment Forum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tice, Jeffrey A; Sellke, Frank W; Schaff, Hartzell V

    2014-08-01

    The California Technology Assessment Forum is dedicated to assessment and public reporting of syntheses of available data on medical technologies. In this assessment, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was evaluated for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are at high risk for complications. In this assessment, 5 criteria were used: Regulatory approval, sufficient scientific evidence to allow conclusions on effectiveness, evidence that the technology improves net health outcomes, evidence that the technology is as beneficial as established methods, and availability of the technology outside investigational settings. In this assessment, all 5 criteria were judged to have been met. The primary benefit of TAVR is the ability to treat AS in patients who would otherwise be ineligible for surgical aortic valve replacement. It may also be useful for patients at high surgical risk by potentially reducing periprocedural complications and avoiding the morbidity and recovery from undergoing heart surgery. Potential harms include the need for conversion to an open procedure, perioperative death, myocardial infarction, stroke, bleeding, valve embolization, aortic regurgitation, heart block that requires a permanent pacemaker, renal failure, pulmonary failure, and major vascular complications such as cardiac perforation or arterial dissection. Potential long-term harms include death, stroke, valve failure or clotting, and endocarditis. As highlighted at the February 2012 California Technology Assessment Forum meeting, the dispersion of this technology to new centers across the United States must proceed with careful thought given to training and proctoring multidisciplinary teams to become new centers of excellence. TAVR is a potentially lifesaving procedure that may improve quality of life for patients at high risk for surgical AVR. However, attention needs to be paid to appropriate patient selection, their preoperative evaluation, surgical techniques, and

  3. Assessment of malnutrition in hip fracture patients: effects on surgical delay, hospital stay and mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symeonidis, Panagiotis D; Clark, David

    2006-08-01

    The importance of malnutrition in elderly hip fracture patients has long been recognised. All patients operated upon for a hip fracture over a five-year period were assessed according to two nutritional markers : a) serum albumin levels and b) peripheral blood total lymphocyte count. Patients were subdivided into groups according to the four possible combinations of these results. Outcomes according to four clinical outcome parameters were validated: a) waiting time to operation b) length of hospitalisation, c) in-hospital mortality, and d) one-year postoperative mortality. Significant differences were found between malnourished patients and those with normal laboratory values with regard to surgical delay and one year postoperative mortality. Malnourished patients were also more likely to be hospitalised longer than a month and to die during their hospital stay, but the difference was not significant. The combination of serum albumin level and total lymphocyte count can be used as an independent prognostic factor in hip fracture patients.

  4. Comparison of impact of four surgical methods on surgical outcomes in endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roh, Hyun Cheol; Baek, Sehyun; Lee, Hwa; Chang, Minwook

    2016-06-01

    To evaluate differences in the surgical outcomes of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) according to four different surgical methods. This retrospective study included 222 patients who underwent endoscopic DCR from 2011 to 2013. All patients were assigned to one of four groups according to instruments for incision of nasal mucosa and the formation of mucosal flap: group 1, a sickle knife with mucosal flap; group 2, a sickle knife without mucosal flap; group 3, electrocautery with mucosal flap; and group 4, electrocautery without mucosal flap. The follow up period was at least 6 months. There were 33 eyes in group 1, 44 eyes in group 2, 49 eyes in group 3, and 97 eyes in group 4. There were no significant differences in success rate between groups (P = 0.878). Wound healing time was significantly different between groups (P knife may be more helpful and effective for shortening wound healing time rather than making mucosal flaps in endoscopic DCR. Copyright © 2016 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Comparison of Masticatory and Swallowing Functional Outcomes in Surgically and Prosthetically Rehabilitated Maxillectomy Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreeraj, R; Krishnan, Vinod; V, Manju; Thankappan, Krishnakumar

    This study compared masticatory and swallowing functional outcomes in maxillectomy patients who underwent surgical and prosthetic rehabilitation or prosthetic rehabilitation only following surgical resection. This comparative cross-sectional study involved 20 maxillectomy patients and compared their masticatory and swallowing functions following combined surgical and prosthodontic management vs an exclusively prosthodontic approach. Masticatory performance was measured by an originally modified sieve method using hydrocolloid material, and video fluoroscopic examination was employed for swallowing assessments. Masticatory performance was significantly better in the patient group treated with flaps and removable denture prostheses compared to patients treated with obturator prosthesis alone. Swallowing outcomes were comparable in both groups. Flap reconstruction followed by an obturator prosthesis seems to be a preferable option when planning for functional rehabilitation in maxillectomy patients. Further research is needed to substantiate the functional outcomes noted in this study.

  6. Patient Self-Assessment of Surgical Site Infection is Inaccurate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, Vered; Cohen, Matan J; Benenson, Shmuel; Almogy, Gideon; Brezis, Mayer

    2017-08-01

    Availability of surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance rates challenges clinicians, healthcare administrators and leaders and the public. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate the consequences patient self-assessment strategies have on SSI reporting rates. We performed SSI surveillance among patients undergoing general surgery procedures, including telephone follow-up 30 days after surgery. Additionally we undertook a separate validation study in which we compared patient self-assessments of SSI with surgeon assessment. Finally, we performed a meta-analysis of similar validation studies of patient self-assessment strategies. There were 22/266 in-hospital SSIs diagnosed (8.3%), and additional 16 cases were detected through the 30-day follow-up. In total, the SSI rate was 16.8% (95% CI 10.1-18.5). In the validation survey, we found patient telephone surveillance to have a sensitivity of 66% (95% CI 40-93%) and a specificity of 90% (95% CI 86-94%). The meta-analysis included five additional studies. The overall sensitivity was 83.3% (95% CI 79-88%), and the overall specificity was 97.4% (95% CI 97-98%). Simulation of the meta-analysis results divulged that when the true infection rate is 1%, reported rates would be 4%; a true rate of 50%, the reported rates would be 43%. Patient self-assessment strategies in order to fulfill 30-day SSI surveillance misestimate SSI rates and lead to an erroneous overall appreciation of inter-institutional variation. Self-assessment strategies overestimate SSIs rate of institutions with high-quality performance and underestimate rates of poor performance. We propose such strategies be abandoned. Alternative strategies of patient follow-up strategies should be evaluated in order to provide valid and reliable information regarding institutional performance in preventing patient harm.

  7. CT assessment-based direct surgical resection of part-solid nodules with solid component larger than 5 mm without preoperative biopsy: experience at a single tertiary hospital

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Min [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Asan Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Chang Min; Song, Yong Sub; Kim, Hyungjin; Goo, Jin Mo [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Tae [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Young Sik [Seoul National University Hospital, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-12-15

    To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility of CT assessment-based direct surgical resection of part-solid nodules (PSNs) with solid components > 5 mm without preoperative percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies (PTNBs). From January 2009-December 2014, 85 PSNs with solid components > 5 mm on CT were included. Preoperative PTNBs were performed for 41 PSNs (biopsy group) and CT assessment-based direct resections were performed for 44 PSNs (direct surgery group). Diagnostic accuracy and complication rates of the groups were compared. Pathological results of 83 PSNs excluding two indeterminate nodules included 76 adenocarcinomas (91.6%), two adenocarcinomas in situ (2.4%) and five benign lesions (6.0%). In the biopsy group, the overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma were 78.9% (30/38), 100% (1/1) and 79.5% (31/39), respectively. Pneumothorax and haemoptysis occurred in 11 procedures (26.8%). In the direct surgery group, the respective values for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma were 100% (38/38), 0% (0/6) and 86.4% (38/44), respectively. Seven pneumothoraces (15.9%); no haemoptysis occurred during localization procedures. There were no significant differences in diagnostic accuracy (P = 0.559) between the two groups. CT assessment-based direct resection can be reasonable for PSNs with solid part > 5 mm. (orig.)

  8. CT assessment-based direct surgical resection of part-solid nodules with solid component larger than 5 mm without preoperative biopsy: experience at a single tertiary hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Min; Park, Chang Min; Song, Yong Sub; Kim, Hyungjin; Goo, Jin Mo; Kim, Young Tae; Park, Young Sik

    2017-01-01

    To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility of CT assessment-based direct surgical resection of part-solid nodules (PSNs) with solid components > 5 mm without preoperative percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies (PTNBs). From January 2009-December 2014, 85 PSNs with solid components > 5 mm on CT were included. Preoperative PTNBs were performed for 41 PSNs (biopsy group) and CT assessment-based direct resections were performed for 44 PSNs (direct surgery group). Diagnostic accuracy and complication rates of the groups were compared. Pathological results of 83 PSNs excluding two indeterminate nodules included 76 adenocarcinomas (91.6%), two adenocarcinomas in situ (2.4%) and five benign lesions (6.0%). In the biopsy group, the overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma were 78.9% (30/38), 100% (1/1) and 79.5% (31/39), respectively. Pneumothorax and haemoptysis occurred in 11 procedures (26.8%). In the direct surgery group, the respective values for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma were 100% (38/38), 0% (0/6) and 86.4% (38/44), respectively. Seven pneumothoraces (15.9%); no haemoptysis occurred during localization procedures. There were no significant differences in diagnostic accuracy (P = 0.559) between the two groups. CT assessment-based direct resection can be reasonable for PSNs with solid part > 5 mm. (orig.)

  9. Bladder exstrophy: An overview of the surgical management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veereshwar Bhatnagar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The surgical management of urinary bladder exstrophy is challenging. This paper describes the personal experience in a tertiary care hospital over a period exceeding a quarter of a century. Methods: During the period 1984-2010, 248 patients of the epispadias-exstrophy complex have been treated. The cases of classical bladder exstrophy (n = 210 form the basis of this paper. The stages/procedures used in the surgical reconstruction of bladder exstrophy included bladder closure with anterior abdominal wall reconstruction, bladder neck repair, ureteric reimplantation, epispadias repair and augmentation colocystoplasty in various combinations. Some of these patients had their initial operations done prior to 1984 or in other hospitals. Evaluation methods included, amongst others, clinical evaluation and urodynamic assessment. Eight patients opted out of treatment; 15 patients underwent permanent urinary diversion by either ureterosigmoidostomy or colon conduit. The remaining 187 patients were treated with bladder reconstruction, and of these, 132 patients have had at least one attempt at bladder neck reconstruction with 56 of these patients having undergone an augmentation colocystoplasty. Results: A total of 105 patients had socially acceptable continence: 57 from the bladder neck reconstruction group and 48 from the bladder augmentation group. Further attempts at continence surgery have been offered to the inadequately continent patients. Conclusions: Surgical management of bladder exstrophy demands patience and perseverance. It is possible to provide all patients with socially acceptable continence with bladder neck division and catheterizable continent stoma as the last resort. Urodynamic assessment has emerged as an essential tool in the follow-up evaluation of these patients. Anticholinergic medication with imipramine or oxybutinin is a useful adjunct in the overall management.

  10. Peer video review and feedback improve performance in basic surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughn, Carolyn J; Kim, Edward; O'Sullivan, Patricia; Huang, Emily; Lin, Matthew Y C; Wyles, Susannah; Palmer, Barnard J A; Pierce, Jonathan L; Chern, Hueylan

    2016-02-01

    Incorporation of home-video assessments allows flexibility in feedback but requires faculty time. Peer feedback (PF) may provide additional benefits while avoiding these constraints. Twenty-four surgical interns completed a 12-week skills curriculum with home-video assignments focused on knot tying and suturing. Interns were randomized into 2 groups: PF or faculty feedback (FF). Peers and faculty provided feedback on home videos with checklists, global rating, and comments. Learners' skills were assessed at baseline, during, and at the conclusion of the curriculum. Performance of the 2 groups as rated by experts was compared. FF and PF were compared. Both groups improved from baseline, and the highest rated scores were seen on their home-video assessments. The PF group performed better at the final assessment than the FF group (effect size, .84). When using a checklist, there was no significant difference between scores given by peers and faculty. The PF group performed better at the final assessment, suggesting reviewing and analyzing another's performance may improve one's own performance. With checklists as guidance, peers can serve as raters comparable to faculty. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Standard abdominal wound edge protection with surgical dressings vs coverage with a sterile circular polyethylene drape for prevention of surgical site infections (BaFO: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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    Mihaljevic André L

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Postoperative surgical site infections cause substantial morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, costs and even mortality and remain one of the most frequent surgical complications. Approximately 14% to 30% of all patients undergoing elective open abdominal surgery are affected and methods to reduce surgical site infection rates warrant further investigation and evaluation in randomized controlled trials. Methods/design To investigate whether the application of a circular plastic wound protector reduces the rate of surgical site infections in general and visceral surgical patients that undergo midline or transverse laparotomy by 50%. BaFO is a randomized, controlled, patient-blinded and observer-blinded multicenter clinical trial with two parallel surgical groups. The primary outcome measure will be the rate of surgical site infections within 45 days postoperative assessed according to the definition of the Center for Disease Control. Statistical analysis of the primary endpoint will be based on the intention-to-treat population. The global level of significance is set at 5% (2 sided and sample size (n = 258 per group is determined to assure a power of 80% with a planned interim analysis for the primary endpoint after the inclusion of 340 patients. Discussion The BaFO trial will explore if the rate of surgical site infections can be reduced by a single, simple, inexpensive intervention in patients undergoing open elective abdominal surgery. Its pragmatic design guarantees high external validity and clinical relevance. Trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01181206. Date of registration: 11 August 2010; date of first patient randomized: 8 September 2010

  12. What evidence is there for the use of workplace-based assessment in surgical training?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalhoub, Joseph; Vesey, Alex Thomas; Fitzgerald, James Edward Frankland

    2014-01-01

    Recent years have seen broad changes in postgraduate training with a move toward structured formative and summative evaluation of trainees' competencies using workplace-based assessment (WBA) tools. The fitness for purpose of these instruments in surgery has been much debated. The aim of this study is to explore the evidence underlying the introduction and ongoing use of WBAs in surgical training. A critical literature review was conducted to identify studies evaluating the use of WBAs in postgraduate surgical training. The search was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed for full-text articles in English. Additional critical evaluations of the curriculum relating to WBAs were included. The articles were synthesized in a narrative review. The implementation of WBA requirements in surgical training has occurred despite a relative dearth of direct evidence of their efficacy and benefit. Studies and critical reviews are being regularly undertaken to ensure that supporting evidence is accrued and the drive for improvement and refinement is maintained. It is emerging that WBAs are (contrary to their current nomenclature) formative tools for feedback and hence learning. They can facilitate the progression toward expert practice at the center of the zone of proximal development and the higher levels of Miller's pyramid, but fall short--owing to their focus on competence--of guiding surgical trainees to the higher levels of Maslow's hierarchy. Limited evidence has potentially undermined the introduction of WBAs in surgical training to date. There are misunderstandings regarding their use as either summative or formative educational tools. These shortcomings are an opportunity for further work in examining WBAs in their current or modified form. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The Surgical Safety Checklist and Teamwork Coaching Tools: a study of inter-rater reliability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Lyen C; Conley, Dante; Lipsitz, Stu; Wright, Christopher C; Diller, Thomas W; Edmondson, Lizabeth; Berry, William R; Singer, Sara J

    2014-08-01

    To assess the inter-rater reliability (IRR) of two novel observation tools for measuring surgical safety checklist performance and teamwork. Data surgical safety checklists can promote adherence to standards of care and improve teamwork in the operating room. Their use has been associated with reductions in mortality and other postoperative complications. However, checklist effectiveness depends on how well they are performed. Authors from the Safe Surgery 2015 initiative developed a pair of novel observation tools through literature review, expert consultation and end-user testing. In one South Carolina hospital participating in the initiative, two observers jointly attended 50 surgical cases and independently rated surgical teams using both tools. We used descriptive statistics to measure checklist performance and teamwork at the hospital. We assessed IRR by measuring percent agreement, Cohen's κ, and weighted κ scores. The overall percent agreement and κ between the two observers was 93% and 0.74 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.79), respectively, for the Checklist Coaching Tool and 86% and 0.84 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.90) for the Surgical Teamwork Tool. Percent agreement for individual sections of both tools was 79% or higher. Additionally, κ scores for six of eight sections on the Checklist Coaching Tool and for two of five domains on the Surgical Teamwork Tool achieved the desired 0.7 threshold. However, teamwork scores were high and variation was limited. There were no significant changes in the percent agreement or κ scores between the first 10 and last 10 cases observed. Both tools demonstrated substantial IRR and required limited training to use. These instruments may be used to observe checklist performance and teamwork in the operating room. However, further refinement and calibration of observer expectations, particularly in rating teamwork, could improve the utility of the tools. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already

  14. Orthodontic-orthognathic interventions in orthognathic surgical cases: "Paper surgery" and "model surgery" concepts in surgical orthodontics

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    Narayan H Gandedkar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Thorough planning and execution is the key for successful treatment of dentofacial deformity involving surgical orthodontics. Presurgical planning (paper surgery and model surgery are the most essential prerequisites of orthognathic surgery, and orthodontist is the one who carries out this procedure by evaluating diagnostic aids such as crucial clinical findings and radiographic assessments. However, literature pertaining to step-by-step orthognathic surgical guidelines is limited. Hence, this article makes an attempt to provide an insight and nuances involved in the planning and execution. The diagnostic information revealed from clinical findings and radiographic assessments is integrated in the "paper surgery" to establish "surgical-plan." Furthermore, the "paper surgery" is emulated in "model surgery" such that surgical bite-wafers are created, which aid surgeon to preview the final outcome and make surgical movements that are deemed essential for the desired skeletal and dental outcomes. Skeletal complexities are corrected by performing "paper surgery" and an occlusion is set up during "model surgery" for the fabrication of surgical bite-wafers. Further, orthodontics is carried out for the proper settling and finishing of occlusion. Article describes the nuances involved in the treatment of Class III skeletal deformity individuals treated with orthognathic surgical approach and illustrates orthodontic-orthognathic step-by-step procedures from "treatment planning" to "execution" for successful management of aforementioned dentofacial deformity.

  15. [Nutritional support response in critically ill patients; differences between medical and surgical patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamora Elson, M; Serón Arbeloa, C; Labarta Monzón, L; Garrido Ramírez de Arellano, I; Lander Azcona, A; Marquina Lacueva, M I; López Claver, J C; Escós Orta, J

    2012-01-01

    To assess the nutritional response of a group of critically ill patients, as well as the differences in the response to nutritional support between medical and surgical patients. One-year long retrospective study including critically ill patients on artificial nutrition for 7 days. Throughout the first week, three nutritional biochemical controls were done that included albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, cholesterol, and electrolytes. Other data gathered were: nutritional risk index, age, gender, weight, height, APACHE, delay of onset of nutritional support, access route, predicted and real caloric intake, medical or surgical patient, hospital stay, duration of the central venous catheter, urinary tube, and/or mechanical ventilation, incidence and density of incidence of nosocomial infections. Sixty-three patients were studied, 30 (47%) medical and 33 (53%) surgical/trauma patients, with a usage of EN higher among medical patients (16/30, 53% vs. 5/33, 15%), PN higher among surgical patients (25/33, 76%), and mixed nutrition similar in both groups (5 medical and 3 surgical patients) (p = 0.001). There were no differences between medical and surgical patients regarding: both predicted and real caloric and nitrogenous intake, APACHE, delay of onset of nutrition, phosphorus, magnesium or glucose levels, mortality and incidence of nosocomial infections. There were no differences either in hospital stay or use of mechanical ventilation, although these tended to be lower in surgical patients. The baseline biochemical parameters did not show differences between both groups, although they were worse among surgical patients. These patients presented during the study period steady albumin levels with improvement in the remaining parameters, whereas medical patients showed a decrease in albumin and transferrin levels, steady prealbumin levels, and slightly improvement in cholesterol levels. We have observed higher usage of PN among surgical patients, which showed worse

  16. Music for surgical abortion care study: a randomized controlled pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Justine; Chaplin, William; Amico, Jennifer; Butler, Mark; Ojie, Mary Jane; Hennedy, Dina; Clemow, Lynn

    2012-05-01

    The study objective was to explore the effect of music as an adjunct to local anesthesia on pain and anxiety during first-trimester surgical abortion. Secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction and coping. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot study of 26 women comparing music and local anesthesia to local anesthesia alone. We assessed pain, anxiety and coping with 11-point verbal numerical scales. Patient satisfaction was measured via a 4-point Likert scale. In the music group, we noted a trend toward a faster decline in anxiety postprocedure (p=.065). The music group reported better coping than the control group (mean±S.D., 8.5±2.3 and 6.2±2.8, respectively; pMusic as an adjunct to local anesthesia during surgical abortion is associated with a trend toward less anxiety postprocedure and better coping while maintaining high patient satisfaction. Music does not appear to affect abortion pain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. The challenge of cystine and struvite stone formers: clinical, metabolic and surgical assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaçake, Kleiton G. R.; Marchini, Giovanni S.; Reis, Sabrina; Danilovic, Alexandre; Vicentini, Fábio C.; Torricelli, Fábio C. M.; Srougi, Miguel; Mazzucchi, Eduardo

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the clinical, metabolic, and calculi characteristics of cystine and struvite stone patients after percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL). Material and Methods: Between January/2006-July/2013, 11 cystine stone patients were treated in our clinic. Of those, 3 were excluded due to incomplete follow-up. Eight cystine stone patients (2 with bilateral disease; 10 renal units-RU) were considered for further analysis. A cohort of 8 struvite stone formers (10RU) was matched having the same age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and Guys stone score. Analyzed parameters comprised demographic data, serum/urinary metabolic evaluation and surgical outcomes. Results: Both groups had 6 female patients. Groups were similar in regards to age, gender, BMI, stone burden, and serum creatinine (p=NS). All patients had PCNL as the first surgical treatment modality. Stone free rate (SFR) after the first PCNL tended to be lower (0%) in the cystine compared to the struvite group (40%)(p=0.08). Final SFR after secondary procedures increased to 70% in cystine and 80% in struvite patients (p=1.0); mean number of procedures to achieve stone free status was higher in the first group (3.57 vs. 2.0;p=0.028). Hypocitraturia was found in all patients, but struvite cases presented with lower mean urinary citrate levels (p=0.016). Other common abnormalities were elevated urinary pH (cystine 75% and struvite 62.5%;p=1.0) and low urinary volume (62.5%,37.5%;p=0.63). Conclusion: Multiple interventions and suboptimal stone free rates are trait of the significant stone burden of struvite and cystine patients. Underlying metabolic abnormalities characterized by increased urinary pH, hypocitraturia and low urinary volume are often encountered in both populations. PMID:27622279

  18. Evaluation of distributed practice schedules on retention of a newly acquired surgical skill: a randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Erica L; Lee, Dae Y; Sevdalis, Nick; Partsafas, Aaron W; Landry, Gregory J; Liem, Timothy K; Moneta, Gregory L

    2011-01-01

    practice influences new skill acquisition. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the impact of practice distribution (weekly vs monthly) on complex motor skill (end-side vascular anastomosis) acquisition and 4-month retention. twenty-four surgical interns were randomly assigned to weekly training for 4 weeks or monthly training for 4 months, with equal total training times. Performance was assessed before training, immediately after training, after the completion of distributed training, and 4 months later. there was no statistical difference in surgical skill acquisition and retention between the weekly and monthly scheduled groups, as measured by procedural checklist scores, global rating scores of operative performance, final product analysis, and overall performance or assessment of operative "competence." distributed practice results in improvement and retention of a newly acquired surgical skill independent of weekly or monthly practice schedules. Flexibility in a surgical skills laboratory curriculum is possible without adversely affecting training. 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Study of surgical treatment on neovascular glaucoma

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    Xiao-Nü Liu

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To compare the effect of two surgical methods on neovascular glaucoma(NVG. METHODS: The clinical date of 46 cases(57 eyeswith NVG underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed and followed-up. Patients were divided into Ahmed glaucoma valve(AGVimplantation group(group A, 24 cases, 31 eyesand semiconductor diode laser transscleral ciliary body photocoagulation(TSCPCgroup(group B, 22cases, 26 eyesaccording to the surgical approach. The intraocular pressure, visual acuity and postoperative complications were compared before and after operation. RESULTS: The intraocular pressure postoperative in two groups were significantly lower than those preoperative(P P>0.05. The changes of visual acuity postoperative showed no statistical difference between the two groups(P>0.05. The postoperative complications of group A was significantly lower than that in group B, in which the incidence of eye pain, anterior chamber bleeding were significant differences between two groups(P CONCLUSION: AGV implantation treatment and TSCPC for NVG are both valid, but AGV implantation is filtration surgery, and TSCPC isciliary body destructive surgery, and the latter has higher rate of postoperative complications.

  20. Moderation of Peer Assessment in Group Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bushell, Graeme

    2006-01-01

    It is shown here that a grade distribution scheme commonly used to moderate peer assessments where self assessment is excluded is based on a false premise and will give an erroneous ranking in the situation where the best performer in a student group ranks the second best performer much higher than the other group members. An alternative to…

  1. Implementation of surgical quality improvement: auditing tool for surgical site infection prevention practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hechenbleikner, Elizabeth M; Hobson, Deborah B; Bennett, Jennifer L; Wick, Elizabeth C

    2015-01-01

    Surgical site infections are a potentially preventable patient harm. Emerging evidence suggests that the implementation of evidence-based process measures for infection reduction is highly variable. The purpose of this work was to develop an auditing tool to assess compliance with infection-related process measures and establish a system for identifying and addressing defects in measure implementation. This was a retrospective cohort study using electronic medical records. We used the auditing tool to assess compliance with 10 process measures in a sample of colorectal surgery patients with and without postoperative infections at an academic medical center (January 2012 to March 2013). We investigated 59 patients with surgical site infections and 49 patients without surgical site infections. First, overall compliance rates for the 10 process measures were compared between patients with infection vs patients without infection to assess if compliance was lower among patients with surgical site infections. Then, because of the burden of data collection, the tool was used exclusively to evaluate quarterly compliance rates among patients with infection. The results were reviewed, and the key factors contributing to noncompliance were identified and addressed. Ninety percent of process measures had lower compliance rates among patients with infection. Detailed review of infection cases identified many defects that improved following the implementation of system-level changes: correct cefotetan redosing (education of anesthesia personnel), temperature at surgical incision >36.0°C (flags used to identify patients for preoperative warming), and the use of preoperative mechanical bowel preparation with oral antibiotics (laxative solutions and antibiotics distributed in clinic before surgery). Quarterly compliance improved for 80% of process measures by the end of the study period. This study was conducted on a small surgical cohort within a select subspecialty. The

  2. Quality of Life of Patients with Spinal Metastasis from Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin: A Longitudinal Study of Surgical Management Combined with Postoperative Radiation Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yifei; He, Shaohui; Liu, Tielong; Yang, Xinghai; Zhao, Jian; Yu, Hongyu; Feng, Jiaojiao; Xu, Wei; Xiao, Jianru

    2017-10-04

    Patients with spinal metastasis from cancer of unknown primary origin have limited life expectancy and poor quality of life. Surgery and radiation therapy remain the main treatment options, but, to our knowledge, there are limited data concerning quality-of-life improvement after surgery and radiation therapy and even fewer data on whether surgical intervention would affect quality of life. Patients were enrolled between January 2009 and January 2014 at the Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The quality of life of 2 patient groups (one group that underwent surgery followed by postoperative radiation therapy and one group that underwent radiation therapy only) was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire during a 6-month period. A subgroup analysis of quality of life was performed to compare different surgical strategies in the surgical group. A total of 287 patients, including 191 patients in the group that underwent surgery and 96 patients in the group that underwent radiation therapy only, were enrolled in the prospective study; 177 patients completed all 5 checkpoints and 110 patients had died by the final checkpoint. The surgery group had significantly higher adjusted quality-of-life scores than the radiation therapy group in each domain of the FACT-G questionnaire (all p quality of life in patients with spinal metastasis from cancer of unknown primary origin in the 6-month assessment. In terms of surgical strategies, circumferential decompression seems better than laminectomy alone in quality-of-life improvement. Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

  3. Introduction of a Surgical Navigator in the Perioperative Process Improves Patient Satisfaction

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    Brett G Marshall

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patients who had received surgical services at Bellin Hospital reported anxiety with the surgical flow. This study tested the hypothesis that the introduction of a surgical navigator, someone who guided the patient and their accompanying others throughout the surgical process, would improve patient satisfaction. Methods: Ambulatory surgical patients were randomized to control and study groups. The study group patients were assigned a surgical navigator. Prior to discharge from the hospital, patients were asked to complete a patient satisfaction survey. Results: The study group had significantly higher mean scores (P value ≤ 0.026, top box scores (P value ≤ 0.021, and positive comments. Conclusion: The addition of a surgical navigator to the perioperative process significantly enhanced patient satisfaction in ambulatory surgical patients.

  4. Surgical treatment of gynecomastia: complications and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chun-Chang; Fu, Ju-Peng; Chang, Shun-Cheng; Chen, Tim-Mo; Chen, Shyi-Gen

    2012-11-01

    Gynecomastia is defined as the benign enlargement of the male breast. Multiple surgical options have been used to improve outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze the surgical approaches to the treatment of gynecomastia and their outcomes over a 10-year period. All patients undergoing surgical correction of gynecomastia in our department between 2000 and 2010 were included for retrospective evaluation. The data were analyzed for etiology, stage of gynecomastia, surgical technique, complications, risk factors, and revision rate. The surgical result was evaluated with self-assessment questionnaires. A total of 41 patients with 75 operations were included. Techniques included subcutaneous mastectomy alone or with additional ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) and isolated UAL. The surgical revision rate for all patients was 4.8%. The skin-sparing procedure gave good surgical results in grade IIb and grade III gynecomastia with low revision and complication rates. The self-assessment report revealed a good level of overall satisfaction and improvement in self-confidence (average scores 9.4 and 9.2, respectively, on a 10-point scale). The treatment of gynecomastia requires an individualized approach. Subcutaneous mastectomy combined with UAL could be used as the first choice for surgical treatment of grade II and III gynecomastia.

  5. Prognostic factors derived from recursive partition analysis (RPA) of radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) brain metastases trials applied to surgically resected and irradiated brain metastatic cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agboola, Olusegun; Benoit, Brien; Cross, Peter; Silva, Vasco da; Esche, Bernd; Lesiuk, Howard; Gonsalves, Carol

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: (a) To identify the prognostic factors that determine survival after surgical resection and irradiation of tumors metastatic to brain. (b) To determine if the prognostic factors used in the recursive partition analysis (RPA) of brain metastases cases from Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) studies into three distinct survival classes is applicable to surgically resected and irradiated patients. Method: The medical records of 125 patients who had surgical resection and radiotherapy for brain metastases from 1985 to 1997 were reviewed. The patients' disease and treatment related factors were analyzed to identify factors that independently determine survival after diagnosis of brain metastasis. The patients were also grouped into three classes using the RPA-derived prognostic parameters which are: age, performance status, state of the primary disease, and presence or absence of extracranial metastases. Class 1: patients ≤ 65 years of age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) of ≥70, with controlled primary disease and no extracranial metastases; Class 3: patients with KPS < 70. Patients who do not qualify for Class 1 or 3 are grouped as Class 2. The survival of these patients was determined from the time of diagnosis of brain metastases to the time of death. Results: The median survival of the entire group was 9.5 months. The three classes of patients as grouped had median survivals of 14.8, 9.9, and 6.0 months respectively (p = 0.0002). Age of < 65 years, KPS of ≥ 70, controlled primary disease, absence of extracranial metastases, complete surgical resection of the brain lesion(s) were found to be independent prognostic factors for survival; the total dose of radiation was not. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the patients and disease characteristics have significant impact on the survival of patients with brain metastases treated with a combination of surgical resection and radiotherapy. These parameters could be used in selecting

  6. The sigmoid volvulus: surgical timing and mortality for different clinical types

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    Spizzirri Alessandro

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In western countries intestinal obstruction caused by sigmoid volvulus is rare and its mortality remains significant in patients with late diagnosis. The aim of this work is to assess what is the correct surgical timing and how the prognosis changes for the different clinical types. Methods We realized a retrospective clinical study including all the patients treated for sigmoid volvulus in the Department of General Surgery, St Maria Hospital, Terni, from January 1996 till January 2009. We selected 23 patients and divided them in 2 groups on the basis of the clinical onset: patients with clear clinical signs of obstruction and patients with subocclusive symptoms. We focused on 30-day postoperative mortality in relation to the surgical timing and procedure performed for each group. Results In the obstruction group mortality rate was 44% and it concerned only the patients who had clinical signs and symptoms of peritonitis and that were treated with a sigmoid resection (57%. Conversely none of the patients treated with intestinal derotation and colopexy died. In the subocclusive group mortality was 35% and it increased up to 50% in those patients with a late diagnosis who underwent a sigmoid resection. Conclusions The mortality of patients affected by sigmoid volvulus is related to the disease stage, prompt surgical timing, functional status of the patient and his collaboration with the clinicians in the pre-operative decision making process. Mortality is higher in both obstructed patients with generalized peritonitis and patients affected by subocclusion with late diagnosis and surgical treatment; in both scenarios a Hartmann's procedure is the proper operation to be considered.

  7. Reversible hydronephrosis in the rat: a new surgical technique assessed by radioisotopic measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flam, T.; Venot, A.; Bariety, J.

    1984-01-01

    A new technique for experimental reversible hydronephrosis in the rat was developed. A noninvasive radioisotopic investigation, using Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid, permitted sequential assessment of the separate renal function at different stages of the study. After 1 week of unilateral ureteral obstruction, reversibility was obtained by the removal of the obstructive device. Ten days after the obstruction release, the ipsilateral kidney had returned to 71 per cent of its preligation uptake value. Histological findings demonstrated the reversibility of the surgical obstruction

  8. The efficacy of mobile application use on recall of surgical risks in nasal bone fracture reduction surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Choong Hyeon; Cheon, Ji Seon; Choi, Woo Young; Son, Kyung Min

    2018-03-01

    The number of surgical risks recalled by a patient after surgery can be used as a parameter for assessing how well the patient has understood the informed consent process. No study has investigated the usefulness of a self-developed mobile application in the traditional informed consent process in patients with a nasal bone fracture. This study aimed to investigate whether delivery of information, such as surgical risks, through a mobile application is more effective than delivery of information through only verbal means and a paper. This prospective, randomized study included 60 patients with a nasal bone fracture. The experimental group (n=30) received preoperative explanation with the traditional informed consent process in addition to a mobile application, while the control group (n=30) received preoperative explanation with only the traditional informed consent process. Four weeks after surgery, the number of recalled surgical risks was compared for analysis. The following six surgical risks were explained: pain, bleeding, nasal deformity, numbness, nasal obstruction, and nasal cartilage necrosis. The mean number of recalled surgical risks among all patients was 1.58±0.56. The most frequently recalled surgical risk was nasal deformity in both groups. The mean number of recalled surgical risks was 1.72±0.52 in the experimental group and 1.49±0.57 in the control group. There was a significant association between mobile application use and the mean number of recalled surgical risks ( p =0.047). Age, sex, and the level of education were not significantly associated with the mean number of recalled surgical risks. This study found that a mobile application could contribute to the efficient delivery of information during the informed consent process. With further improvement, it could be used in other plastic surgeries and other surgeries, and such an application can potentially be used for explaining risks as well as delivering other types of information.

  9. Surgical management of gynecomastia: 20 years' experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapid, O; Jolink, F

    2014-03-01

    Gynecomastia, breast hypertrophy in men, is a common finding. The diagnosis is clinical, and ancillary tests may be performed; however, there is no unanimity in the literature about their use or utility. The mainstay of management is conservative, with a minority of patients being operated on. The surgical treatment of gynecomastia is not restricted to one discipline and is performed by plastic, general, and pediatric surgeons. The aim of this study was to assess the experience treating gynecomastia in a university hospital and the practices of the different surgical disciplines in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of gynecomastia; this knowledge could be used for the formulation of guidelines and the allocation of health-care resources. a university medical center. A retrospective cohort study in which all records of patients operated on for gynecomastia over a 20-year period were retrieved. Data were obtained concerning patient demographics, responsible surgical discipline, the workup and etiology found, the surgical technique used, the occurrence of reoperations and revisions, and the use of pathological examination and its results. A total of 179 patients were treated. There was a difference between the patient groups operated on by the different disciplines regarding the indication, the workup, as well as in the operative techniques used. Plastic surgeons performed more bilateral operations than the other disciplines. Surgeons used more radiology and cytology testing. These results most probably represent differences in the population and pathologies treated. This is possibly due to a bias in the referrals by primary care physicians.

  10. Predictive Score Card in Lumbar Disc Herniation: Is It Reflective of Patient Surgical Success after Discectomy?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parisa Azimi

    Full Text Available Does the Finneson-Cooper score reflect the true value of predicting surgical success before discectomy? The aim of this study was to identify reliable predictors for surgical success two year after surgery for patients with LDH. Prospective analysis of 154 patients with LDH who underwent single-level lumbar discectomy was performed. Pre- and post-surgical success was assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI over a 2-year period. The Finneson-Cooper score also was used for evaluation of the clinical results. Using the ODI, surgical success was defined as a 30% (or more improvement on the ODI score from the baseline. The ODI was considered the gold standard in this study. Finally, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power of the Finneson-Cooper score in predicting surgical success were calculated. The mean age of the patients was 49.6 (SD = 9.3 years and 47.4% were male. Significant improvement from the pre- to post-operative ODI scores was observed (P < 0.001. Post-surgical success was 76.0% (n = 117. The patients' rating on surgical success assessments by the ODI discriminated well between sub-groups of patients who differed with respect to the Finneson-Cooper score. Regarding patients' surgical success, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the Finneson-Cooper ratings correlated with success rate. The findings indicated that the Finneson-Cooper score was reflective of surgical success before discectomy.

  11. Proficiency training on a virtual reality robotic surgical skills curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bric, Justin; Connolly, Michael; Kastenmeier, Andrew; Goldblatt, Matthew; Gould, Jon C

    2014-12-01

    The clinical application of robotic surgery is increasing. The skills necessary to perform robotic surgery are unique from those required in open and laparoscopic surgery. A validated laparoscopic surgical skills curriculum (Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery or FLS™) has transformed the way surgeons acquire laparoscopic skills. There is a need for a similar skills training and assessment tool for robotic surgery. Our research group previously developed and validated a robotic training curriculum in a virtual reality (VR) simulator. We hypothesized that novice robotic surgeons could achieve proficiency levels defined by more experienced robotic surgeons on the VR robotic curriculum, and that this would result in improved performance on the actual daVinci Surgical System™. 25 medical students with no prior robotic surgery experience were recruited. Prior to VR training, subjects performed 2 FLS tasks 3 times each (Peg Transfer, Intracorporeal Knot Tying) using the daVinci Surgical System™ docked to a video trainer box. Task performance for the FLS tasks was scored objectively. Subjects then practiced on the VR simulator (daVinci Skills Simulator) until proficiency levels on all 5 tasks were achieved before completing a post-training assessment of the 2 FLS tasks on the daVinci Surgical System™ in the video trainer box. All subjects to complete the study (1 dropped out) reached proficiency levels on all VR tasks in an average of 71 (± 21.7) attempts, accumulating 164.3 (± 55.7) minutes of console training time. There was a significant improvement in performance on the robotic FLS tasks following completion of the VR training curriculum. Novice robotic surgeons are able to attain proficiency levels on a VR simulator. This leads to improved performance in the daVinci surgical platform on simulated tasks. Training to proficiency on a VR robotic surgery simulator is an efficient and viable method for acquiring robotic surgical skills.

  12. Surgical Reconstruction with the Remnant Ligament Improves Joint Position Sense as well as Functional Ankle Instability: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamizato Iwao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Chronic functional instability—characterized by repeated ankle inversion sprains and a subjective sensation of instability—is one of the most common residual disabilities after an inversion sprain. However, whether surgical reconstruction improves sensorimotor control has not been reported to date. The purpose of this study was to assess functional improvement of chronic ankle instability after surgical reconstruction using the remnant ligament. Materials and Methods. We performed 10 cases in the intervention group and 20 healthy individuals as the control group. Before and after surgical reconstruction, we evaluated joint position sense and functional ankle instability by means of a questionnaire. Results and Discussion. There was a statistically significant difference between the control and intervention groups before surgical reconstruction. Three months after surgery in the intervention group, the joint position sense was significantly different from those found preoperatively. Before surgery, the mean score of functional ankle instability in the intervention group was almost twice as low. Three months after surgery, however, the score significantly increased. The results showed that surgical reconstruction using the remnant ligament was effective not only for improving mechanical retensioning but also for ameliorating joint position sense and functional ankle instability.

  13. A Comparative Study of Clear Corneal Phacoemulsification with Rigid IOL Versus SICS; the Preferred Surgical Technique in Low Socio-economic group Patients of Rural Areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devendra, Jaya; Agarwal, Smita; Singh, Pankaj Kumar

    2014-11-01

    Low socio-economic group patients from rural areas often opt for free cataract surgeries offered by charitable organisations. SICS continues to be a time tested technique for cataract removal in such patients. In recent times, camp patients are sometimes treated by clear corneal phacoemulsification with implantation of a rigid IOL, which being more cost effective is often provided for camp patients. This study was undertaken to find out which surgical technique yielded better outcomes and was more suited for high volume camp surgery. To find the better surgical option- phacoemulsification with rigid IOL or SICS, in poor patients from rural areas. A prospective randomised controlled trial of cataract patients operated by two different techniques. One hundred and twelve eyes were selected and were randomly allocated into two groups of 56 eyes each. At completion of the study, data was analysed for 52 eyes operated by clear corneal phacoemulsification and implantation of a rigid IOL, and 56 eyes operated by SICS. Unpaired t-test was used to calculate the p- value. The results were evaluated on the following criteria. The mean post-operative astigmatism at the end of four weeks - was significantly higher in phacoemulsification group as compared to SICS group The BCVA (best corrected visual acuity) at the end of four weeks - was comparable in both groups. Subjective complaints and/ or complications: In phaco group two patients required sutures and seven had striate keratitis , while none in SICS group. Complaint of irritation was similar in both groups. Surgical time- was less for SICS group as compared to phaco group. SICS by virtue of being a faster surgery with more secure wound and significantly less astigmatism is a better option in camp patients from rural areas as compared to phacoemulsification with rigid IOL.

  14. Clinical Usefulness of Oral Supplementation with Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Curcumin Phytosome, and B-Group Vitamins in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Undergoing Surgical Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giorgio Pajardi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the clinical usefulness of oral supplementation with a combination product containing alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins in 180 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS, scheduled to undergo surgical decompression of the median nerve. Patients in Group A (n=60 served as controls and did not receive any treatment either before or after surgery. Patients in Group B (n=60 received oral supplementation twice a day for 3 months both before and after surgery (totaling 6 months of supplementation. Patients in Group C (n=60 received oral supplementation twice a day for 3 months before surgery only. Patients in Group B showed significantly lower nocturnal symptoms scores compared with Group A subjects at both 40 days and 3 months after surgery (both P values <0.05. Moreover, patients in Group B had a significantly lower number of positive Phalen’s tests at 3 months compared with the other study groups (P<0.05. We conclude that oral supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins twice a day both before and after surgery is safe and effective in CTS patients scheduled to undergo surgical decompression of the median nerve.

  15. Assessment of degree of trauma and levator ani muscle contraction function after pelvic floor reconstruction and traditional surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Hua Zhu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the degree of trauma and levator ani muscle contraction function after pelvic floor reconstruction and traditional surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Methods: Patients with III-IV pelvic organ prolapse who received surgical treatment in our hospital between May 2011 and October 2015 were randomly divided into observation group who received vaginal hysterectomy combined with pelvic floor reconstruction and control group who received vaginal hysterectomy combined with colporrhaphy, and then the degree of trauma, urodynamics and levator ani muscle contraction function were compared between two groups of patients. Results: Operating time, intraoperative blood loss as well as serum CRP, IL-1β, TNF-α, Ins, NE and E content were not significantly different between two groups (P>0.05; 2 weeks after operation, maximum bladder volume and QMax of observation group were significantly higher than those of control group, PdetQMax, PdetMax and PVR were significantly lower than those of control group (P0.05, LAT under Valsalva maneuver was significantly more than that of control group while LHS under Valsalva maneuver was significantly less than that of control group (P<0.05. Conclusions: Pelvic floor reconstruction treatment of pelvic organ prolapse has equivalent degree of surgical trauma to traditional surgery, and has better effect on improving the urination function and levator ani muscle contraction function than traditional surgery.

  16. Does smoking affect gingival crevicular fluid LL-37 levels following non-surgical periodontal treatment in chronic periodontitis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Türkoğlu, Oya; Eren, Gülnihal; Emingil, Gülnur; Azarsız, Elif; Kutukculer, Necil; Atilla, Gül

    2016-01-01

    LL-37 contributes to maintaining the balance between health and disease. Smoking is a risk factor for periodontitis that impairs neutrophil functions. The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) LL-37 levels in smoker and non-smoker chronic periodontitis (CP) patients and controls, as well as the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on GCF LL-37 levels. Thirty-one CP patients (16 smokers, 15 non-smokers) and thirty-one controls (16 smokers, 15 non-smokers) were included in the study. CP patients received non-surgical treatment. GCF LL-37 levels and periodontal parameters were assessed at baseline, 1 and 3 months after completion of non-surgical periodontal treatment. GCF LL-37 levels were analyzed by ELISA. No significant difference was observed in GCF LL-37 levels between smoker and non-smoker controls (p>0.05). Smoker CP group had significantly lower GCF LL-37 level than non-smoker CP group at baseline (pnon-smoker CP group at first week, 1 and 3 months after completion of non-surgical periodontal treatment (psmoker CP group (p>0.05). Periodontal parameters were correlated with GCF LL-37 levels in non-smoker CP group (psmoker CP group (p>0.05). GCF LL-37 levels do not seem to be affected from smoking in periodontal health. However, smoking might have a suppressive effect on GCF LL-37 levels in CP. Non-surgical treatment is effective in decreasing GCF LL-37 levels in non-smoker CP patients but not in smokers with CP. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. A software-based tool for video motion tracking in the surgical skills assessment landscape

    OpenAIRE

    Ganni, S.; Botden, Sanne M.B.I.; Chmarra, M.K.; Goossens, R.H.M.; Jakimowicz, J.J.

    2018-01-01

    Background: The use of motion tracking has been proved to provide an objective assessment in surgical skills training. Current systems, however, require the use of additional equipment or specialised laparoscopic instruments and cameras to extract the data. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of using a software-based solution to extract the data. Methods: 6 expert and 23 novice participants performed a basic laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure in the operating room. The...

  18. Surgical treatment of primary gynecomastia in children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Sebastian; Hirsch, Tobias; Hirche, Christoph; Kiefer, Jurij; Kueckelhaus, Maximilian; Germann, Günter; Reichenberger, Matthias A

    2014-06-01

    Idiopathic gynecomastia is a common diagnosis in children and adolescents. Though medical treatments reveal potentially harmful side effects, surgical interventions are performable in numerous techniques. In children and adolescents, only minimal evidence exists. This retrospective study presents our experiences with two common surgical techniques, namely subcutaneous mastectomy and combination with liposuction. This retrospective study included all patients gynecomastia. Height, weight and grade of gynecomastia according to Simon's classification before surgery were reviewed in all patients' files. Additionally, duration of surgery, inpatient stay and postoperative complications were documented. Follow-up examinations were performed with assessment of scar formation, numbness and retraction of the nipple region. Furthermore, patients were asked to report on general satisfaction with surgery (satisfactory/not satisfactory) and esthetic outcome on a numeric scale (1 = good, 6 = bad). 37 patients underwent surgery for verified idiopathic gynecomastia. Grade of gynecomastia was I° in 13.5% (n = 5), II° in 40.5% (n = 15) and III° in 46% (n = 17) of cases. Subcutaneous mastectomy was applied in 11 patients (group I, 30%) and both subcutaneous mastectomy and liposuction in 26 patients (group II, 70.3%). Postoperative complications occurred in two patients. Long-term follow-up was performed in 32 patients after a median of 34 months (range 6-96 months). Hypertrophic scar formation was seen in one patient (3%) and nipple retraction in two patients (5%). Recurrence of gynecomastia occurred in two patients (5%). Patient rating was satisfactory in 9% of cases and esthetic outcome was received with a median of 2.0 (1-5). In comparing both surgical techniques, combination of mastectomy and liposuction revealed better results in every measure except for surgical duration (median 73 vs. 90 min). Surgical correction of gynecomastia remains a purely elective intervention. In

  19. Assessment of bleeding during minor oral surgical procedures and extraction in patients on anticoagulant therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Jimson

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The risk of postoperative hemorrhage from oral surgical procedures has been a concern in the treatment of patients who are receiving long-term anticoagulation therapy. A study undertaken in our institution to address questions about the amount and severity of bleeding associated with minor outpatient oral surgery procedures by assessing bleeding in patients who did not alter their anticoagulant regimen. Subjects and Methods: Eighty-three patients receiving long-term anticoagulant therapy visited Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from May 2010 to October 2011 for extractions and minor oral surgical procedures. Each patient was required to undergo preoperative assessment of prothrombin time (PT and measurement of the international normalized ratio. Fifty-six patients with preoperative PT values within the therapeutic range 3-4 were included in the study. The patients′ age ranged between 30 and 75 years. Application of surgispon was done following the procedure. Extraction of teeth performed with minimal trauma to the surrounding tissues, the socket margins sutured, and sutures removed after 5 days. Results: There was no significant incidence of prolonged or excessive hemorrhage and wound infection and the healing process was normal.

  20. Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) survey for ambulatory surgical centers - Facility

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — A list of ambulatory surgical center ratings for the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) survey....

  1. National survey of surgeons\\' attitudes to laparoscopic surgical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Aim. Laparoscopic surgery forms an integral component of modern surgical practice. The perception exists that laparoscopic training in South Africa has been unplanned and under-resourced. This study set out to assess the opinions of surgeons and surgical trainees with regard to the various facets of laparoscopic surgical ...

  2. Assessment with Oswestry disability index in surgically treated patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis: experience in 96 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasha, Ibrahim Farooq; Qureshi, Muhammad Asad; Farooq, Maheen; Talha, Muhammed; Ahmed, Naveed; Ismail, Junaid

    2015-11-01

    To assess the outcome of surgical treatment in spondylolisthesis of lumbosacral region using Oswestry disability Index. The quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from 2006 to 2013 and comprised surgically treated patients with spondylolisthesis. The patients with degenerative and isthmic types with follow-up of at least two years were included. A performa was designed for each patient and records were kept in a custom-built database. Oswestry disability index was used as the assessment tool and assessment was done pre-operatively, at 1, 3 and 6 months and then at 1 year and 2 years. There were 96 patients with mean pre-op Oswestry disability index score of 81.06% (range 42.22-100, SD ±11.99). L5-S1 was affected in 44 (45.83%) patients, L4-L5 in 30 (31.25%), L4-5-S1 in 7 (7.29%) and multi or high level was found in the rest of the cases. One level was involved in 77 (80.2%), 2 in 11 (11.45%), 3 in 7 (7.29%) and 4 in 1 (1.04%). The slip grade as per Meyerding grades was 1 in 31 (32.29%), II in 39 (40.62%), III in 19 (19.79%), IV in 5 (5.2%) and 2 (2.08%) had spondyloptosis. Mean follow-up was 42 months (range 24-63). Mean Oswestry disability score at 1 month was 38.51% (range 11- 62.22%, SD ±11.75); at 6 months 10.02% (range 0-40%, SD ±6.99); at 1 year 4.62% (range 0-24%, SD ±5.36) and at 2 years 4.21% (range 0-15%, SD ±4.2). Surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis gives excellent long-term result in most patients.

  3. Development and participant assessment of a practical quality improvement educational initiative for surgical residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sellers, Morgan M; Hanson, Kristi; Schuller, Mary; Sherman, Karen; Kelz, Rachel R; Fryer, Jonathan; DaRosa, Debra; Bilimoria, Karl Y

    2013-06-01

    As patient-safety and quality efforts spread throughout health care, the need for physician involvement is critical, yet structured training programs during surgical residency are still uncommon. Our objective was to develop an extended quality-improvement curriculum for surgical residents that included formal didactics and structured practical experience. Surgical trainees completed an 8-hour didactic program in quality-improvement methodology at the start of PGY3. Small teams developed practical quality-improvement projects based on needs identified during clinical experience. With the assistance of the hospital's process-improvement team and surgical faculty, residents worked through their selected projects during the following year. Residents were anonymously surveyed after their participation to assess the experience. During the first 3 years of the program, 17 residents participated, with 100% survey completion. Seven quality-improvement projects were developed, with 57% completing all DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) phases. Initial projects involved issues of clinical efficiency and later projects increasingly focused on clinical care questions. Residents found the experience educationally important (65%) and believed they were well equipped to lead similar initiatives in the future (70%). Based on feedback, the timeline was expanded from 12 to 24 months and changed to start in PGY2. Developing an extended curriculum using both didactic sessions and applied projects to teach residents the theory and implementation of quality improvement is possible and effective. It addresses the ACGME competencies of practice-based improvement and learning and systems-based practice. Our iterative experience during the past 3 years can serve as a guide for other programs. Copyright © 2013 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. SAGES TAVAC safety and effectiveness analysis: da Vinci ® Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuda, Shawn; Oleynikov, Dmitry; Gould, Jon; Azagury, Dan; Sandler, Bryan; Hutter, Matthew; Ross, Sharona; Haas, Eric; Brody, Fred; Satava, Richard

    2015-10-01

    The da Vinci(®) Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is a computer-assisted (robotic) surgical system designed to enable and enhance minimally invasive surgery. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared computer-assisted surgical systems for use by trained physicians in an operating room environment for laparoscopic surgical procedures in general, cardiac, colorectal, gynecologic, head and neck, thoracic and urologic surgical procedures. There are substantial numbers of peer-reviewed papers regarding the da Vinci(®) Surgical System, and a thoughtful assessment of evidence framed by clinical opinion is warranted. The SAGES da Vinci(®) TAVAC sub-committee performed a literature review of the da Vinci(®) Surgical System regarding gastrointestinal surgery. Conclusions by the sub-committee were vetted by the SAGES TAVAC Committee and SAGES Executive Board. Following revisions, the document was evaluated by the TAVAC Committee and Executive Board again for final approval. Several conclusions were drawn based on expert opinion organized by safety, efficacy, and cost for robotic foregut, bariatric, hepatobiliary/pancreatic, colorectal surgery, and single-incision cholecystectomy. Gastrointestinal surgery with the da Vinci(®) Surgical System is safe and comparable, but not superior to standard laparoscopic approaches. Although clinically acceptable, its use may be costly for select gastrointestinal procedures. Current data are limited to the da Vinci(®) Surgical System; further analyses are needed.

  5. Factors related to stability following the surgical correction of skeletal open bite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Goshi; Koh, Myongsun; Fujita, Tadashi; Shirakura, Maya; Ueda, Hiroshi; Tanne, Kazuo

    2014-05-01

    If a skeletal anterior open bite malocclusion is treated by orthognathic surgery directed only at the mandible, the lower jaw is repositioned upward in a counter-clockwise rotation. However, this procedure has a high risk of relapse. In the present study, the key factors associated with post-surgical stability of corrected skeletal anterior open bite malocclusions were investigated. Eighteen orthognathic patients were subjected to cephalometric analysis to assess the dental and skeletal changes following mandibular surgery for the correction of an anterior open bite. The patients were divided into two groups, determined by an increase or decrease in nasion-menton (N-Me) distance as a consequence of surgery. Changes in overbite, the displacements of molars and positional changes in Menton were evaluated immediately before and after surgery and after a minimum of one year post-operatively. The group with a decreased N-Me distance exhibited a significantly greater backward positioning of the mandible. The group with an increased N-Me distance experienced significantly greater dentoalveolar extrusion of the lower molars. A sufficient mandibular backward repositioning is an effective technique in the prevention of open bite relapse. In addition, it is important not to induce molar extrusion during post-surgical orthodontic treatment to preserve stability of the surgical open bite correction.

  6. Deep Neuromuscular Blockade Improves Laparoscopic Surgical Conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosenberg, Jacob; Herring, W Joseph; Blobner, Manfred

    2017-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Sustained deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) during laparoscopic surgery may facilitate optimal surgical conditions. This exploratory study assessed whether deep NMB improves surgical conditions and, in doing so, allows use of lower insufflation pressures during laparoscopic cholecys...

  7. Determining the need for team-based training in delirium management: A needs assessment of surgical healthcare professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sockalingam, Sanjeev; Tehrani, Hedieh; Kacikanis, Anna; Tan, Adrienne; Hawa, Raed; Anderson, Ruthie; Okrainec, Allan; Abbey, Susan

    2015-01-01

    The high incidence of delirium in surgical units is a serious quality concern, given its impact on morbidity and mortality. While successful delirium management depends upon interdisciplinary care, training needs for surgical teams have not been studied. A needs assessment of surgical units was conducted to determine perceived comfort in managing delirium, and interprofessional training needs for team-based care. We administered a survey to 106 General Surgery healthcare professionals (69% response rate) with a focus on attitudes towards delirium and team management. Although most respondents identified delirium as important to patient outcomes, only 61% of healthcare professionals indicated that a team-based approach was always observed in practice. Less than half had a clear understanding of their role in delirium care, while just over half observed team communication of delirium care plans during handover. This is the first observation of clear gaps in perceived team performance in a General Surgery setting.

  8. Impact of GOLD groups of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease on surgical complications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim HJ

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Hyung-Jun Kim,1,2 Jinwoo Lee,1,2 Young Sik Park,1,2 Chang-Hoon Lee,1,2 Sang-Min Lee,1,2 Jae-Joon Yim,1,2 Chul-Gyu Yoo,1,2 Young Whan Kim,1,2 Sung Koo Han,1,2 Sun Mi Choi1,2 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is associated with increased postoperative complications. Recently, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD classified COPD patients into four groups based on spirometry results and the severity of symptoms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of GOLD groups on postoperative complications. Patients and methods: We reviewed the medical records of COPD patients who underwent preoperative spirometry between April and August 2013 at a tertiary hospital in Korea. We divided the patients into GOLD groups according to the results of spirometry and self-administered questionnaires that assessed the symptom severity and exacerbation history. GOLD groups, demographic characteristics, and operative conditions were analyzed. Results: Among a total of 405 COPD patients, 70 (17.3% patients experienced various postoperative complications, including infection, wound, or pulmonary complications. Thoracic surgery, upper abdominal surgery, general anesthesia, large estimated blood loss during surgery, and longer anesthesia time were significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Patients in high-risk group (GOLD groups C or D had an increased risk of postoperative complications compared to those in low-risk group (GOLD groups A or B. Conclusion: COPD patients in GOLD groups representing a high exacerbation risk have an increased risk of postoperative complications compared to those with low risk. Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary

  9. Accomplishments and challenges of surgical simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satava, R M

    2001-03-01

    For nearly a decade, advanced computer technologies have created extraordinary educational tools using three-dimensional (3D) visualization and virtual reality. Pioneering efforts in surgical simulation with these tools have resulted in a first generation of simulators for surgical technical skills. Accomplishments include simulations with 3D models of anatomy for practice of surgical tasks, initial assessment of student performance in technical skills, and awareness by professional societies of potential in surgical education and certification. However, enormous challenges remain, which include improvement of technical fidelity, standardization of accurate metrics for performance evaluation, integration of simulators into a robust educational curriculum, stringent evaluation of simulators for effectiveness and value added to surgical training, determination of simulation application to certification of surgical technical skills, and a business model to implement and disseminate simulation successfully throughout the medical education community. This review looks at the historical progress of surgical simulators, their accomplishments, and the challenges that remain.

  10. [TVT (transvaginal mesh) surgical method for complex resolution of pelvic floor defects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamík, Z

    2006-01-01

    Assessment of the effects of a new surgical method for complex resolution of pelvic floor defects. Case study. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bata Hospital, Zlín. We evaluated the procedures and results of the new TVM (transvaginal mesh) surgical method which we used in a group of 12 patients. Ten patients had vaginal prolapse following vaginal hysterectomy and in two cases there was uterine prolapse and vaginal prolapse. Only in one case there was a small protrusion in the range of 0.5 cm which we resolved by removal of the penetrated section. The resulting anatomic effect was very good in all the cases.

  11. Multimedia educational tools for cognitive surgical skill acquisition in open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shariff, U; Kullar, N; Haray, P N; Dorudi, S; Balasubramanian, S P

    2015-05-01

    Conventional teaching in surgical training programmes is constrained by time and cost, and has room for improvement. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a multimedia educational tool developed for an index colorectal surgical procedure (anterior resection) in teaching and assessment of cognitive skills and to evaluate its acceptability amongst general surgical trainees. Multimedia educational tools in open and laparoscopic anterior resection were developed by filming multiple operations which were edited into procedural steps and substeps and then integrated onto interactive navigational platforms using Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5 10.1. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on general surgical trainees to evaluate the effectiveness of online multimedia in comparison with conventional 'study day' teaching for the acquisition of cognitive skills. All trainees were assessed before and after the study period. Trainees in the multimedia group evaluated the tools by completing a survey. Fifty-nine trainees were randomized but 27% dropped out, leaving 43 trainees randomized to the multimedia group (n = 25) and study day group (n = 18) who were available for analysis. Posttest scores improved significantly in both groups (P multimedia group was not significantly different from the study day group (6.02 ± 5.12 and 5.31 ± 3.42, respectively; P = 0.61). Twenty-five trainees completed the evaluation survey and experienced an improvement in their decision making (67%) and in factual and anatomical knowledge (88%); 96% agreed that the multimedia tool was a useful additional educational resource. Multimedia tools are effective for the acquisition of cognitive skills in colorectal surgery and are well accepted as an educational resource. Colorectal Disease © 2014 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

  12. An approach to grouping species for ecological risk assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hampton, N.L.; VanHorn, R.L.; Morris, R.; Brewer, R.

    1994-01-01

    The ecological risk assessment (ERA) paradigm acknowledges all levels of ecological organization as having potential for defining assessment and measurement endpoints. However, assessment goals and endpoints are generally concentrated at individual species and population levels. As part of a sitewide, screening-level ERA process at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), a ''functional group'' approach was developed to incorporate assessment at a higher level of ecological organization into the risk analysis process. Functional groups demonstrating biological similarity and similar potential for contaminant exposure were developed using taxonomic, trophic and habitat parameters. As defined, all species are potential surrogates for the other members of the same functional group. Measurement endpoint data for several species may be integrated to address the risk to the group as a whole. The functional group concept was applied throughout the problem formulation, analysis, and risk characterization phases of the assessment process. This approach allows the ERA to be focused on risk to the integrity of individual functional groups, which can subsequently be related to guild and community integrity

  13. From theater to the world wide web--a new online era for surgical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Leary, D Peter; Corrigan, Mark A; McHugh, Seamus M; Hill, A D; Redmond, H Paul

    2012-01-01

    Traditionally, surgical education has been confined to operating and lecture theaters. Access to the World Wide Web and services, such as YouTube and iTunes has expanded enormously. Each week throughout Ireland, nonconsultant hospital doctors work hard to create presentations for surgical teaching. Once presented, these valuable presentations are often never used again. We aimed to compile surgical presentations online and establish a new online surgical education tool. We also sought to measure the effect of this educational tool on surgical presentation quality. Surgical presentations from Cork University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital presented between January 2010 and April 2011 were uploaded to http://www.pilgrimshospital.com/presentations. A YouTube channel and iTunes application were created. Web site hits were monitored. Quality of presentations was assessed by 4 independent senior surgical judges using a validated PowerPoint assessment form. Judges were randomly given 6 presentations; 3 presentations were pre-web site setup and 3 were post-web site setup. Once uploading commenced, presenters were informed. A total of 89 presentations have been uploaded to date. This includes 55 cases, 17 journal club, and 17 short bullet presentations. This has been associated with 46,037 web site page views. Establishment of the web site was associated with a significant improvement in the quality of presentations. Mean scores for pre- and post-web site group were 6.2 vs 7.7 out of 9 respectively, p = 0.037. This novel educational tool provides a unique method to enable surgical education become more accessible to trainees, while also improving the overall quality of surgical teaching PowerPoint presentations. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Optimal primary surgical treatment for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elattar, Ahmed; Bryant, Andrew; Winter-Roach, Brett A; Hatem, Mohamed; Naik, Raj

    2011-08-10

    Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer among women. In addition to diagnosis and staging, primary surgery is performed to achieve optimal cytoreduction (surgical efforts aimed at removing the bulk of the tumour) as the amount of residual tumour is one of the most important prognostic factors for survival of women with epithelial ovarian cancer. An optimal outcome of cytoreductive surgery remains a subject of controversy to many practising gynae-oncologists. The Gynaecologic Oncology group (GOG) currently defines 'optimal' as having residual tumour nodules each measuring 1 cm or less in maximum diameter, with complete cytoreduction (microscopic disease) being the ideal surgical outcome. Although the size of residual tumour masses after surgery has been shown to be an important prognostic factor for advanced ovarian cancer, it is unclear whether it is the surgical procedure that is directly responsible for the superior outcome that is associated with less residual disease. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of optimal primary cytoreductive surgery for women with surgically staged advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (stages III and IV).To assess the impact of various residual tumour sizes, over a range between zero and 2 cm, on overall survival. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 3) and the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Review Group Trials Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE (up to August 2010). We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings, reference lists of included studies and contacted experts in the field. Retrospective data on residual disease from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or prospective and retrospective observational studies which included a multivariate analysis of 100 or more adult women with surgically staged advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant platinum

  15. New technologies and surgical innovation: five years of a local health technology assessment program in a surgical department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poulin, Paule; Austen, Lea; Kortbeek, John B; Lafrenière, René

    2012-06-01

    There is pressure for surgical departments to introduce new and innovative health technologies in an evidence-based manner while ensuring that they are safe and effective and can be managed with available resources. A local health technology assessment (HTA) program was developed to systematically integrate research evidence with local operational management information and to make recommendations for subsequent decision by the departmental executive committee about whether and under what conditions the technology will be used. The authors present a retrospective analysis of the outcomes of this program as used by the Department of Surgery & Surgical Services in the Calgary Health Region over a 5-year period from December 2005 to December 2010. Of the 68 technologies requested, 15 applications were incomplete and dropped, 12 were approved, 3 were approved for a single case on an urgent/emergent basis, 21 were approved for "clinical audit" for a restricted number of cases with outcomes review, 14 were approved for research use only, and 3 were referred to additional review bodies. Subsequent outcome reports resulted in at least 5 technologies being dropped for failure to perform. Decisions based on local HTA program recommendations were rarely "yes" or "no." Rather, many technologies were given restricted approval with full approval contingent on satisfying certain conditions such as clinical outcomes review, training protocol development, or funding. Thus, innovation could be supported while ensuring safety and effectiveness. This local HTA program can be adapted to a variety of settings and can help bridge the gap between evidence and practice.

  16. Surgical Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamora-Valdes, Daniel; Taner, Timucin; Nagorney, David M.

    2017-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In select patients, surgical treatment in the form of either resection or transplantation offers a curative option. The aims of this review are to (1) review the current American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases/European Association for the Study of the Liver guidelines on the surgical management of HCC and (2) review the proposed changes to these guidelines and analyze the strength of evidence underlying these proposals. Three authors identified the most relevant publications in the literature on liver resection and transplantation for HCC and analyzed the strength of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) classification. In the United States, the liver allocation system provides priority for liver transplantation to patients with HCC within the Milan criteria. Current evidence suggests that liver transplantation may also be indicated in certain patient groups beyond Milan criteria, such as pediatric patients with large tumor burden or adult patients who are successfully downstaged. Patients with no underlying liver disease may also benefit from liver transplantation if the HCC is unresectable. In patients with no or minimal (compensated) liver disease and solitary HCC ≥2 cm, liver resection is warranted. If liver transplantation is not available or contraindicated, liver resection can be offered to patients with multinodular HCC, provided that the underlying liver disease is not decompensated. Many patients may benefit from surgical strategies adapted to local resources and policies (hepatitis B prevalence, organ availability, etc). Although current low-quality evidence shows better overall survival with aggressive surgical strategies, this approach is limited to select patients. Larger and well-designed prospective studies are needed to better define the benefits and limits of such approach. PMID:28975836

  17. Nerve Surgeons' Assessment of the Role of Eduard Pernkopf's Atlas of Topographic and Applied Human Anatomy in Surgical Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yee, Andrew; Coombs, Demetrius M; Hildebrandt, Sabine; Seidelman, William E; Coert, J Henk; Mackinnon, Susan E

    2018-05-08

    Pernkopf's atlas of Anatomy contains anatomical plates with detailed images of the peripheral nerves. Its use is controversial due to the author's association with the "Third Reich" and the potential depiction of victims of the Holocaust. The ethical implications of using this atlas for informing surgical planning have not been assessed. To (1) assess the role of Pernkopf's atlas in nerve surgeons' current practice and (2) determine whether a proposal for its ethical handling may provide possible guidance for use in surgery and surgical education. Members of American Society for Peripheral Nerve and PASSIO Education (video-based learning platform) were surveyed and 182 responses collected. The survey introduced the historical origin of Pernkopf's atlas, and respondents were asked whether they would use the atlas under specific conditions to serve as a recommendation for its ethical handling. An anatomical plate comparison between Netter's and Pernkopf's atlases was performed to compare anatomical accuracy and surgical utility. Fifty-nine percent of respondents were aware of Pernkopf's atlas, with 13% currently using it. Aware of the historical facts, 69% were comfortable using the atlas, 15% uncomfortable, and 17% undecided. Additional information on conditions for an ethical approach to the use of the atlas led 76% of those "uncomfortable" and "undecided" to becoming "comfortable" with use. While the use of Pernkopf's atlas remains controversial, a proposal detailing conditions for an ethical approach in its use provides new guidance in surgical planning and education.

  18. Impact of Surgical Stroke on the Early and Late Outcomes After Thoracic Aortic Operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okada, Noritaka; Oshima, Hideki; Narita, Yuji; Abe, Tomonobu; Araki, Yoshimori; Mutsuga, Masato; Fujimoto, Kazuro L; Tokuda, Yoshiyuki; Usui, Akihiko

    2015-06-01

    Thoracic aortic operations still remain associated with substantial risks of death and neurologic injury. This study investigated the impact of surgical stroke on the early and late outcomes, focusing on the physical status and quality of life (QOL). From 1986 to 2008, 500 patients (aged 63 ± 13 years) underwent open thoracic aortic repair for root and ascending (31%), arch (39%), extended arch (10%), and descending and thoracoabdominal (19%) aneurysms. Brain protection consisted of retrograde cerebral perfusion (52%), antegrade cerebral perfusion (29%), and simple deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (19%). Surgical stroke was defined as a neurologic deficit persisting more than 72 hours after the operation. QOL was assessed with the Short-Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire 5.9 ± 4.2 years after the operation. Stroke occurred in 10.3% of patients. Hospital mortality was 21% in the stroke group and 2.7% in the nonstroke group (p mental component was similar in both groups (14% vs 14%). Surgical stroke is associated with high hospital mortality and PNDs that decrease late survival and the physical component score of the QOL survey. Copyright © 2015 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Assessment of radiographic factors affecting surgical exposure and orthodontic alignment of impacted canines of the palate: a 15-year retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motamedi, Mohammad Hosein Kalantar; Tabatabaie, Fataneh Alavi; Navi, Fina; Shafeie, Hasan Ali; Fard, Behnam Khosravani; Hayati, Zahra

    2009-06-01

    Impacted canines require a combination of both surgical and orthodontic management. In this study, patients treated for bone-impacted canines of the hard palatal were evaluated to assess which radiographic factors influenced the feasibility to move impacted maxillary permanent canines from the hard palate into the alveolar arch. Eighty patients aged 12 to 24 (average 16 years) were treated surgically and orthodontically to align 146 bone-impacted canines of the hard palate (from 1994 to 2008). Factors such as age, sex, angulation of the canine to the midline (CAM), anomaly of the canine root (RA), overlap of the adjacent lateral incisor root (OALIR), and ratio of root formation (RRF) upon treatment were documented. Radiographic records and demographic data were assessed. The following radiographic measurements of canine position were made from the orthopantomogram (OPG): (1) angulation to the midline, (2) anteroposterior position of the root, (3) overlap of the adjacent incisor. RA or dilaceration was assessed from the OPG, maxillary occlusal (MO), and periapical (PA) radiographs. Whether the impacted canine had responded to surgical exposure and was orthodontically aligned, or surgically removed and discarded was also recorded. The data were analyzed to assess and correlate significance. Eighty patients aged 12 to 24 (19 males and 61 females) with 146 bone-impacted permanent canines of the hard palatal were treated. One hundred and three teeth (70.54%) had responded to surgical exposure and orthodontic alignment within 9 to 12 months. Forty-three impacted canine teeth (29.46%) had to be surgically removed because of ankylosis and no movement after 8 to 9 months using 50 to 60 g of traction force via elastic chains. Data analysis via chi-square and Pearson correlation tests showed that as the CAM increased (> 45 degrees), the canine was more likely to be unresponsive to treatment (P half the root) of the adjacent lateral incisor root (OALIR) via the canine crown

  20. Incorporating simulation into gynecologic surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wohlrab, Kyle; Jelovsek, J Eric; Myers, Deborah

    2017-11-01

    Today's educational environment has made it more difficult to rely on the Halstedian model of "see one, do one, teach one" in gynecologic surgical training. There is decreased surgical volume, but an increased number of surgical modalities. Fortunately, surgical simulation has evolved to fill the educational void. Whether it is through skill generalization or skill transfer, surgical simulation has shifted learning from the operating room back to the classroom. This article explores the principles of surgical education and ways to introduce simulation as an adjunct to residency training. We review high- and low-fidelity surgical simulators, discuss the progression of surgical skills, and provide options for skills competency assessment. Time and money are major hurdles when designing a simulation curriculum, but low-fidelity models, intradepartmental cost sharing, and utilizing local experts for simulation proctoring can aid in developing a simulation program. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Preoperative Nutritional Optimization for Crohn's Disease Patients Can Improve Surgical Outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreznik, Yael; Horesh, Nir; Gutman, Mordechai; Gravetz, Aviad; Amiel, Imri; Jacobi, Harel; Zmora, Oded; Rosin, Danny

    2017-11-01

    Preoperative preparation of patients with Crohn's disease is challenging and there are no specific guidelines regarding nutritional support. The aim of this study was to assess whether preoperative nutritional support influenced the postoperative outcome. A retrospective, cohort study including all Crohn's disease patients who underwent abdominal surgery between 2008 and 2014 was conducted. Patients' characteristics and clinical and surgical data were recorded and analyzed. Eighty-seven patients were included in the study. Thirty-seven patients (42.5%) received preoperative nutritional support (mean albumin level 3.14 vs. 3.5 mg/dL in the non-optimized group; p nutritional status prior to surgery. Preoperative albumin level, after adequate nutritional preparation, was similar between the 2 groups. The 2 groups differ neither in demographic and surgical data, overall post-op complication (p = 0.85), Clavien-Dindo score (p = 0.42), and length of stay (p = 0.1). Readmission rate was higher in the non-optimized group (p = 0.047). Nutritional support can minimize postoperative complications in patients with low albumin levels. Nutritional status should be optimized in order to avoid hazardous complications. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Surgical Site Infection in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butt, U. I.; Khan, A.; Nawaz, A.; Mansoor, R.; Malik, A. A.; Sher, F.; Ayyaz, M.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To compare the frequency of surgical site infections in patients with type II diabetes undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy as compared with non-diabetic patients. Study Design: Cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Unit 2, Services Hospital, Lahore, from May to October 2012. Methodology: Patients were divided into two groups of 60 each, undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Group A comprised non-diabetic patients and group B comprised type II diabetic patients. Patients were followed postoperatively upto one month for the development of SSIs. Proportion of patients with surgical site infections or otherwise was compared between the groups using chi-square test with significance of p < 0.05. Results: In group A, 35 patients were above the age of 40 years. In group B, 38 patients were above the age of 40 years. Four patients in group A developed a surgical site infection. Seven patients in group B developed SSIs (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Presence of diabetes mellitus did not significantly affect the onset of surgical site infection in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. (author)

  3. An Assessment of Clinical Interchangeability of TEG (R) and RoTEM (R) Thromboelastographic Variables in Cardiac Surgical Patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Venema, L.F.; Post, W.J.; Hendriks, H.G.D.; Huet, R.C.G.; de Wolf, J.T.W.; de Vries, A.J.

    BACKGROUND: Bedside thromboelastography is increasingly used, but an assessment of the clinical interchangeability of the 2 major systems, TEG (R) (Hemoscope) and RoTEM (R) (Pentapharm), has not been performed. METHODS: We measured blood samples from 46 cardiac surgical patients after induction of

  4. The professionalism curriculum as a cultural change agent in surgical residency education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hochberg, Mark S; Berman, Russell S; Kalet, Adina L; Zabar, Sondra R; Gillespie, Colleen; Pachter, H Leon

    2012-01-01

    Teaching professionalism effectively to fully engaged residents is a significant challenge. A key question is whether the integration of professionalism into residency education leads to a change in resident culture. The goal of this study was to assess whether professionalism has taken root in the surgical resident culture 3 years after implementing our professionalism curriculum. Evidence was derived from 3 studies: (1) annual self-assessments of the residents' perceived professionalism abilities to perform 20 defined tasks representing core Accrediting Council on Graduate Medical Education professionalism domains, (2) objective metrics of their demonstrated professionalism skills as rated by standardized patients annually using the objective structure clinical examination tool, and (3) a national survey of the Surgical Professionalism and Interpersonal Communications Education Study Group. Study 1: aggregate perceived professionalism among surgical residents shows a statistically significant positive trend over time (P = .016). Improvements were seen in all 6 domains: accountability, ethics, altruism, excellence, patient sensitivity, and respect. Study 2: the cohort of residents followed up over 3 years showed a marked improvement in their professionalism skills as rated by standardized patients using the objective structure clinical examination tool. Study 3: 41 members of the national Surgical Professionalism and Interpersonal Communications Education Study Group rated their residents' skills in admitting mistakes, delivering bad news, communication, interdisciplinary respect, cultural competence, and handling stress. Twenty-nine of the 41 responses rated their residents as "slightly better" or "much better" compared with 5 years ago (P = .001). Thirty-four of the 41 programs characterized their department's leadership view toward professionalism as "much better" compared with 5 years ago. All 3 assessment methods suggest that residents feel increasingly

  5. Impact of a structured surgical curriculum on ophthalmic resident cataract surgery complication rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Gina M; Oetting, Thomas A; Lee, Andrew G; Grignon, Connie; Greenlee, Emily; Johnson, A Tim; Beaver, Hilary A; Carter, Keith

    2009-11-01

    To determine whether institution of a structured surgical curriculum for ophthalmology residents decreased the rate of sentinel surgical complications. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa, USA. A retrospective review was performed of third-year ophthalmic resident quality-assurance surgical outcomes data at a single residency-training site from 1998 to 2008. The primary outcome measure was defined as a sentinel event; that is, a posterior capsule tear (with or without vitreous loss) or vitreous loss (from any cause) occurring during a resident-performed case. The study population was divided into 2 groups. Group 1 comprised surgical cases of residents trained before the surgical curriculum change (academic years 1998 to 2003) and Group 2, surgical cases of residents trained with the enhanced curriculum (academic years 2004 to 2008). Data from 1 year (academic year 2003 to 2004) were excluded because the transition to the enhanced curriculum occurred during that period. The data were analyzed and adjusted for surgical experience. In Group 1 (before institution of surgical curriculum), there were 823 cases with 59 sentinel complications. In Group 2 (after institution of surgical curriculum), there were 1009 cases with 38 sentinel complications. There was a statistically significant reduction in the sentinel complication rate, from 7.17% before the curriculum changes to 3.77% with the enhanced curriculum (P = .001, unpaired 2-tailed t test). Implementation of a structured surgical curriculum resulted in a statistically significant reduction in sentinel event complications, even after adjusting for surgical experience.

  6. Effectiveness of the Thoracic Pedicle Screw Placement Using the Virtual Surgical Training System: A Cadaver Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Yang; Lin, Yanping; Shi, Jiangang; Chen, Huajiang; Yuan, Wen

    2018-03-14

    The virtual simulation surgery has initially exhibited its promising potentials in neurosurgery training. To evaluate effectiveness of the Virtual Surgical Training System (VSTS) on novice residents placing thoracic pedicle screws in a cadaver study. A total of 10 inexperienced residents participated in this study and were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The group using VSTS to learn thoracic pedicle screw fixation was the simulation training (ST) group and the group receiving an introductory teaching session was the control group. Ten fresh adult spine specimens including 6 males and 4 females with a mean age of 58.5 yr (range: 33-72) were collected and randomly allocated to the 2 groups. After exposing anatomic structures of thoracic spine, the bilateral pedicle screw placement of T6-T12 was performed on each cadaver specimen. The postoperative computed tomography scan was performed on each spine specimen, and experienced observers independently reviewed the placement of the pedicle screws to assess the incidence of pedicle breach. The screw penetration rates of the ST group (7.14%) was significantly lower in comparison to the control group (30%, P < .05). Statistically significant difference in acceptable rates of screws also occurred between the ST (100%) and control (92.86%) group (P < .05). In addition, the average screw penetration distance in control group (2.37 mm ± 0.23 mm) was significantly greater than ST group (1.23 mm ± 0.56 mm, P < .05). The virtual reality surgical training of thoracic pedicle screw instrumentation effectively improves surgical performance of novice residents compared to those with traditional teaching method, and can help new beginners to master the surgical technique within shortest period of time.

  7. Surgical therapy in chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neal, C P; Dennison, A R; Garcea, G

    2012-12-01

    Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas which causes chronic pain, as well as exocrine and endocrine failure in the majority of patients, together producing social and domestic upheaval and a very poor quality of life. At least half of patients will require surgical intervention at some stage in their disease, primarily for the treatment of persistent pain. Available data have now confirmed that surgical intervention may produce superior results to conservative and endoscopic treatment. Comprehensive individual patient assessment is crucial to optimal surgical management, however, in order to determine which morphological disease variant (large duct disease, distal stricture with focal disease, expanded head or small duct/minimal change disease) is present in the individual patient, as a wide and differing range of surgical approaches are possible depending upon the specific abnormality within the gland. This review comprehensively assesses the evidence for these differing approaches to surgical intervention in chronic pancreatitis. Surgical drainage procedures should be limited to a small number of patients with a dilated duct and no pancreatic head mass. Similarly, a small population presenting with a focal stricture and tail only disease may be successfully treated by distal pancreatectomy. Long-term results of both of these procedure types are poor, however. More impressive results have been yielded for the surgical treatment of the expanded head, for which a range of surgical options now exist. Evidence from level I studies and a recent meta-analysis suggests that duodenum-preserving resections offer benefits compared to pancreaticoduodenectomy, though the results of the ongoing, multicentre ChroPac trial are awaited to confirm this. Further data are also needed to determine which of the duodenum-preserving procedures provides optimal results. In relation to small duct/minimal change disease total pancreatectomy represents the only

  8. Fontan Surgical Planning: Previous Accomplishments, Current Challenges, and Future Directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trusty, Phillip M; Slesnick, Timothy C; Wei, Zhenglun Alan; Rossignac, Jarek; Kanter, Kirk R; Fogel, Mark A; Yoganathan, Ajit P

    2018-04-01

    The ultimate goal of Fontan surgical planning is to provide additional insights into the clinical decision-making process. In its current state, surgical planning offers an accurate hemodynamic assessment of the pre-operative condition, provides anatomical constraints for potential surgical options, and produces decent post-operative predictions if boundary conditions are similar enough between the pre-operative and post-operative states. Moving forward, validation with post-operative data is a necessary step in order to assess the accuracy of surgical planning and determine which methodological improvements are needed. Future efforts to automate the surgical planning process will reduce the individual expertise needed and encourage use in the clinic by clinicians. As post-operative physiologic predictions improve, Fontan surgical planning will become an more effective tool to accurately model patient-specific hemodynamics.

  9. Standardised metrics for global surgical surveillance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiser, Thomas G; Makary, Martin A; Haynes, Alex B; Dziekan, Gerald; Berry, William R; Gawande, Atul A

    2009-09-26

    Public health surveillance relies on standardised metrics to evaluate disease burden and health system performance. Such metrics have not been developed for surgical services despite increasing volume, substantial cost, and high rates of death and disability associated with surgery. The Safe Surgery Saves Lives initiative of WHO's Patient Safety Programme has developed standardised public health metrics for surgical care that are applicable worldwide. We assembled an international panel of experts to develop and define metrics for measuring the magnitude and effect of surgical care in a population, while taking into account economic feasibility and practicability. This panel recommended six measures for assessing surgical services at a national level: number of operating rooms, number of operations, number of accredited surgeons, number of accredited anaesthesia professionals, day-of-surgery death ratio, and postoperative in-hospital death ratio. We assessed the feasibility of gathering such statistics at eight diverse hospitals in eight countries and incorporated them into the WHO Guidelines for Safe Surgery, in which methods for data collection, analysis, and reporting are outlined.

  10. Provision of general paediatric surgical services in a regional hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Zgraj, O

    2012-01-31

    BACKGROUND: In Ireland, specialist paediatric surgery is carried out in paediatric hospitals in Dublin. General surgeons\\/consultants in other surgical specialities provide paediatric surgical care in regional centres. There has been a failure to train general surgeons with paediatric skills to replace these surgeons upon retirement. AIM: To assess paediatric surgical workload in one regional centre to focus the debate regarding the future provision of general paediatric surgery in Ireland. METHODS: Hospital in-patient enquiry (HIPE) system was used to identify total number of paediatric surgical admissions and procedures. Cases assessed requiring hospital transfer. RESULTS: Of 17,478 surgical patients treated, 2,584 (14.8%) were under 14 years. A total of 2,154 procedures were performed. CONCLUSION: Regional centres without dedicated paediatric surgeons deliver care to large numbers of paediatric patients. The demand for care highlights the need for formal paediatric services\\/appropriate surgical training for general surgical trainees.

  11. [Surgical learning curve for creation of vascular accesses for haemodialysis: value of medico-radio-surgical collaboration].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Glabeke, Emmanuel; Belenfant, Xavier; Barrou, Benoît; Adhemar, Jean-Pierre; Laedrich, Joëlle; Mavel, Marie-Christine; Challier, Emmanuel

    2005-04-01

    Creation of a vascular access (VA) for haemodialysis is a surgical procedure which comprises a failure rate related to the quality of the vessels and the operator's experience. The authors report the first 2 years of a young urologist's experience with this procedure in a local hospital in collaboration with the nephrology team. Patients undergoing creation of VA were divided into 2 chronological groups. The patient's age and gender, the cause of renal failure, the presence of diabetes, clinical examination of the upper limb, preoperative assessment of upper limb vessels, the type of anaesthesia, the operating time and the start of dialysis after the operation, as well as the functional results of the VA at 6 months were studied. Results concerning the patients of the first period were discussed by the operator and the nephrology team. During the first 9 months, 28 patients were operated, corresponding to 36 operations including 32 direct fistulas. Over the following 15 months, 61 patients were operated, with the creation of 63 VAs, including 55 direct fistulas. The failure rate (thrombosis or non-functioning VA) decreased from 32.1% to 11.1% (p=0.07), while the 2 groups were globally comparable. Evaluation of a new surgical procedure shows a number of failures, as for all learning curves. However, it helps to improve the results. Collaboration with nephrologists must comprise a discussion allowing the acceptance of certain failures, as they reflect compliance with a strategy of preservation of the vascular capital and a rational attempt to avoid a non-essential proximal access or bypass graft. The support of a motivated radiology team (preoperative assessment and management of complications) and the assistance of a more experienced operator are essential.

  12. Improving core surgical training in a major trauma centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Daniel L J; Bryson, David J; Ollivere, Ben J; Forward, Daren P

    2016-06-01

    English Major Trauma Centres (MTCs) were established in April 2012. Increased case volume and complexity has influenced trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) core surgical training in these centres. To determine if T&O core surgical training in MTCs meets Joint Committee on Surgical Training (JCST) quality indicators including performance of T&O operative procedures and consultant supervised session attendance. An audit cycle assessing the impact of a weekly departmental core surgical trainee rota. The rota included allocated timetabled sessions that optimised clinical and surgical learning opportunities. Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP) records for T&O core surgical trainees at a single MTC were analysed for 8 months pre and post rota introduction. Outcome measures were electronic surgical logbook evidence of leading T&O operative procedures and consultant validated work-based assessments (WBAs). Nine core surgical trainees completed a 4 month MTC placement pre and post introduction of the core surgical trainee rota. Introduction of core surgical trainee rota significantly increased the mean number of T&O operative procedures led by a core surgical trainee during a 4 month MTC placement from 20.2 to 34.0 (pcore surgical trainee during a 4 month MTC placement was significantly increased (0.3 vs 2.4 [p=0.04]). Those of dynamic hip screw fixation (2.3 vs 3.6) and ankle fracture fixation (0.7 vs 1.6) were not. Introduction of a core surgical trainee rota significantly increased the mean number of consultant validated WBAs completed by a core surgical trainee during a 4 month MTC placement from 1.7 to 6.6 (pcore surgical trainee rota utilising a 'problem-based' model can significantly improve T&O core surgical training in MTCs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Study of Fleet Surgical Teams Readiness Posture in Amphibious Readiness Groups

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Tennyson, Ruby

    2000-01-01

    This thesis describes and evaluates Fleet Surgical Teams (FSTs). It examines how Navy Medicine adapted FSTs to changing support requirements associated with the Total Health Care Support Readiness Requirement (THCSRR...

  14. Study of Serum Magnesium in Surgical Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandip D. Lambe

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: A deficiency of magnesium is of clinical importance in hospitalized patients. The prevalence of hypomagnesaemia is high in critically ill patients. Knowing the important role of magnesium in surgical cases, it is necessary to anticipate and diagnose magnesium deficiency prior to surgery and in the immediate postoperative period to correct it. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse serum magnesium levels in patients undergoing emergency surgical procedures, planned surgical procedures and normal healthy matched controls and to compare the serum magnesium levels in all the three groups. Materials and Methods: The study participants were divided into three groups: i Group I: patients undergoing emergency major surgery ii Group II: patients undergoing planned major surgery iii Group III: normal healthy controls. Serum Magnesium investigation was done by Xylidyl Blue Method using UV-1800/Shimadzu UV-Spectrophotometer. Results: The mean serum Magnesium in control group was found to be 2.16 ± 0.30 mg/dl. In patients undergoing planned surgery, pre-operative serum magnesium was normal (2.16 ± 0.22 mg/dl but decreased significantly on postoperative day 3 (1.63 ± 0.27 mg/dl and day 6 (1.97 ± 0.12 mg/dl and returned to normal level by post-operative day 9 (2.14 ± 0.14 mg/dl compared to controls. In patients undergoing emergency surgery, serum magnesium was decreased pre-operatively (1.90 ± 0.48 mg/dl.Further significant reduction was found at post-operative day 3 (1.38 ± 0.28 mg/dl, day 6 (1.59 ± 0.30 mg/dl and day 9 (1.88 ± 0.46 mg/dl compared to controls. Mean serum Magnesium overall in emergency surgery patients was reduced significantly compared to planned surgery patients. Conclusion: A transient fall in the serum Magnesium as compared to its pre-operative level was seen in every patient undergoing surgical procedure due to surgical stress. In patients undergoing emergency surgical procedure, the decrease was

  15. Para-aortic lymphadenectomy in advanced stage cervical cancer, a protocol for comparing safety, feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of surgical staging versus PET-CT; PALDISC trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tax, Casper; Abbink, Karin; Rovers, Maroeska M; Bekkers, Ruud L M; Zusterzeel, Petra L M

    2018-01-01

    Currently, a PET-CT is used to assess the need for extended field radiotherapy of para-aortic lymph nodes (PALN) in International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB2, IIA2-IVA (locally advanced stage) cervical cancer. A small study established a sensitivity and specificity estimate for PALN metastases of 50% (95% CI; 7-93%) and 83% (95% CI; 52-98%), respectively. Surgical staging of PALN may lead to a higher diagnostic accuracy. However, surgical staging of para-aortic lymph nodes in locally advanced stage cervical cancer is not common practice. Therefore, a phase 2 randomised controlled trial is needed to assess its safety and feasibility. In addition to standard imaging (MRI or CT scan) with PET-CT, 30 adult women with FIGO stage IB2, IIA2-IVA cervical cancer will be randomised to receive either surgical staging or usual PET-CT staging. Administering extended field radiotherapy will be based on lymphadenectomy results for the intervention group and on the PET-CT results for the control group. Follow-up visits at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months will assess health-related quality of life and progression-free survival.Primary safety and feasibility outcomes of surgical staging will be assessed by calculating means with 95% confidence intervals for duration of surgery, number of complications, blood loss, nodal yield after para-aortic lymphadenectomy and treatment delay due to surgical staging. Secondary patient-centred outcomes on quality of life and first year survival will be documented and compared between the two groups. Estimates of sensitivity, specificity and negative and positive predictive values of MRI, PET-CT and surgical staging will be presented with 95% CI.. All analysis will be performed according to the intention to treat principle. This study will assess safety and feasibility, expressed as the number and severity of complications, effect on quality of life and the treatment delay due to surgically staging para-aortic lymph nodes in

  16. Battle of the bots: a comparison of the standard da Vinci and the da Vinci Surgical Skills Simulator in surgical skills acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Kevin; Mosley, Natalie; Tierney, James

    2017-06-01

    Virtual reality simulators are increasingly used to gain robotic surgical skills. This study compared use of the da Vinci Surgical Skills Simulator (dVSSS) to the standard da Vinci (SdV) robot for skills acquisition in a prospective randomized study. Residents from urology, gynecology, and general surgery programs performed three virtual reality tasks (thread the ring, ring rail, and tubes) on the dvSSS. Participants were then randomized to one of the two study groups (dVSSS and SdV). Each participant then practiced on either the dVSSS or the SdV (depending on randomization) for 30 min per week over a 4-week time period. The dVSSS arm was not permitted to practice ring rail (due to no similar practice scenario available for the SdV group). Following 4 weeks of practice, participants performed the same three virtual reality tasks and the results were recorded and compared to baseline. Overall and percent improvement were recorded for all participants from pre-test to post-test. Two-way ANOVA analyses were used to compare the dVSSS and SdV groups and three tasks. Initially, 30 participants were identified and enrolled in the study. Randomization resulted in 15 participants in each arm. During the course of the study, four participants were unable to complete all tasks and practice sessions and were, therefore, excluded. This resulted in a total of 26 participants (15 in the dVSSS group and 11 in the SdV group) who completed the study. Overall total improvement score was found to be 23.23 and 23.48 for the SdV and dVSSS groups, respectively (p = 0.9245). The percent improvement was 60 and 47 % for the SdV and dVSSS groups respectively, which was a statistically significant difference between the two groups and three tasks. Practicing on the standard da Vinci is comparable to practicing on the da Vinci simulator for acquiring robotic surgical skills. In spite of several potential advantages, the dVSSS arm performed no better than the SdV arm in the final

  17. Surgical Masculinization of the Breast: Clinical Classification and Surgical Procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardenas-Camarena, Lazaro; Dorado, Carlos; Guerrero, Maria Teresa; Nava, Rosa

    2017-06-01

    Aesthetic breast area improvements for gynecomastia and gender dysphoria patients who seek a more masculine appearance have increased recently. We present our clinical experience in breast masculinization and a classification for these patients. From July 2003 to May 2014, 68 patients seeking a more masculine thorax underwent surgery. They were divided into five groups depending on three factors: excess fatty tissue, breast tissue, and skin. A specific surgical treatment was assigned according to each group. The surgical treatments included thoracic liposuction, subcutaneous mastectomy, periareolar skin resection in one or two stages, and mastectomy with a nipple areola complex graft. The evaluation was performed 6 months after surgery to determine the degree of satisfaction and presence of complications. Surgery was performed on a total of 68 patients, 45 male and 22 female, with ages ranging from 18 to 49 years, and an average age of 33 years. Liposuction alone was performed on five patients; subcutaneous mastectomy was performed on eight patients; subcutaneous mastectomy combined with liposuction was performed on 27 patients; periareolar skin resection was performed on 11 patients; and mastectomy with NAC free grafts was performed on 16 patients. The surgical procedure satisfied 94% of the patients, with very few complications. All patients who wish to obtain a masculine breast shape should be treated with only one objective regardless patient's gender: to obtain a masculine thorax. We recommend a simple mammary gland classification for determining the best surgical treatment for these patients LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  18. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting vs. surgical bypass in advanced malignant biliary obstruction: cost- effectiveness analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Li Qin; Tang, Cheng Wu; Zheng, Yin Yuan; Feng, Wen Ming; Huang, San Xiong; Bao, Ying

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes and costs between percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting (PTBS) and surgical bypass. We randomly assigned 142 patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction between 2005 and 2010 to receive PTBS or surgical bypass as palliative treatment. PTBS was successfully performed in 70 patients who formed the PTBS group (failed in 7 patients). Sixty five patients underwent surgical bypass treatment. Additional gastrojejunostomy was performed in five patients. The effectiveness of biliary drainage, hospital stay, complications, cost, survival time and mortality were compared. Patients in PTBS group had shorter hospital stay and lower initial and overall expense than the surgical group (pPTBS group was significantly lower than surgical group (3/75 vs. 11/65, p=0.0342). Late complication in PTBS group did not differ significantly from surgical group (9/70 vs. 6/65, p=0.6823). The survival curves in the two groups showed no significant difference (p=0.1032). PTBD is a better palliative treatment than surgical bypass for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction for its high effectiveness of biliary drainage and acceptable expense and complication.

  19. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN INFERTILE PATIENTS

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    Andrej Vogler

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. Endometriosis is nowadays probably the most frequent cause of infertility or subfertility and is revealed in approximately 30–40% of infertile women. The association between fertility and minimal or mild endometriosis remains unclear and controversial. Moderate and severe forms of the disease distort anatomical relations in the minor pelvis, resulting in infertility. The goals of endometriosis treatment are relief of pain symptoms, prevention of the disease progression and fertility improvement. Treatment of stages I and II endometriosis (according to the R-AFS classification may be expectative, medical or surgical. In severely forms of the disease (stage III and IV the method of choice is surgical treatment. Combined medical and surgical treatment is justified only in cases, in which the complete endometriotic tissue removal is not possible or recurrence of pain symptoms occur. Nowadays, laparoscopic surgical treatment is the golden standard being the diagnostic and therapeutic tool during the same procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fertility rate after surgical treatment of different stages of endometriosis.Patients and methods. In prospectively designed study 100 infertile women were included. The only known cause of infertility was endometriosis. In group A there were 51 patients with stage I and II endometriosis, whereas in group B there were 49 patients with stage III and IV of the disease. Endometriosis was diagnosed and treated laparoscopically. Endometriotic implants were removed either with bipolar coagulation or CO2 laser vaporisation, whereas adhesions were sharp or blunt dissected, and endometriomas stripped out of ovaries. Pregnancy rates were calculated for both groups of patients, and statistically compared between the groups.Results. Mean age of patients was 29.25 (SD ± 4.08 years and did not significantly differ between the groups of patients (29.5 years in group A and 29 years in group B. In

  20. Simulation for ward processes of surgical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pucher, Philip H; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

    2013-07-01

    The role of simulation in surgical education, initially confined to technical skills and procedural tasks, increasingly includes training nontechnical skills including communication, crisis management, and teamwork. Research suggests that many preventable adverse events can be attributed to nontechnical error occurring within a ward context. Ward rounds represent the primary point of interaction between patient and physician but take place without formalized training or assessment. The simulated ward should provide an environment in which processes of perioperative care can be performed safely and realistically, allowing multidisciplinary assessment and training of full ward rounds. We review existing literature and describe our experience in setting up our ward simulator. We examine the facilities, equipment, cost, and personnel required for establishing a surgical ward simulator and consider the scenario development, assessment, and feedback tools necessary to integrate it into a surgical curriculum. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. AQUACEL® Ag Surgical Dressing Reduces Surgical Site Infection and Improves Patient Satisfaction in Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng-Chih Kuo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of modern surgical dressings to prevent wound complications and surgical site infection (SSI after minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA is lacking. In a prospective, randomized, controlled study, 240 patients were randomized to receive either AQUACEL Ag Surgical dressing (study group or a standard dressing (control group after MIS-TKA. The primary outcome was wound complication (SSI and blister. The secondary outcomes were wear time and number of dressing changes in the hospital and patient satisfaction (pain, comfort, and ease of use. In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was a significant reduction in the incidence of superficial SSI (0.8%, 95% CI∶ 0.00–2.48 in the study group compared to 8.3% (95% CI∶ 3.32–13.3 in the control group (p=0.01. There were no differences in blister and deep/organ-space SSIs between the two groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that AQUACEL Ag Surgical dressing was an independent risk factor for reduction of SSI (odds ratio: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01–0.58, p=0.01. The study group had longer wear time (5.2±0.7 versus 1.7±0.4 days, p<0.0001 and lower number of dressing changes (1.0±0.2 versus 3.6±1.3 times, p<0.0001. Increased patient satisfaction (p<0.0001 was also noted in the study group. AQUACEL Ag Surgical dressing is an ideal dressing to provide wound care efficacy, patient satisfaction, reduction of SSI, and cost-effectiveness following MIS-TKA.

  2. Group marking and peer assessment during a group poster presentation: the experiences and views of midwifery students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohaja, Magdalena; Dunlea, Margaret; Muldoon, Kathryn

    2013-09-01

    Traditionally, written examination and clinical practice assessments are the main ways of deeming midwifery students fit and competent for practice. Contemporary academics in an effort to engage the students in the learning process have employed alternative teaching and assessment strategies. Among the alternative strategies are group projects after which members of the group are awarded the same grade, and peer assessment. With the purpose of informing the midwifery curricular, we utilised a qualitative descriptive approach to explore midwifery students' experiences and views on the use of group poster presentation for learning and assessment. The participants consisted of a purposive sample of 14 higher diploma midwifery students who were registered in a third level institution in Ireland. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted following the completion of the poster presentation assessment. Permission to undertake the study was obtained from the college ethics committee. In this paper, we focus on the participants' views of group marking and peer assessment which are among the key elements that emerged in this study. While awarding a group mark was overall accepted, peer assessment proved a more contentious issue. Most of the participants found it challenging marking their friends. Reactions to group marks were very much influenced by the group dynamics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A patient group based business planning model for a surgical specialty

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Adan, I.J.B.F.; Vissers, J.M.H.; van den Heuvel, M.N.; Wiersema, K.; Vissers, J.M.H.; Beech, R.

    2005-01-01

    In this contribution we present an approach for a business planning model for a surgical specialty, based on modelling of all patient processes as well as of the dynamics involved in planning and managing resources. An important basis of the model is the description of the processes of all patient

  4. Systematic Review of the Use of 3-Dimensional Printing in Surgical Teaching and Assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langridge, Benjamin; Momin, Sheikh; Coumbe, Ben; Woin, Evelina; Griffin, Michelle; Butler, Peter

    The use of 3-dimensional (3D) printing in medicine has rapidly expanded in recent years as the technology has developed. The potential uses of 3D printing are manifold. This article provides a systematic review of the uses of 3D printing within surgical training and assessment. A structured literature search of the major literature databases was performed in adherence to PRISMA guidelines. Articles that met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were appraised with respect to the key objectives of the review and sources of bias were analysed. Overall, 49 studies were identified for inclusion in the qualitative analysis. Heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures used prohibited meaningful meta-analysis. 3D printing has been used in surgical training across a broad range of specialities but most commonly in neurosurgery and otorhinolaryngology. Both objective and subjective outcome measures have been studied, demonstrating the usage of 3D printed models in training and education. 3D printing has also been used in anatomical education and preoperative planning, demonstrating improved outcomes when compared to traditional educational methods and improved patient outcomes, respectively. 3D printing technology has a broad range of potential applications within surgical education and training. Although the field is still in its relative infancy, several studies have already demonstrated its usage both instead of and in addition to traditional educational methods. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. A Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Mini-surgical Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy With Surgical and Classical Percutaneous Tracheostomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemian, Seyed Mohammad-Reza; Digaleh, Hadi

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Although percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is more accessible and less time-demanding compared with surgical tracheostomy (ST), it has its own limitations. We introduced a modified PDT technique and brought some surgical knowledge to the bedside to overcome some standard percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy relative contraindications. PDT uses a blind route of tracheal access that usually requires perioperational imaging guidance to protect accidental injuries. Moreover, there are contraindications in certain cases, limiting widespread PDT application. Different PDT modifications and devices have been represented to address the problem; however, these approaches are not generally popular among professionals due to limited accessibility and/or other reasons. We prospectively analyzed the double-blinded trial, patient and nurse head evaluating the complications, and collected data from 360 patients who underwent PDT, ST, or our modified mini-surgical PDT (msPDT, Hashemian method). These patients were divided into 2 groups—contraindicated to PDT—and randomization was done for msPDT or PDT in PDT-indicated group and msPDT or ST for PDT-contraindicated patients. The cases were compared in terms of pre and postoperational complications. Data analysis demonstrated that the mean value of procedural time was significantly lower in the msPDT group, either compared with the standard PDT or the ST group. Paratracheal insertion, intraprocedural hypoxemia, and bleeding were also significantly lower in the msPDT group compared with the standard PDT group. Other complications were not significantly different between msPDT and ST patients. The introduced msPDT represented a semiopen incision, other than blinded PDT route of tracheal access that allowed proceduralist to withdraw bronchoscopy and reduced the total time of procedure. Interestingly, the most important improvement was performing msPDT on PDT-contraindicated patients with the complication rate

  6. Ultrasound and MRI predictors of surgical bowel resection in pediatric Crohn disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosenbaum, Daniel G.; Conrad, Maire A.; Kelsen, Judith R.; Biko, David M.; Anupindi, Sudha A.; Ruchelli, Eduardo D.

    2017-01-01

    Imaging predictors for surgery in children with Crohn disease are lacking. To identify imaging features of the terminal ileum on short-interval bowel ultrasound (US) and MR enterography (MRE) in children with Crohn disease requiring surgical bowel resection and those managed by medical therapy alone. This retrospective study evaluated patients 18 years and younger with Crohn disease undergoing short-interval bowel US and MRE (within 2 months of one another), as well as subsequent ileocecectomy or endoscopy within 3 months of imaging. Appearance of the terminal ileum on both modalities was compared between surgical patients and those managed with medical therapy, with the following parameters assessed: bowel wall thickness, mural stratification, vascularity, fibrofatty proliferation, abscess, fistula and stricture on bowel US; bowel wall thickness, T2 ratio, enhancement pattern, mesenteric edema, fibrofatty proliferation, abscess, fistula and stricture on MRE. A two-sided t-test was used to compare means, a Mann-Whitney U analysis was used for non-parametric parameter scores, and a chi-square or two-sided Fisher exact test compared categorical variables. Imaging findings in surgical patients were correlated with location-matched histopathological scores of inflammation and fibrosis using a scoring system adapted from the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn Disease, and a Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to compare inflammation and fibrosis on histopathology. Twenty-two surgical patients (mean age: 16.5 years; male/female: 13/9) and 20 nonsurgical patients (mean age: 14.8; M/F: 8/12) were included in the final analysis. On US, the surgical group demonstrated significantly increased mean bowel wall thickness (6.1 mm vs. 4.7 mm for the nonsurgical group; P = 0.01), loss of mural stratification (odds ratio [OR] = 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-28.4; P = 0.02) and increased fibrofatty proliferation (P = 0.04). On MRE, the surgical group showed

  7. Ultrasound and MRI predictors of surgical bowel resection in pediatric Crohn disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosenbaum, Daniel G. [NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, Division of Pediatric Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Conrad, Maire A.; Kelsen, Judith R. [The Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Biko, David M.; Anupindi, Sudha A. [The Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Radiology, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Ruchelli, Eduardo D. [The Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Anatomic Pathology, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

    2017-01-15

    Imaging predictors for surgery in children with Crohn disease are lacking. To identify imaging features of the terminal ileum on short-interval bowel ultrasound (US) and MR enterography (MRE) in children with Crohn disease requiring surgical bowel resection and those managed by medical therapy alone. This retrospective study evaluated patients 18 years and younger with Crohn disease undergoing short-interval bowel US and MRE (within 2 months of one another), as well as subsequent ileocecectomy or endoscopy within 3 months of imaging. Appearance of the terminal ileum on both modalities was compared between surgical patients and those managed with medical therapy, with the following parameters assessed: bowel wall thickness, mural stratification, vascularity, fibrofatty proliferation, abscess, fistula and stricture on bowel US; bowel wall thickness, T2 ratio, enhancement pattern, mesenteric edema, fibrofatty proliferation, abscess, fistula and stricture on MRE. A two-sided t-test was used to compare means, a Mann-Whitney U analysis was used for non-parametric parameter scores, and a chi-square or two-sided Fisher exact test compared categorical variables. Imaging findings in surgical patients were correlated with location-matched histopathological scores of inflammation and fibrosis using a scoring system adapted from the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn Disease, and a Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to compare inflammation and fibrosis on histopathology. Twenty-two surgical patients (mean age: 16.5 years; male/female: 13/9) and 20 nonsurgical patients (mean age: 14.8; M/F: 8/12) were included in the final analysis. On US, the surgical group demonstrated significantly increased mean bowel wall thickness (6.1 mm vs. 4.7 mm for the nonsurgical group; P = 0.01), loss of mural stratification (odds ratio [OR] = 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-28.4; P = 0.02) and increased fibrofatty proliferation (P = 0.04). On MRE, the surgical group showed

  8. NON-INFLAMMATORY BENIGN BREAST DISEASES (NIBBD: CONFUSING SURGICAL DISORDERS OF BREAST CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somashekhar V. Hiremath

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Benign Breast diseases are of unknown aetiology, they could be inflammatory or non-inflammatory disorders of breast disease. Among these, NIBBD is a most confusing surgical disorder, diagnosis should be made at least after three assessments. AIM  To evaluate the prevalence of NIBBD.  Clinical analysis of NIBBD in women and reproductive age group between 20-40 years.  To prevent radical breast surgery in NIBBD.  To know about benign breast lesions in males excluding gynaecomastia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A clinicopathological study of NIBBD was taken in KIMS Hospital, Hubli, a tertiary care government hospital between June 2014 to June 2015. A total of 56 cases were selected of which 51 cases were submitted for clinicopathological study. RESULTS Increase incidents of fibroadenoma in females, in young age group, is noticed due to early menarche, early marriage, multiparity, fibrocystic diseases involvement at the age of 35 years, usually appear on either side of the breast. Moderate loss of glandular tissue is accelerated and replaced by connective tissue, hence fibrocystic diseases appear at late age group. Gynaecomastia is the only NIBBD, seen unilaterally in males. CONCLUSION NIBBD is more common in childbearing age group i.e. 15 to 45 years of age. Triple assessment is the choice of diagnosis, imaging modality being USG of the breast and mammography in suspected cases of malignancy. Most of the patients require surgical intervention and remodelling of the Breast, according to the volume loss of breast tissue.

  9. Peer-assisted teaching of basic surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preece, Ryan; Dickinson, Emily Clare; Sherif, Mohamed; Ibrahim, Yousef; Ninan, Ann Susan; Aildasani, Laxmi; Ahmed, Sartaj; Smith, Philip

    2015-01-01

    Basic surgical skills training is rarely emphasised in undergraduate medical curricula. However, the provision of skills tutorials requires significant commitment from time-constrained surgical faculty. We aimed to determine how a peer-assisted suturing workshop could enhance surgical skills competency among medical students and enthuse them towards a career in surgery. Senior student tutors delivered two suturing workshops to second- and third- year medical students. Suturing performance was assessed before and after teaching in a 10-min suturing exercise (variables measured included number of sutures completed, suture tension, and inter-suture distance). Following the workshop, students completed a questionnaire assessing the effect of the workshop on their suturing technique and their intention to pursue a surgical career. Thirty-five students attended. Eighty-one percent believed their medical school course provided insufficient basic surgical skills training. The mean number of sutures completed post-teaching increased significantly (p teaching, to ± 2.6 mm post-teaching. All students found the teaching environment to be relaxed, and all felt the workshop helped to improve their suturing technique and confidence; 87% found the peer-taught workshop had increased their desire to undertake a career in surgery. Peer-assisted learning suturing workshops can enhance medical students' competence with surgical skills and inspire them towards a career in surgery. With very little staff faculty contribution, it is a cheap and sustainable way to ensure ongoing undergraduate surgical skills exposure.

  10. Virtual reality 3D echocardiography in the assessment of tricuspid valve function after surgical closure of ventricular septal defect

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    G. Bol-Raap (Goris); A.H.J. Koning (Anton); T.V. Scohy (Thierry); A.D.J. ten Harkel (Arend); F.J. Meijboom (Folkert); A.P. Kappetein (Arie Pieter); P.J. van der Spek (Peter); A.J.J.C. Bogers (Ad)

    2007-01-01

    textabstractBackground. This study was done to investigate the potential additional role of virtual reality, using three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic holograms, in the postoperative assessment of tricuspid valve function after surgical closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD). Methods. 12

  11. Risk of surgical site infection in paediatric herniotomies without any prophylactic antibiotics: A preliminary experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhananjay Vaze

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Different studies underline the use of pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis in clean surgeries like herniotomy and inguinal orchiopexy. But, the meta-analyses do not recommend nor discard the use of prophylactic pre-operative antibiotics. The scarcity of controlled clinical trials in paediatric population further vitiates the matter. This study assessed the difference in the rate of early post-operative wound infection cases in children who received single dose of pre-operative antibiotics and children who did not receive antibiotics after inguinal herniotomy and orchiopexy. Materials and Methods: This randomised prospective study was conducted in Paediatric Surgery department of PGIMER Chandigarh. Out of 251 patients, 112 patients were randomised to the case group and 139 were ascribed to the control group. The patients in control group were given a standard regimen of single dose of intravenous antibiotic at the time of induction followed by 3-4 days of oral antibiotic. Case group patients underwent the surgical procedure in similar manner with no antibiotic either at the time of induction or post-operatively. Results: The incidence of surgical site infection in case group was 3.73 % and that in control group was 2.22%. The observed difference in the incidence of surgical site infection was statistically insignificant (P value = 0.7027. The overall infection rate in case and control group was 2.89%. Conclusions: Our preliminary experience suggests that there is no statistically significant difference in the proportion of early post-operative wound infection between the patients who received single dose of pre-operative antibiotics and the patients who received no antibiotics after inguinal herniotomy and orchiopexy. The risk of surgical site infection in paediatric heriotomies does not increase even if the child′s weight is less than his/her expected weight for age.

  12. Bladder changes after several coverage modalities in the surgically induced model of myelomeningocele in lambs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgos, L; Encinas, J L; García-Cabezas, M Á; Peiró, J L; López-Santamaría, M; Jaureguízar, E

    2014-01-01

    To assess the presence of early bladder abnormalities in a prenatally corrected and uncorrected animal model of Myelomeningocele (MMC). A MMC-like lesion was surgically created in 18 fetal lambs between the 60th and the 80th day of gestation. Eight of them did not undergo fetal repair (group A), three were repaired with an open two-layer closure (group B), three using BioGlue® (groupC) and four fetoscopically (group D). At term, bladders were examined macroscopically and histopathological changes were assessed using H-E and Masson Trichrome. Five animals in group A (5/8, 62%), two in group B (2/3, 66%), one in group C (1/3, 33%) and one in group D (1/4, 25%) survived. Macroscopically bladders in group A were severely dilated and showed thinner walls. Microscopically they showed a thin layer of colagenous tissue (Blue layer. BL) lying immediately subjacent to the urothelium. The muscular layers were thinner. Non compliant pattern with thick wall and low capacity was also found in the non corrected model. Group B and the control showed preservation of muscular layers and absence of BL. Groups C and D presented BL but also preservation of muscular layers. Bladder changes in a surgically-induced model of MMC can be described using histopathological data. Both extremes of bladder changes can be observed in the model. These changes were completely prevented with open fetal surgery and partially with other coverage modalities. Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  13. Communication Skills among Surgical Trainees: Perceptions of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective Communication between the surgeon and the patient is a core clinical skill. The ability to communicate with patients and their family members is very important in the optimum care of the surgical patient. Few studies have assessed communication between surgical trainees and their patients in sub-Saharan Africa.

  14. Exploring Surgeons' Perceptions of the Role of Simulation in Surgical Education: A Needs Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcia Clark

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The last two decades have seen the adoption of simulation-based surgical education in various disciplines. The current study’s goal was to perform a needs assessment using the results to inform future curricular planning and needs of surgeons and learners. Methods: A survey was distributed to 26 surgeon educators and interviews were conducted with 8 of these surgeons.  Analysis of survey results included reliability and descriptive statistics. Interviews were analyzed for thematic content with a constant comparison technique, developing coding and categorization of themes. Results: The survey response rate was 81%. The inter-item reliability, according to Cronbach’s alpha was 0.81 with strongest agreement for statements related to learning new skills, training new residents and the positive impact on patient safety and learning.   There was less strong agreement for maintenance of skills, improving team functioning and reducing teaching in the operating room. Interview results confirmed those themes from the survey and highlighted inconsistencies for identified perceived barriers and a focus on acquisition of skills only.  Interview responses specified concerns with integrating simulation into existing curricula and the need for more evaluation as a robust educational strategy. Conclusion: The findings were summarized in four themes: 1 use of simulation, 2 integration into curriculum, 3 leadership, and 4 understanding gaps in simulation use. This study exemplifies a mixed-methods approach to planning a surgical simulation program through a general needs assessment.

  15. Clinical relevance and effect of surgical wound classification in appendicitis: Retrospective evaluation of wound classification discrepancies between surgeons, Swissnoso-trained infection control nurse, and histology as well as surgical site infection rates by wound class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang-Chan, Anastasija; Gingert, Christian; Angst, Eliane; Hetzer, Franc Heinrich

    2017-07-01

    Surgical wound classification (SWC) is used for risk stratification of surgical site infection (SSI) and serves as the basis for measuring quality of care. The objective was to examine the accuracy and reliability of SWC. This study was purposed to evaluate the discrepancies in SWC as assessed by three groups: surgeons, an infection control nurse, and histopathologic evaluation. The secondary aim was to compare the risk-stratified SSI rates using the different SWC methods for 30 d postoperatively. An analysis was performed of the appendectomies from January 2013 to June 2014 in the Cantonal Hospital of Schaffhausen. SWC was assigned by the operating surgeon at the end of the procedure and retrospectively reviewed by a Swissnoso-trained infection control nurse after reading the operative and pathology report. The level of agreement among the three different SWC assessment groups was determined using kappa statistic. SSI rates were analyzed using a chi-square test. In 246 evaluated cases, the kappa scores for interrater reliability among the SWC assessments across the three groups ranged from 0.05 to 0.2 signifying slight agreement between the groups. SSIs were more frequently associated with trained infection control nurse-assigned SWC than with surgeons based SWC. Our study demonstrated a considerable discordance in the SWC assessments performed by the three groups. Unfortunately, the currently practiced SWC system suffers from ambiguity in definition and/or implementation of these definitions is not clearly stated. This lack of reliability is problematic and may lead to inappropriate comparisons within and between hospitals and surgeons. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Current status of prophylactic surgical treatment for familial adenomatous polyposis in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamadera, Masato; Ueno, Hideki; Kobayashi, Hirotoshi; Konishi, Tsuyoshi; Ishida, Fumio; Yamaguchi, Tatsuro; Hinoi, Takao; Inoue, Yasuhiro; Kanemitsu, Yukihide; Tomita, Naohiro; Ishida, Hideyuki; Sugihara, Kenichi

    2017-06-01

    We conducted this study to clarify the current clinical practice of prophylactic colectomy for patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) in Japan. This retrospective multi-center cohort study involved 23 specialized institutions for colorectal disease in Japan. We analyzed the records of 147 patients who underwent prophylactic surgical treatment between 2000 and 2012. Patients were divided into Group 1 (2000-2006) and Group 2 (2007-2012) based on their date of surgery. Age at the time of prophylactic surgery was 27 and 31 years in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The proportion of attenuated FAP was significantly lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 (1.0 vs. 13 %, respectively). Pathological examination revealed an increased incidence of malignant polyps in the resected specimens from Group 2 patients (10 vs. 23 %, respectively; P = 0.034). Laparoscopic surgery was more frequent in Group 2 than in Group 1 (61 vs. 40 %, respectively). There was no surgical mortality in either group. Prophylactic surgery for FAP results in good short-term surgical outcomes in Japan. The current surgical approach is characterized by limited surgical indications for patients with attenuated FAP, delayed timing of colectomy, and the increasing standardization of laparoscopic surgery.

  17. Reducing surgical levels by paraspinal mapping and diffusion tensor imaging techniques in lumbar spinal stenosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hua-Biao; Wan, Qi; Xu, Qi-Feng; Chen, Yi; Bai, Bo

    2016-04-25

    Correlating symptoms and physical examination findings with surgical levels based on common imaging results is not reliable. In patients who have no concordance between radiological and clinical symptoms, the surgical levels determined by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurogenic examination (NE) may lead to a more extensive surgery and significant complications. We aimed to confirm that whether the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and paraspinal mapping (PM) techniques can further prevent the occurrence of false positives with conventional MRI, distinguish which are clinically relevant from levels of cauda equina and/or nerve root lesions based on MRI, and determine and reduce the decompression levels of lumbar spinal stenosis than MRI + NE, while ensuring or improving surgical outcomes. We compared the data between patients who underwent MRI + (PM or DTI) and patients who underwent conventional MRI + NE to determine levels of decompression for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. Outcome measures were assessed at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. One hundred fourteen patients (59 in the control group, 54 in the experimental group) underwent decompression. The levels of decompression determined by MRI + (PM or DTI) in the experimental group were significantly less than that determined by MRI + NE in the control group (p = 0.000). The surgical time, blood loss, and surgical transfusion were significantly less in the experimental group (p = 0.001, p = 0.011, p = 0.001, respectively). There were no differences in improvement of the visual analog scale back and leg pain (VAS-BP, VAS-LP) scores and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after operation between the experimental and control groups. MRI + (PM or DTI) showed clear benefits in determining decompression levels of lumbar spinal stenosis than MRI + NE. In patients with lumbar spinal

  18. Peer assessment of individual contributions to a group project: Student perceptions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kench, Peter L.; Field, Nikki; Agudera, Maila; Gill, Margo

    2009-01-01

    Group work has many benefits for a student's professional development but it is difficult to determine the individual contributions to the group assessment tasks. Peer assessment of an individual's contribution to group work can be used to encourage student participation. It is important that the method of peer assessment is fair and that the students' submissions be treated confidentially. A model for peer assessment of individual contributions to the group assessment is described. Students who did not participate adequately in the group were penalised resulting in a reduced individual grade. Perceptions of the peer assessment method are reported for students enrolled (n = 169) in the subject 'Medical Radiations Project'. The questionnaire showed a positive student response towards the peer assessment model.

  19. Comparison between transcatheter and surgical closure of secundum atrial septal defect in patients over 40 years old

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Cheng; Zhao Shihua; Jiang Shiliang; Huang Lianjun; Xu Zhongying; Ling Jian; Zheng Hong; Zhang Gejun; Lv Bin; Zhang Yan; Jin Jinglin; Yan Chaowu; Dai Ruping

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) with surgical closure in patients over 40 years old. Methods: A single center, nonrandomized concurrent study was performed in 233 consecutive adults from January, 2004 to December, 2005. The patients were assigned to either the device or surgical closure group according to the patients options. Technical success rate, complications, residual shunt, hospital stay, amount of blood transfusion and cost were compared. Results: A total of 137 patients were in the group undergoing device closure, whereas 96 patients were in the surgical group. There was no differences in age, sex distribution or baseline cardiac function between the two groups. The sizes of the ASD were(18.9±5.4) mm for the device group and (24.9 ± 6.8)mm for the surgical group (P<0.001). The technical success rates were 97.1% for the device group and 100% for the surgical group (P=0.151). The residual shunt rates were 0.7% for the device group and 0% for the surgical group (P=0.583). Mortality was zero for both groups. The complication rates were 16.1% for the device group and 30.2% for the surgical group (P=0.015). The blood transfusion amounts were (273.1 ± 491.5)ml for the surgical group and 0 ml for the device group (P<0.001). The lengths of hospital stay were (4.6 ± 3.3)days for the device group and (12.0 ± 4.0) days for the surgical group (P<0.001). The costs of hospital stay were 39 570.0±5 929.5 RMB for the device group and 29 839.6±7 533.1 RMB for the surgical group (p<0.001). Conclusions: The technical success rates for surgical versus device closure of ASD were of significantly different, however, the complication rate was lower and the length of hospital stay was shorter for device closure than those for surgical repair. Transcatheter closure of secundum ASD is a safe and effective alternative to surgical repair in selected patients. (authors)

  20. Mental practice with interactive 3D visual aids enhances surgical performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yiasemidou, Marina; Glassman, Daniel; Mushtaq, Faisal; Athanasiou, Christos; Williams, Mark-Mon; Jayne, David; Miskovic, Danilo

    2017-10-01

    Evidence suggests that Mental Practice (MP) could be used to finesse surgical skills. However, MP is cognitively demanding and may be dependent on the ability of individuals to produce mental images. In this study, we hypothesised that the provision of interactive 3D visual aids during MP could facilitate surgical skill performance. 20 surgical trainees were case-matched to one of three different preparation methods prior to performing a simulated Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). Two intervention groups underwent a 25-minute MP session; one with interactive 3D visual aids depicting the relevant surgical anatomy (3D-MP group, n = 5) and one without (MP-Only, n = 5). A control group (n = 10) watched a didactic video of a real LC. Scores relating to technical performance and safety were recorded by a surgical simulator. The Control group took longer to complete the procedure relative to the 3D&MP condition (p = .002). The number of movements was also statistically different across groups (p = .001), with the 3D&MP group making fewer movements relative to controls (p = .001). Likewise, the control group moved further in comparison to the 3D&MP condition and the MP-Only condition (p = .004). No reliable differences were observed for safety metrics. These data provide evidence for the potential value of MP in improving performance. Furthermore, they suggest that 3D interactive visual aids during MP could potentially enhance performance, beyond the benefits of MP alone. These findings pave the way for future RCTs on surgical preparation and performance.

  1. [Simulation training in surgical education - application of virtual reality laparoscopic simulators in a surgical skills course].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, K S; Gröne, J; Lauscher, J C; Ritz, J-P; Holmer, C; Pohlen, U; Buhr, H-J

    2012-04-01

    Training and simulation are gaining importance in surgical education. Today, virtual reality surgery simulators provide sophisticated laparoscopic training scenarios and offer detailed assessment methods. This also makes simulators interesting for the application in surgical skills courses. The aim of the current study was to assess the suitability of a virtual surgery simulator for training and assessment in an established surgical training course. The study was conducted during the annual "Practical Course for Visceral Surgery" (Warnemuende, Germany). 36 of 108 course participants were assigned at random for the study. Training was conducted in 15 sessions over 5 days with 4 identical virtual surgery simulators (LapSim) and 2 standardised training tasks. The simulator measured 16 individual parameters and calculated 2 scores. Questionnaires were used to assess the test persons' laparoscopic experience, their training situation and the acceptance of the simulator training. Data were analysed with non-parametric tests. A subgroup analysis for laparoscopic experience was conducted in order to assess the simulator's construct validity and assessment capabilities. Median age was 32 (27 - 41) years; median professional experience was 3 (1 - 11) years. Typical laparoscopic learning curves with initial significant improvements and a subsequent plateau phase were measured over 5 days. The individual training sessions exhibited a rhythmic variability in the training results. A shorter night's sleep led to a marked drop in performance. The participants' different experience levels could clearly be discriminated ( ≤ 20 vs. > 20 laparoscopic operations; p ≤ 0.001). The questionnaire showed that the majority of the participants had limited training opportunities in their hospitals. The simulator training was very well accepted. However, the participants severely misjudged the real costs of the simulators that were used. The learning curve on the

  2. American College of Surgeons/Association for Surgical Education medical student simulation-based surgical skills curriculum needs assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glass, Charity C; Acton, Robert D; Blair, Patrice G; Campbell, Andre R; Deutsch, Ellen S; Jones, Daniel B; Liscum, Kathleen R; Sachdeva, Ajit K; Scott, Daniel J; Yang, Stephen C

    2014-02-01

    Simulation can enhance learning effectiveness, efficiency, and patient safety and is engaging for learners. A survey was conducted of surgical clerkship directors nationally and medical students at 5 medical schools to rank and stratify simulation-based educational topics. Students applying to surgery were compared with others using Wilcoxon's rank-sum tests. Seventy-three of 163 clerkship directors (45%) and 231 of 872 students (26.5%) completed the survey. Of students, 28.6% were applying for surgical residency training. Clerkship directors and students generally agreed on the importance and timing of specific educational topics. Clerkship directors tended to rank basic skills, such as examination skills, higher than medical students. Students ranked procedural skills, such as lumbar puncture, more highly than clerkship directors. Surgery clerkship directors and 4th-year medical students agree substantially about the content of a simulation-based curriculum, although 4th-year medical students recommended that some topics be taught earlier than the clerkship directors recommended. Students planning to apply to surgical residencies did not differ significantly in their scoring from students pursuing nonsurgical specialties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The impact of a surgical boot camp on early acquisition of technical and nontechnical skills by novice surgical trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heskin, Leonie; Mansour, Ehab; Lane, Brian; Kavanagh, Dara; Dicker, Pat; Ryan, Donncha; Gildea-Byrne, Kate; Pawlikowska, Teresa; Tierney, Sean; Traynor, Oscar

    2015-09-01

    Acquisition of skills early in surgical training represents a significant challenge at present because of training time constraints. The aim of this study was to investigate if an intensive surgical boot camp was effective in transferring skills at the beginning of a surgical training program. New core surgical trainees (n = 58) took part in a 5-day boot camp. There were pretest and posttest assessments of knowledge, technical skills, and confidence levels. The boot camp used simulation and senior surgical faculty to teach a defined range of technical and nontechnical skills. The scores for knowledge (53.8% vs 68.4%, P technical skills (35.9% to 60.6% vs 50.6% to 78.2%, P Skills improvements were still present a year later. The 5-day surgical boot camp proved to be an effective way to rapidly acquire surgical knowledge and skills while increasing the confidence levels of trainees. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Tailor-made Surgical Guide Reduces Incidence of Outliers of Cup Placement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hananouchi, Takehito; Saito, Masanobu; Koyama, Tsuyoshi; Sugano, Nobuhiko; Yoshikawa, Hideki

    2010-04-01

    Malalignment of the cup in total hip arthroplasty (THA) increases the risks of postoperative complications such as neck cup impingement, dislocation, and wear. We asked whether a tailor-made surgical guide based on CT images would reduce the incidence of outliers beyond 10 degrees from preoperatively planned alignment of the cup compared with those without the surgical guide. We prospectively followed 38 patients (38 hips, Group 1) having primary THA with the conventional technique and 31 patients (31 hips, Group 2) using the surgical guide. We designed the guide for Group 2 based on CT images and fixed it to the acetabular edge with a Kirschner wire to indicate the planned cup direction. Postoperative CT images showed the guide reduced the number of outliers compared with the conventional method (Group 1, 23.7%; Group 2, 0%). The surgical guide provided more reliable cup insertion compared with conventional techniques. Level II, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

  5. Herbal medications for surgical patients: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arruda, Ana Paula Nappi; Ayala, Ana Patricia; Lopes, Luciane C; Bergamaschi, Cristiane C; Guimarães, Caio; Grossi, Mariana Del; Righesso, Leonardo A R; Agarwal, Arnav; El Dib, Regina

    2017-07-26

    Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) affect approximately 80% of surgical patients and is associated with increased length of hospital stay and systemic costs. Preoperative and postoperative pain, anxiety and depression are also commonly reported. Recent evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness has not been synthesised. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of herbal medications for the treatment and prevention of anxiety, depression, pain and PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic, obstetrical/gynaecological and cardiovascular surgical procedures. The following electronic databases will be searched up to 1 October 2016 without language or publication status restrictions: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and LILACS. Randomised clinical trials enrolling adult surgical patients undergoing laparoscopic, obstetrical/gynaecological and cardiovascular surgeries and managed with herbal medication versus a control group (placebo, no intervention or active control) prophylactically or therapeutically will be considered eligible. Outcomes of interest will include the following: anxiety, depression, pain, nausea and vomiting. A team of reviewers will complete title and abstract screening and full-text screening for identified hits independently and in duplicate. Data extraction, risk of bias assessments and evaluation of the overall quality of evidence for each relevant outcome reported will be conducted independently and in duplicate using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation classification system. Dichotomous data will be summarised as risk ratios; continuous data will be summarised as standard average differences with 95% CIs. This is one of the first efforts to systematically summarise existing evidence evaluating the use of herbal medications in laparoscopic, obstetrical/gynaecological and cardiovascular surgical patients. The findings of this review will be disseminated

  6. An Observational Assessment of Anesthesia Capacity in Madagascar as a Prerequisite to the Development of a National Surgical Plan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, Linden S; Ravelojaona, Vaonandianina A; Rakotoarison, Hasiniaina N; Herbert, Alison; Bruno, Emily; Close, Kristin L; Andean, Vanessa; Andriamanjato, Hery H; Shrime, Mark G; White, Michelle C

    2017-06-01

    The global lack of anesthesia capacity is well described, but country-specific data are needed to provide country-specific solutions. We aimed to assess anesthesia capacity in Madagascar as part of the development of a Ministry of Health national surgical plan. As part of a nationwide surgical safety quality improvement project, we surveyed 19 of 22 regional hospitals, representing surgical facilities caring for 75% of the total population. The assessment was divided into 3 areas: anesthesia workforce density, infrastructure and equipment, and medications. Data were obtained by semistructured interviews with Ministry of Health officials, hospital directors, technical directors, statisticians, pharmacists, and anesthesia providers and through on-site observations. Interview questions were adapted from the World Health Organization Situational Analysis Tool and the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists International Standards for Safe Practice of Anaesthesia. Additional data on workforce density were collected from the 3 remaining regions so that workforce density data are representative of all 22 regions. Anesthesia physician workforce density is 0.26 per 100,000 population and 0.19 per 100,000 outside of the capital region. Less than 50% of hospitals surveyed reported having a reliable electricity and oxygen supply. The majority of anesthesia providers work without pulse oximetry (52%) or a functioning vaporizer (52%). All the hospitals surveyed had very basic pediatric supplies, and none had a pediatric pulse oximetry probe. Ketamine is universally available but more than 50% of hospitals lack access to opioids. None of the 19 regional hospitals surveyed was able to completely meet the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists' standards for monitoring. Improving anesthesia care is complex. Capacity assessment is a first step that would enable progress to be tracked against specific targets. In Madagascar, scale-up of the anesthesia

  7. What have we learned from reporting safety incidents in the Surgical Block?: Cross-sectional descriptive study of two-years of activity of a multidisciplinary analytical group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caba Barrientos, F; Rodríguez Morillo, A; Galisteo Domínguez, R; Del Nozal Nalda, M; Almeida González, C V; Echevarría Moreno, M

    2018-05-01

    Incident Reporting Systems (IRS) are considered a tool that facilitates learning and safety culture. Using the experience gained with SENSAR, we evaluated the feasibility and the activity of a multidisciplinary group analyzing incidents in the surgical patient notified to a general community system, that of the Observatory for Patient Safety (OPS). Cross-sectional observational study planned for two years. After training in the analysis, a multidisciplinary group was created in terms of specialties and professional categories, which would analyze the incidents in the surgical patient notified to the OPS. Incidents are classified and their circumstances analyzed. Between March 2015 and 2017, 95 incidents were reported (4 by non-professionals). Doctors reported more than nurses, at 54 (56.84%) vs. 37 (38.94%). The anaesthesia unit reported most at 46 (48.42%) (P=.025). The types of incidents mainly related to the care procedure (30.52%); to the preoperative period (42.10%); and to the place, the surgical area (48.42%). Significant differences were detected according to the origin of the notifier (P=.03). No harm, or minor morbidity, constituted 88% of the incidents. Errors were identified in 79%. The analysis of the incidents directed the measures to be taken. The activity undertaken by the multidisciplinary analytical group during the period of study facilitated knowledge of the system among the professionals and enabled the identification of areas for improvement in the Surgical Block at different levels. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  8. Can skills assessment on a virtual reality trainer predict a surgical trainee's talent in laparoscopic surgery?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenthal, R; Gantert, W A; Scheidegger, D; Oertli, D

    2006-08-01

    A number of studies have investigated several aspects of feasibility and validity of performance assessments with virtual reality surgical simulators. However, the validity of performance assessments is limited by the reliability of such measurements, and some issues of reliability still need to be addressed. This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that test subjects show logarithmic performance curves on repetitive trials for a component task of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a virtual reality simulator, and that interindividual differences in performance after considerable training are significant. According to kinesiologic theory, logarithmic performance curves are expected and an individual's learning capacity for a specific task can be extrapolated, allowing quantification of a person's innate ability to develop task-specific skills. In this study, 20 medical students at the University of Basel Medical School performed five trials of a standardized task on the LS 500 virtual reality simulator for laparoscopic surgery. Task completion time, number of errors, economy of instrument movements, and maximum speed of instrument movements were measured. The hypothesis was confirmed by the fact that the performance curves for some of the simulator measurements were very close to logarithmic curves, and there were significant interindividual differences in performance at the end of the repetitive trials. Assessment of perceptual motor skills and the innate ability of an individual with no prior experience in laparoscopic surgery to develop such skills using the LS 500 VR surgical simulator is feasible and reliable.

  9. A quantitative assessment of the efficacy of surgical and N95 masks to filter influenza virus in patients with acute influenza infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, D F; Druce, J D; Birch, C; Grayson, M L

    2009-07-15

    We assessed the in vivo efficacy of surgical and N95 (respirator) masks to filter reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-detectable virus when worn correctly by patients with laboratory-confirmed acute influenza. Of 26 patients with a clinical diagnosis of influenza, 19 had the diagnosis confirmed by RT-PCR, and 9 went on to complete the study. Surgical and N95 masks were equally effective in preventing the spread of PCR-detectable influenza.

  10. Surgical simulation in orthopaedic skills training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atesok, Kivanc; Mabrey, Jay D; Jazrawi, Laith M; Egol, Kenneth A

    2012-07-01

    Mastering rapidly evolving orthopaedic surgical techniques requires a lengthy period of training. Current work-hour restrictions and cost pressures force trainees to face the challenge of acquiring more complex surgical skills in a shorter amount of time. As a result, alternative methods to improve the surgical skills of orthopaedic trainees outside the operating room have been developed. These methods include hands-on training in a laboratory setting using synthetic bones or cadaver models as well as software tools and computerized simulators that enable trainees to plan and simulate orthopaedic operations in a three-dimensional virtual environment. Laboratory-based training offers potential benefits in the development of basic surgical skills, such as using surgical tools and implants appropriately, achieving competency in procedures that have a steep learning curve, and assessing already acquired skills while minimizing concerns for patient safety, operating room time, and financial constraints. Current evidence supporting the educational advantages of surgical simulation in orthopaedic skills training is limited. Despite this, positive effects on the overall education of orthopaedic residents, and on maintaining the proficiency of practicing orthopaedic surgeons, are anticipated.

  11. The international probabilistic system assessment group. Background and results 1990

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) devotes considerable effort to the further development of methodologies to assess the performance of radioactive waste disposal systems, and to increase confidence in their application and results. The NEA provides an international forum for the exchange of information and experience among national experts of its twenty-three Member countries and conducts joint studies of issues important for safety assessment. In 1985, the NEA Radioactive Waste Management Committee set up the Probabilistic System Assessment Code User Group (PSAC), in order to help coordinate the development of probabilistic system assessment codes. The activities of the Group include exchange of information, code and experience, discussion of relevant technical issues, and the conduct of code comparison (PSACOIN) exercises designed to build confidence in the correct operation of these tools for safety assessment. The Group is now known simply as the Probabilistic System Assessment Group (PSAG). This report has been prepared to inform interested parties, beyond the group of specialists directly involved, about probabilistic system assessment techniques as used for performance assessment of waste disposal systems, and to give a summary of the objectives and achievements of PSAG. The report is published under the responsibility of the Secretary General of the OECD

  12. The complex treatment of acute pancreatitis using miniinvasive surgical treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. I. Ohrimenko

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays methods used in acute pancreatitis diagnostic do not allow to find the most optimal indications, terms of surgical drainage approaches in surgical treatment of acute pancreatitis. Aim. In order to develop optimal diagnostic and treatment algorithm 316 patients took part in the study. Methods and results. Surgery outcomes were assessed by the next methods: ultrasound, computed tomography. We determined that destructive changes in pancreas in group of sterile pancreatic necrosis were limited. In cases of infected pancreatic necrosis the damage was spread and the disease course was septic. That’s why the operative treatment in cases of sterile pancreatitis has to be used with strict indications such as fermentative peritonitis, acute liquid formations, acute pseudocysts. Conclusion. In such cases miniinvasive surgery is mainly used while in the cases of infected pancreatic necrosis we ought to choose open surgery treatment.

  13. Tympanosclerosis of the middle ear: radiologic-surgical correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moon, Won Jin; Park, Dong Woo; Lee, Seung Ro; Seong, Jin Yong; Song, Soon Young; Hahm, Chang Kok; Kim, Yong Soo; Park, Choong Ki; Tae, Kyung

    1998-01-01

    Tympanosclerosis is a common problem causing conductive hearing loss accompanied by chronic otitis media. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the CT findings of tympanosclerosis, and correlate them with the surgical findings. The CT scans of 17 patients with surgically-proven tympanosclerosis and those of a control group of 34 patients with nontympanosclerotic chronic otitis media were reviewed. According to their location, they were assigned to one of three groups; tympanic membrane, epitympanum, or ossicles. Tympanosclerosis usually appears on CT as ossicular thickening, narrowing of the epitympanum, calcification of the tympanic membrane and/or tympanic cavity. CT is very helpful in evaluating ossicular involvement and determining the appropriate surgical treatment of tympanosclerosis. (author). 13 refs., 4 figs

  14. Tympanosclerosis of the middle ear: radiologic-surgical correlation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moon, Won Jin; Park, Dong Woo; Lee, Seung Ro; Seong, Jin Yong; Song, Soon Young; Hahm, Chang Kok; Kim, Yong Soo; Park, Choong Ki; Tae, Kyung [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of). Coll. of Medicine

    1998-02-01

    Tympanosclerosis is a common problem causing conductive hearing loss accompanied by chronic otitis media. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the CT findings of tympanosclerosis, and correlate them with the surgical findings. The CT scans of 17 patients with surgically-proven tympanosclerosis and those of a control group of 34 patients with nontympanosclerotic chronic otitis media were reviewed. According to their location, they were assigned to one of three groups; tympanic membrane, epitympanum, or ossicles. Tympanosclerosis usually appears on CT as ossicular thickening, narrowing of the epitympanum, calcification of the tympanic membrane and/or tympanic cavity. CT is very helpful in evaluating ossicular involvement and determining the appropriate surgical treatment of tympanosclerosis. (author). 13 refs., 4 figs.

  15. Ready for OR or not? Human reader supplements Eyesi scoring in cataract surgical skills assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selvander M

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Madeleine Selvander,1,2 Peter Åsman11Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö: Ophthalmology, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; 2Practicum Clinical Skills Centre, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, SwedenPurpose: To compare the internal computer-based scoring with human-based video scoring of cataract modules in the Eyesi virtual reality intraocular surgical simulator, a comparative case series was conducted at the Department of Clinical Sciences – Ophthalmology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.Methods: Seven cataract surgeons and 17 medical students performed one video-recorded trial with each of the capsulorhexis, hydromaneuvers, and phacoemulsification divide-and-conquer modules. For each module, the simulator calculated an overall score for the performance ranging from 0 to 100. Two experienced masked cataract surgeons analyzed each video using the Objective Structured Assessment of Cataract Surgical Skill (OSACSS for individual models and modified Objective Structured Assessment of Surgical Skills (OSATS for all three modules together. The average of the two assessors' scores for each tool was used as the video-based performance score. The ability to discriminate surgeons from naive individuals using the simulator score and the video score, respectively, was compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC curves.Results: The ROC areas for simulator score did not differ from 0.5 (random for hydromaneuvers and phacoemulsification modules, yielding unacceptably poor discrimination. OSACSS video scores all showed good ROC areas significantly different from 0.5. The OSACSS video score was also superior compared to the simulator score for the phacoemulsification procedure: ROC area 0.945 vs 0.664 for simulator score (P = 0.010. Corresponding values for capsulorhexis were 0.887 vs 0.761 (P = 0.056 and for hydromaneuvers 0.817 vs 0.571 (P = 0.052 for the video scores and simulator scores, respectively.The ROC

  16. Improving Undergraduates’ Argumentative Group Essay Writing through Self-assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Mei Fung

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available When writing an argumentative essay, writers develop and evaluate arguments to embody, initiate, or simulate various kinds of interpersonal and textual interaction for reader consideration (Wu & Allison, 2003. This is quite challenging for English as a second language (ESL learners. To improve the quality of their writing, students need to review their draft throughout the writing process. This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-assessment in group writing and how group work improves students’ writing ability. An intact class comprising 22 first-year undergraduates participated in the study.  Data were collected from pre- and post-treatment writing tests, semi-structured interview and reflection entries. The results revealed that self-assessment has a significant effect on students’ writing performance. Group work also enhanced social and cognitive development of the students. This study provides insights into the use of self-assessment in writing class to develop learner autonomy and improve writing ability. Keywords: Argumentative essay, Self-assessment, Learner autonomy, Group writing, ESL learners

  17. The impact of surgical treatment on the self-esteem of patients with breast hypertrophy, hypomastia, or breast asymmetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neto, Miguel Sabino; Abla, Luiz Eduardo Felipe; Lemos, Ana Lucia; Garcia, Élvio Bueno; Enout, Mariana Junqueira Reis; Cabral, Nádia Canale; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

    2012-02-01

    Currently, the concept of health includes not only the absence of disease but also a complete state of physical, psychological, and social well-being with increased emphasis on the importance of self-esteem. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of surgical treatment on the self-esteem of patients with breast asymmetry, breast hypertrophy, or hypomastia. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem UNIFESP-EPM Scale was administered preoperatively and in the early and late postoperative periods to assess self-esteem. The sample comprised three groups of patients: the breast asymmetry group (n=35), the breast hypertrophy group (n=50), and the hypomastia group (n=40). Surgical treatment had a positive and similar impact on the self-esteem of the patients in the three study groups. Correction of breast asymmetry, breast hypertrophy, and hypomastia improved the patient's self-esteem. All three groups reported a similar increase in self-esteem (decrease in total scores) after breast reconstruction.

  18. Double gloving to reduce surgical cross-infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanner, J; Parkinson, H

    2006-07-19

    The invasive nature of surgery, with its increased exposure to blood, means that during surgery there is a high risk of transfer of pathogens. Pathogens can be transferred through contact between surgical patients and the surgical team, resulting in post-operative or blood borne infections in patients or blood borne infections in the surgical team. Both patients and the surgical team need to be protected from this risk. This risk can be reduced by implementing protective barriers such as wearing surgical gloves. Wearing two pairs of surgical gloves, triple gloves, glove liners or cloth outer gloves, as opposed to one pair, is considered to provide an additional barrier and further reduce the risk of contamination. The primary objective of this review was to determine if additional glove protection reduces the number of surgical site or blood borne infections in patients or the surgical team. The secondary objective was to determine if additional glove protection reduces the number of perforations to the innermost pair of surgical gloves. The innermost gloves (next to skin) compared with the outermost gloves are considered to be the last barrier between the patient and the surgical team. We searched the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (January 2006), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)(The Cochrane Library Issue 4, 2005). We also contacted glove manufacturing companies and professional organisations. Randomised controlled trials involving: single gloving, double gloving, triple gloving, glove liners, knitted outer gloves, steel weave outer gloves and perforation indicator systems. Both authors independently assessed the relevance and quality of each trial. Data was extracted by one author and cross checked for accuracy by the second author. Two trials were found which addressed the primary outcome, namely, surgical site infections in patients. Both trials reported no infections. Thirty one randomised controlled trials

  19. Acute bacterial endocarditis. Optimizing surgical results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larbalestier, R I; Kinchla, N M; Aranki, S F; Couper, G S; Collins, J J; Cohn, L H

    1992-11-01

    Acute bacterial endocarditis continues to be a condition with high morbidity. Although the majority of patients are treated by high-dose antibiotics, a high-risk patient group requires surgical intervention, which is the subject of this article. From 1972 to 1991, 3,820 patients underwent heart valve replacement at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. Of this group, 158 patients underwent surgery for acute bacterial endocarditis: 109 had native valve endocarditis (NVE), and 49 had prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). There were 108 men and 50 women with a mean age of 49 years (range, 16-79 years); 64% were New York Heart Association functional class IV before surgery, and 12% of the group had a history of intravenous drug abuse. In both NVE and PVE groups, Streptococcus was the predominant infecting agent. Uncontrolled sepsis, progressive congestive failure, peripheral emboli, and echocardiographically demonstrated vegetations were the most common indications for surgery. Eighty-five percent of patients had a single-valve procedure, 15% had a multivalve procedure, and 34 patients had other associated major cardiac procedures. The operative mortality was 6% in NVE and 22% in PVE. Long-term survival at 10 years was 66% for NVE and 29% for PVE. Freedom from recurrent endocarditis at 10 years was 85% for NVE and 82% for PVE. The main factors associated with decreased survival overall were PVE and nonstreptococcal infection. The morbidity and mortality after surgical treatment of acute endocarditis depend on the site, the severity, and the subject infected. Early aggressive surgical intervention is indicated to optimize surgical results, especially in patients with nonstreptococcal infection or PVE.

  20. Surgical Vision: Google Glass and Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Johnny Yau Cheung; Tsui, Lok Yee; Yeung, Keith Siu Kay; Yip, Stefanie Wai Ying; Leung, Gilberto Ka Kit

    2016-08-01

    Google Glass is, in essence, a smartphone in the form of a pair of spectacles. It has a display system, a bone conduction "speaker," video camera, and connectivity via WiFi or Bluetooth technologies. It can also be controlled by voice command. Seizing Google Glass' capabilities as windows of opportunity, surgeons have been the first group of doctors trying to incorporate the technology into their daily practices. Experiences from different groups have demonstrated Google Glass' potential in improving perioperative care, intraoperative communication and documentation, surgical outcome as well as surgical training. On the other hand, the device has technical limitations, notably suboptimal image qualities and a short battery life. Its operational functions also bring forth concerns on the protection of patient privacy. Nonetheless, the technological advances that this device embodies hold promises in surgical innovations. Further studies are required, and surgeons should explore, investigate, and embrace similar technologies with keen and informed anticipation. © The Author(s) 2016.

  1. Coaching Non-technical Skills Improves Surgical Residents' Performance in a Simulated Operating Room.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yule, Steven; Parker, Sarah Henrickson; Wilkinson, Jill; McKinley, Aileen; MacDonald, Jamie; Neill, Adrian; McAdam, Tim

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the effect of coaching on non-technical skills and performance during laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a simulated operating room (OR). Non-technical skills (situation awareness, decision making, teamwork, and leadership) underpin technical ability and are critical to the success of operations and the safety of patients in the OR. The rate of developing assessment tools in this area has outpaced development of workable interventions to improve non-technical skills in surgical training and beyond. A randomized trial was conducted with senior surgical residents (n = 16). Participants were randomized to receive either non-technical skills coaching (intervention) or to self-reflect (control) after each of 5 simulated operations. Coaching was based on the Non-Technical Skills For Surgeons (NOTSS) behavior observation system. Surgeon-coaches trained in this method coached participants in the intervention group for 10 minutes after each simulation. Primary outcome measure was non-technical skills, assessed from video by a surgeon using the NOTSS system. Secondary outcomes were time to call for help during bleeding, operative time, and path length of laparoscopic instruments. Non-technical skills improved in the intervention group from scenario 1 to scenario 5 compared with those in the control group (p = 0.04). The intervention group was faster to call for help when faced with unstoppable bleeding in the final scenario (no. 5; p = 0.03). Coaching improved residents' non-technical skills in the simulated OR compared with those in the control group. Important next steps are to implement non-technical skills coaching in the real OR and assess effect on clinically important process measures and patient outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Assessment Rocks? The Assessment of Group Composing for Qualification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorpe, Vicki

    2012-01-01

    Ensembles such as rock and pop bands are places of exciting creativity and intense, enjoyable music making for young people. A recent review of New Zealand's secondary school qualification, the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA), has resulted in a new composition assessment of individuals' achievement in groups. An analysis of…

  3. Informed consent for medical photography in Nigerian surgical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The aim of this study is to assess the current practice of informed consent for medical photography in the Nigerian surgical practice and how it compares to international best practices. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to consenting surgeons attending two major surgical conferences.

  4. Clinical effect comparison of different surgical methods for treating diabetic retinopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing Wu

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To compare the clinical results of different surgical methods for diabetic antipathy. METHODS: Eighty cases(102 eyeswith diabetic antipathy were selected in our hospital from January 2012 to December 2013. Thirty-eight cases(48 eyesin group A received joint surgical treatment, 42 cases(54 eyesin group B took staging of surgical treatment. The clinical effect was observed in both groups.RESULTS: The vision after surgery was improved than that of before surgery in two groups, there were no significant differences(P>0.05. A postoperative complication rate was 16.7% in group A and 22.2% in group B, showed no significant difference(P>0.05. CONCLUSION: Surgery and staging joint surgery are both feasible for diabetic retinopathy patients, can, improve the visionr. Both of them are worthy of clinical application.

  5. Radiographic Assessment of Bone Formation Using rhBMP2 at Maxillary Periapical Surgical Defects: A Case Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, M Siva; Kumar, M Hari; Vishalakshi, K; Sabitha, H

    2016-04-01

    Periapical cysts are the most common inflammatory odontogenic cysts arising from untreated dental caries with pulp necrosis and periapical infection. The choice of treatment is often influenced by various factors like size, extension of the lesion, proximity to vital structures, systemic condition and compliance of the patient too. The treatment protocol for management of periapical cysts is still under discussion and options vary from conservative treatment by means of endodontic technique to surgical treatment like decompression or a marsupialisation or even to enucleation. Large bony defect secondary to periapical surgery compromising the tooth integrity often requires bone graft to enhance bone formation and thus restoring function at the earliest. The present case series included 10 patients who had established periapical pathology secondary to history of trauma on upper anterior teeth as well patients with history of carious teeth with an apparent failure in root canal therapy. All ten patients were treated with cyst enucleation and apiceotomy along with 1.4cc Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 soaked Absorbable Collagen Sponge implantation at surgical defect. Radiographs and clinical examinations were done upto 3 months to evaluate healing. Radiographic and clinical assessments revealed bone regeneration and restoration of the maxillary surgical defects in all 10 patients. No evidence of graft failure was noted. The Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 soaked Absorbable Collagen Sponge carrier is thus proved to be a viable option for the treatment of maxillary periapical surgical defects.

  6. The eighty-hour workweek: surgical attendings' perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griner, Devan; Menon, Rema P; Kotwall, Cyrus A; Clancy, Thomas V; Hope, William W

    2010-01-01

    The year 2008 was a sentinel year in resident education; this was the first graduating general surgery class trained entirely under the 80-hour workweek. The purpose of this study was to evaluate attending surgeon perceptions of surgical resident attitudes and performance before and after duty-hour restrictions. An electronic survey was sent to all surgical teaching institutions in North Carolina. Both surgeon and hospital characteristics were documented. The survey consisted of questions designed to assess residents' attitudes/performance before and after the implementation of the work-hour restriction. In all, 77 surveys were returned (33% response rate). The survey demonstrated that 92% of educators who responded to the survey recognized a difference between the restricted residents (RRs) and the nonrestricted residents (NRRs), and most respondents (67%) attributed this to both the work-hour restrictions and the work ethic of current residents. Most attending surgeons reported no difference between the RRs and the NRRs in most categories; however, they identified a negative change in the areas of work ethic, technical skills development, decision-making/critical-thinking skills, and patient ownership among the RR group. Most surgeons expressed less trust (55%) with patient care and less confidence (68%) in residents' ability to operate independently in the RR group. Eighty-nine percent indicated that additional decreases in work hours would continue to hamper the mission of timely and comprehensive resident education. The perception of surgical educators was that RRs are clearly different from the NRRs and that the primary difference is in work ethic and duty-hour restrictions. Although similar in most attributes, RRs are perceived as having a lower baseline work ethic and a less developed technical skill set, decision-making ability, and sense of patient ownership. Subsequent study is needed to evaluate these concerns. Copyright 2010 Association of Program

  7. Review of influential articles in surgical education: 2002-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wohlauer, Max V; George, Brian; Lawrence, Peter F; Pugh, Carla M; Van Eaton, Erik G; Darosa, Debra

    2013-06-01

    Exploring the trends in surgical education research offers insight into concerns, developments, and questions researchers are exploring that are relevant to teaching and learning in surgical specialties. We conducted a review of the surgical education literature published between 2002 and 2012. The purpose was 2-fold: to provide an overview of the most frequently cited articles in the field of surgical education during the last decade and to describe the study designs and themes featured in these articles. Articles were identified through Web of Science by using "surgical education" and "English language" as search terms. Using a feature in Web of Science, we tracked the number of citations of any publication. Of the 800 articles produced by the initial search, we initially selected 23 articles with 45 or more citations, and ultimately chose the 20 articles that were most frequently cited for our analysis. Analysis of the most frequently cited articles published in US journals between the years 2002-2012 identified 7 research themes and presented them in order of frequency with which they appear: use of simulation, issues in student/resident assessment, specialty choice, patient safety, team training, clinical competence assessment, and teaching the clinical sciences, with surgical simulation being the central theme. Researchers primarily used descriptive methods. Popular themes in surgical education research illuminate the information needs of surgical educators as well as topics of high interest to the surgical community.

  8. Dexmedetomidine infusion during middle ear surgery under general anaesthesia to provide oligaemic surgical field: A prospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kumkum Gupta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: Middle ear surgery requires bloodless surgical field for better operating conditions, deep level of anaesthesia and rapid emergence. Recent studies suggest that α2 agonists could provide desired surgical field, sedation and analgesia. The present study was aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of dexmedetomidine infusion as anaesthetic adjuvant during middle ear surgery using operating microscope. Methods: Sixty four adult patients aged 18-58 years, American Society of Anaesthesiologists Grades I and II, of both gender were randomised into two comparable equal groups of 32 patients each for middle ear surgery under general anaesthesia with standard anaesthetic technique. After induction of general anaesthesia, patients of Group I were given dexmedetomidine infusion of 0.5 μg/kg/h and patients of Group II were given placebo infusion of normal saline. Isoflurane concentration was titrated to achieve a systolic blood pressure 30% below the baseline value. All patients were assessed intra-operatively for bleeding at surgical field, haemodynamic changes, awakening time and post-operative recovery. Results: Statistically significant reduction was observed in the required percentage of isoflurane (0.8 ± 0.6% to maintain the systolic blood pressure 30% below the baseline values in patients receiving dexmedetomidine infusion when compared to those receiving placebo infusion (1.6 ± 0.7%. Patients receiving dexmedetomidine infusion had statistically significant lesser bleeding at surgical field (P < 0.05. The mean awakening time and recovery from anaesthesia did not show any significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine infusion can be safely used to provide oligaemic surgical field for better visualization using operating microscope for middle ear surgery.

  9. Ultrasound and MRI predictors of surgical bowel resection in pediatric Crohn disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbaum, Daniel G; Conrad, Maire A; Biko, David M; Ruchelli, Eduardo D; Kelsen, Judith R; Anupindi, Sudha A

    2017-01-01

    Imaging predictors for surgery in children with Crohn disease are lacking. To identify imaging features of the terminal ileum on short-interval bowel ultrasound (US) and MR enterography (MRE) in children with Crohn disease requiring surgical bowel resection and those managed by medical therapy alone. This retrospective study evaluated patients 18 years and younger with Crohn disease undergoing short-interval bowel US and MRE (within 2 months of one another), as well as subsequent ileocecectomy or endoscopy within 3 months of imaging. Appearance of the terminal ileum on both modalities was compared between surgical patients and those managed with medical therapy, with the following parameters assessed: bowel wall thickness, mural stratification, vascularity, fibrofatty proliferation, abscess, fistula and stricture on bowel US; bowel wall thickness, T2 ratio, enhancement pattern, mesenteric edema, fibrofatty proliferation, abscess, fistula and stricture on MRE. A two-sided t-test was used to compare means, a Mann-Whitney U analysis was used for non-parametric parameter scores, and a chi-square or two-sided Fisher exact test compared categorical variables. Imaging findings in surgical patients were correlated with location-matched histopathological scores of inflammation and fibrosis using a scoring system adapted from the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn Disease, and a Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to compare inflammation and fibrosis on histopathology. Twenty-two surgical patients (mean age: 16.5 years; male/female: 13/9) and 20 nonsurgical patients (mean age: 14.8; M/F: 8/12) were included in the final analysis. On US, the surgical group demonstrated significantly increased mean bowel wall thickness (6.1 mm vs. 4.7 mm for the nonsurgical group; P = 0.01), loss of mural stratification (odds ratio [OR] = 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-28.4; P = 0.02) and increased fibrofatty proliferation (P = 0.04). On MRE, the

  10. Assessment of MRI issues at 3-Tesla for metallic surgical implants: findings applied to 61 additional skin closure staples and vessel ligation clips.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Amreeta; Shellock, Frank G

    2012-01-09

    Metallic skin closure staples and vessel ligation clips should be tested at 3-Tesla to characterize MRI issues in order to ensure patient safety. Therefore, metallic surgical implants were assessed at 3-Tesla for magnetic field interactions, MRI-related heating, and artifacts. A skin closure staple (Visistat Skin Stapler, staple, Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE, coated 316L/316LVM stainless steel; Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC) and a vessel ligation clip (Hemoclip Traditional, stainless steel; Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC) that represented the largest metallic sizes made from materials with the highest magnetic susceptibilities (i.e., based on material information) among 61 other surgical implants (52 metallic implants, 9 nonmetallic implants) underwent evaluation for magnetic field interactions, MRI-related heating, and artifacts using standardized techniques. MRI-related heating was assessed by placing each implant in a gelled-saline-filled phantom with MRI performed using a transmit/receive RF body coil at an MR system reported, whole body averaged SAR of 2.9-W/kg for 15-min. Artifacts were characterized using T1-weighted, SE and GRE pulse sequences. Each surgical implant showed minor magnetic field interactions (20- and 27-degrees, which is acceptable from a safety consideration). Heating was not substantial (highest temperature change, ≤ 1.6°C). Artifacts may create issues if the area of interest is in the same area or close to the respective surgical implant. The results demonstrated that it would be acceptable for patients with these metallic surgical implants to undergo MRI at 3-Tesla or less. Because of the materials and dimensions of the surgical implants that underwent testing, these findings pertain to 61 additional similar implants.

  11. Assessment of MRI issues at 3-Tesla for metallic surgical implants: findings applied to 61 additional skin closure staples and vessel ligation clips

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gill Amreeta

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Purpose Metallic skin closure staples and vessel ligation clips should be tested at 3-Tesla to characterize MRI issues in order to ensure patient safety. Therefore, metallic surgical implants were assessed at 3-Tesla for magnetic field interactions, MRI-related heating, and artifacts. Methods A skin closure staple (Visistat Skin Stapler, staple, Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE, coated 316L/316LVM stainless steel; Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC and a vessel ligation clip (Hemoclip Traditional, stainless steel; Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC that represented the largest metallic sizes made from materials with the highest magnetic susceptibilities (i.e., based on material information among 61 other surgical implants (52 metallic implants, 9 nonmetallic implants underwent evaluation for magnetic field interactions, MRI-related heating, and artifacts using standardized techniques. MRI-related heating was assessed by placing each implant in a gelled-saline-filled phantom with MRI performed using a transmit/receive RF body coil at an MR system reported, whole body averaged SAR of 2.9-W/kg for 15-min. Artifacts were characterized using T1-weighted, SE and GRE pulse sequences. Results Each surgical implant showed minor magnetic field interactions (20- and 27-degrees, which is acceptable from a safety consideration. Heating was not substantial (highest temperature change, ≤ 1.6°C. Artifacts may create issues if the area of interest is in the same area or close to the respective surgical implant. Conclusions The results demonstrated that it would be acceptable for patients with these metallic surgical implants to undergo MRI at 3-Tesla or less. Because of the materials and dimensions of the surgical implants that underwent testing, these findings pertain to 61 additional similar implants.

  12. Assessment of MRI issues at 3-Tesla for metallic surgical implants: findings applied to 61 additional skin closure staples and vessel ligation clips

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Purpose Metallic skin closure staples and vessel ligation clips should be tested at 3-Tesla to characterize MRI issues in order to ensure patient safety. Therefore, metallic surgical implants were assessed at 3-Tesla for magnetic field interactions, MRI-related heating, and artifacts. Methods A skin closure staple (Visistat Skin Stapler, staple, Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE, coated 316L/316LVM stainless steel; Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC) and a vessel ligation clip (Hemoclip Traditional, stainless steel; Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC) that represented the largest metallic sizes made from materials with the highest magnetic susceptibilities (i.e., based on material information) among 61 other surgical implants (52 metallic implants, 9 nonmetallic implants) underwent evaluation for magnetic field interactions, MRI-related heating, and artifacts using standardized techniques. MRI-related heating was assessed by placing each implant in a gelled-saline-filled phantom with MRI performed using a transmit/receive RF body coil at an MR system reported, whole body averaged SAR of 2.9-W/kg for 15-min. Artifacts were characterized using T1-weighted, SE and GRE pulse sequences. Results Each surgical implant showed minor magnetic field interactions (20- and 27-degrees, which is acceptable from a safety consideration). Heating was not substantial (highest temperature change, ≤ 1.6°C). Artifacts may create issues if the area of interest is in the same area or close to the respective surgical implant. Conclusions The results demonstrated that it would be acceptable for patients with these metallic surgical implants to undergo MRI at 3-Tesla or less. Because of the materials and dimensions of the surgical implants that underwent testing, these findings pertain to 61 additional similar implants. PMID:22230200

  13. Cost-Effectiveness of a Locally Organized Surgical Outreach Mission: Making a Case for Strengthening Local Non-Governmental Organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyedu, Adam; Gaskill, Cameron; Boakye, Godfred; Abantanga, Francis

    2017-12-01

    Many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have a high prevalence of unmet surgical need. Provision of operations through surgical outreach missions, mostly led by foreign organizations, offers a way to address the problem. We sought to assess the cost-effectiveness of surgical outreach missions provided by a wholly local organization in Ghana to highlight the role local groups might play in reducing the unmet surgical need of their communities. We calculated the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) averted by surgical outreach mission activities of ApriDec Medical Outreach Group (AMOG), a Ghanaian non-governmental organization. The total cost of their activities was also calculated. Conclusions about cost-effectiveness were made according to World Health Organization (WHO)-suggested parameters. We analyzed 2008 patients who had been operated upon by AMOG since December 2011. Operations performed included hernia repairs (824 patients, 41%) and excision biopsy of soft tissue masses (364 patients, 18%). More specialized operations included thyroidectomy (103 patients, 5.1%), urological procedures (including prostatectomy) (71 patients, 3.5%), and plastic surgery (26 patients, 1.3%). Total cost of the outreach trips was $283,762, and 2079 DALY were averted; cost per DALY averted was 136.49 USD. The mission trips were "very cost-effective" per WHO parameters. There was a trend toward a lower cost per DALY averted with subsequent outreach trips organized by AMOG. Our findings suggest that providing surgical services through wholly local surgical mission trips to underserved LMIC communities might represent a cost-effective and viable option for countries seeking to reduce the growing unmet surgical needs of their populations.

  14. Teamwork, communication and safety climate: a systematic review of interventions to improve surgical culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacks, Greg D; Shannon, Evan M; Dawes, Aaron J; Rollo, Johnathon C; Nguyen, David K; Russell, Marcia M; Ko, Clifford Y; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda A

    2015-07-01

    To define the target domains of culture-improvement interventions, to assess the impact of these interventions on surgical culture and to determine whether culture improvements lead to better patient outcomes and improved healthcare efficiency. Healthcare systems are investing considerable resources in improving workplace culture. It remains unclear whether these interventions, when aimed at surgical care, are successful and whether they are associated with changes in patient outcomes. PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched from January 1980 to January 2015. We included studies on interventions that aimed to improve surgical culture, defined as the interpersonal, social and organisational factors that affect the healthcare environment and patient care. The quality of studies was assessed using an adapted tool to focus the review on higher-quality studies. Due to study heterogeneity, findings were narratively reviewed. The 47 studies meeting inclusion criteria (4 randomised trials and 10 moderate-quality observational studies) reported on interventions that targeted three domains of culture: teamwork (n=28), communication (n=26) and safety climate (n=19); several targeted more than one domain. All moderate-quality studies showed improvements in at least one of these domains. Two studies also demonstrated improvements in patient outcomes, such as reduced postoperative complications and even reduced postoperative mortality (absolute risk reduction 1.7%). Two studies reported improvements in healthcare efficiency, including fewer operating room delays. These findings were supported by similar results from low-quality studies. The literature provides promising evidence for various strategies to improve surgical culture, although these approaches differ in terms of the interventions employed as well as the techniques used to measure culture. Nevertheless, culture improvement appears to be associated with other positive effects, including

  15. Specificity, contexts, and reference groups matter when assessing autistic traits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevenson, Jennifer L.; Dern, Sebastian

    2017-01-01

    Many of the personality and behavioral traits (e.g., social imperviousness, directness in conversation, lack of imagination, affinity for solitude, difficulty displaying emotions) that are known to be sensitive to context (with whom?) and reference group (according to whom?) also appear in questionnaire-based assessments of autistic traits. Therefore, two experiments investigated the effects of specifying contexts and reference groups when assessing autistic traits in autistic and non-autistic participants. Experiment 1 (124 autistic and 124 non-autistic participants) demonstrated that context matters when assessing autistic traits (F(1,244) = 267.5, p autistic people” or “I like being around autistic people”), both autistic and non-autistic participants self-reported having more autistic traits; when the context was specified as the participants’ in-group, participants reported having fewer autistic traits. Experiment 2 (82 autistic and 82 non-autistic participants) demonstrated that reference group matters when assessing autistic traits (F(2,160) = 94.38, p autistic people, I have unusual eye contact”), autistic participants reported having more autistic traits; when the reference group was their in-group, autistic participants reported having fewer autistic traits. Non-autistic participants appeared insensitive to reference group on the Social Responsiveness Scale. Exploratory analyses suggested that when neither the context nor the reference group is specified (for assessing autistic traits on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient), both autistic and non-autistic participants use the majority (“non-autistic people”) as the implied context and reference group. PMID:28192464

  16. Concomitant surgical correction of severe stress urinary incontinence and anterior vaginal wall prolapse by anterior vaginal wall wrap: 18 months outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zargham, Mahtab; Alizadeh, Farshid; Tadayyon, Farhad; Khorrami, Mohammad-Hatef; Nouri-Mahdavi, Kia; Gharaati, Mohammad Reza; Izadpanahi, Mohammad Hossein; Yazdani, Mohammad; Mazdak, Hamid

    2013-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of an innovative, minimally invasive sling technique with autologous tissue in women with concomitant incontinence and anterior vaginal wall prolapse (AVWP). Materials and Methods: Fifty-six women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or mixed urinary incontinence and AVWP were randomly assigned into two groups: In Group A (26 patients), anterior colporrhaphy (Kelly placation) and sling placement using a strip of anterior vaginal wall were performed, and in Group B (30 patients), transvaginal mesh correction of AVWP and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) insertion (retropubic – craniocaudal route) using polypropylene mesh were carried out. The patients were followed-up for over 18 months and were assessed objectively using a 48 h frequency-volume chart, a 48 h pad test and a standardized stress test. Related surgical complications and outcomes were recorded and compared. Results: Surgical cure rates for Group A and Group B at the first (3 days) and last (18 months) post-operative visits were 62% and 84%; and 54%, and 72%, respectively (P = 0.09 and 0.31). Complications occurred in 9 patients (44%) of Group B, but only 3 patients (12%) in Group A. Conclusion: Vaginal sling surgery using an anterior vaginal wall strip can improve SUI and in comparison with propylene mesh is associated with lower complication rates. Although, the surgical success rate of this technique is lower than T-Sling, larger studies with selected patients will help assess the suitable patients for this pelvic reconstructive surgery. PMID:24516492

  17. Concomitant surgical correction of severe stress urinary incontinence and anterior vaginal wall prolapse by anterior vaginal wall wrap: 18 months outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahtab Zargham

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of an innovative, minimally invasive sling technique with autologous tissue in women with concomitant incontinence and anterior vaginal wall prolapse (AVWP. Materials and Methods : Fifty-six women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI or mixed urinary incontinence and AVWP were randomly assigned into two groups: In Group A (26 patients, anterior colporrhaphy (Kelly placation and sling placement using a strip of anterior vaginal wall were performed, and in Group B (30 patients, transvaginal mesh correction of AVWP and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT insertion (retropubic - craniocaudal route using polypropylene mesh were carried out. The patients were followed-up for over 18 months and were assessed objectively using a 48 h frequency-volume chart, a 48 h pad test and a standardized stress test. Related surgical complications and outcomes were recorded and compared. Results: Surgical cure rates for Group A and Group B at the first (3 days and last (18 months post-operative visits were 62% and 84%; and 54%, and 72%, respectively (P = 0.09 and 0.31. Complications occurred in 9 patients (44% of Group B, but only 3 patients (12% in Group A. Conclusion: Vaginal sling surgery using an anterior vaginal wall strip can improve SUI and in comparison with propylene mesh is associated with lower complication rates. Although, the surgical success rate of this technique is lower than T-Sling, larger studies with selected patients will help assess the suitable patients for this pelvic reconstructive surgery.

  18. Surgical strategies in childhood craniopharyngioma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jörg eFlitsch

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Craniopharyngiomas are biologically benign lesions (WHO Grade 1 of the sellar and suprasellar region, associated with a serious morbidity. About 50% of these tumors become clinically apparent during childhood. Clinical symptoms include headaches, chiasm syndrome, hydrocephalus, pituitary insufficiencies, and obesity. Growth arrest is a typical symptom in children. The treatment of craniopharyngiomas includes surgery as well as radiotherapy. The goal of surgery varies according to the tumor location and extension and may range from complete resection to biopsy. Surgical complications are well known and cause constant evaluation of surgical strategies. Diencephalic obesity is related to surgical manipulation of hypothalamic tissue. Therefore, a classification system for craniopharyngiomas based on preoperative MRI is suggested by the authors, which may help assess the surgical risk. Recurrences are frequent in craniopharyngiomas, even after complete or gross-total resection. Radiotherapy is therefore recommended to patients with incomplete resections. However, the ideal time for radiotherapy after surgery is under discussion.The treatment of craniopharyngiomas requires an interdisciplinary and multimodal approach. Each patient should receive an individually tailored treatment. Surgically, different approaches as well as different degrees of resection can be considered, depending on tumor location and tumor extension.

  19. 3D Surgical Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cevidanes, Lucia; Tucker, Scott; Styner, Martin; Kim, Hyungmin; Chapuis, Jonas; Reyes, Mauricio; Proffit, William; Turvey, Timothy; Jaskolka, Michael

    2009-01-01

    This paper discusses the development of methods for computer-aided jaw surgery. Computer-aided jaw surgery allows us to incorporate the high level of precision necessary for transferring virtual plans into the operating room. We also present a complete computer-aided surgery (CAS) system developed in close collaboration with surgeons. Surgery planning and simulation include construction of 3D surface models from Cone-beam CT (CBCT), dynamic cephalometry, semi-automatic mirroring, interactive cutting of bone and bony segment repositioning. A virtual setup can be used to manufacture positioning splints for intra-operative guidance. The system provides further intra-operative assistance with the help of a computer display showing jaw positions and 3D positioning guides updated in real-time during the surgical procedure. The CAS system aids in dealing with complex cases with benefits for the patient, with surgical practice, and for orthodontic finishing. Advanced software tools for diagnosis and treatment planning allow preparation of detailed operative plans, osteotomy repositioning, bone reconstructions, surgical resident training and assessing the difficulties of the surgical procedures prior to the surgery. CAS has the potential to make the elaboration of the surgical plan a more flexible process, increase the level of detail and accuracy of the plan, yield higher operative precision and control, and enhance documentation of cases. Supported by NIDCR DE017727, and DE018962 PMID:20816308

  20. Three-dimensional surgical simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cevidanes, Lucia H C; Tucker, Scott; Styner, Martin; Kim, Hyungmin; Chapuis, Jonas; Reyes, Mauricio; Proffit, William; Turvey, Timothy; Jaskolka, Michael

    2010-09-01

    In this article, we discuss the development of methods for computer-aided jaw surgery, which allows us to incorporate the high level of precision necessary for transferring virtual plans into the operating room. We also present a complete computer-aided surgery system developed in close collaboration with surgeons. Surgery planning and simulation include construction of 3-dimensional surface models from cone-beam computed tomography, dynamic cephalometry, semiautomatic mirroring, interactive cutting of bone, and bony segment repositioning. A virtual setup can be used to manufacture positioning splints for intraoperative guidance. The system provides further intraoperative assistance with a computer display showing jaw positions and 3-dimensional positioning guides updated in real time during the surgical procedure. The computer-aided surgery system aids in dealing with complex cases with benefits for the patient, with surgical practice, and for orthodontic finishing. Advanced software tools for diagnosis and treatment planning allow preparation of detailed operative plans, osteotomy repositioning, bone reconstructions, surgical resident training, and assessing the difficulties of the surgical procedures before the surgery. Computer-aided surgery can make the elaboration of the surgical plan a more flexible process, increase the level of detail and accuracy of the plan, yield higher operative precision and control, and enhance documentation of cases. 2010 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Peer Assessment in Engineering Group Projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga

    2014-01-01

    Peer review has proved to be beneficial in project-based environments by involving students in the process and encouraging them to take ownership of their learning. This article reviews how peer assessment has been employed within group work for different engineering programs. Since the administr...

  2. Factors Affecting Surgical Decision-making—A Qualitative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Gunaratnam

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background Guidelines and Class 1 evidence are strong factors that help guide surgeons’ decision-making, but dilemmas exist in selecting the best surgical option, usually without the benefit of guidelines or Class 1 evidence. A few studies have discussed the variability of surgical treatment options that are currently available, but no study has examined surgeons’ views on the influential factors that encourage them to choose one surgical treatment over another. This study examines the influential factors and the thought process that encourage surgeons to make these decisions in such circumstances. Methods Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 32 senior consultant surgeons, surgical fellows, and senior surgical residents at the University of Toronto teaching hospitals. An e-mail was sent out for volunteers, and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic analysis using open and axial coding. Results Broadly speaking there are five groups of factors affecting surgeons’ decision-making: medical condition, information, institutional, patient, and surgeon factors. When information factors such as guidelines and Class 1 evidence are lacking, the other four groups of factors—medical condition, institutional, patient, and surgeon factors (the last-mentioned likely being the most powerful—play a significant role in guiding surgical decision-making. Conclusions This study is the first qualitative study on surgeons’ perspectives on the influential factors that help them choose one surgical treatment option over another for their patients.

  3. Endoscopic versus surgical drainage treatment of calcific chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Li; Ning, Deng; Cheng, Qi; Chen, Xiao-Ping

    2018-04-21

    Endoscopic therapy and surgery are both conventional treatments to remove pancreatic duct stones that developed during the natural course of chronic pancreatitis. However, few studies comparing the effect and safety between surgery drainage and endoscopic drainage (plus Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy, ESWL).The aim of this study was to compare the benefits between endoscopic and surgical drainage of the pancreatic duct for patients with calcified chronic pancreatitis. A total of 86 patients were classified into endoscopic/ESWL (n = 40) or surgical (n = 46) treatment groups. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively analyzed. Pain recurrence and hospital stays were similar between the endoscopic/ESWL treatment and surgery group. However, endoscopic/ESWL treatment yielded significantly lower medical expense and less complications compared with the surgical treatment. In selective patients, endoscopic/ESWL treatment could achieve comparable efficacy to the surgical treatment. With lower medical expense and less complications, endoscopic/ESWL treatment would be much preferred to be the initial treatment of choice for patients with calcified chronic pancreatitis. Copyright © 2018 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Surgical education and training in an outer metropolitan hospital: a qualitative study of surgical trainers and trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nestel, Debra; Harlim, Jennifer; Bryant, Melanie; Rampersad, Rajay; Hunter-Smith, David; Spychal, Bob

    2017-08-01

    The landscape of surgical training is changing. The anticipated increase in the numbers of surgical trainees and the shift to competency-based surgical training places pressures on an already stretched health service. With these pressures in mind, we explored trainers' and trainees' experiences of surgical training in a less traditional rotation, an outer metropolitan hospital. We considered practice-based learning theories to make meaning of surgical training in this setting, in particular Actor-network theory. We adopted a qualitative approach and purposively sampled surgical trainers and trainees to participate in individual interviews and focus groups respectively. Transcripts were made and thematically analysed. Institutional human research ethics approval was obtained. Four surgical trainers and fourteen trainees participated. Almost without exception, participants' report training needs to be well met. Emergent inter-related themes were: learning as social activity; learning and programmatic factors; learning and physical infrastructure; and, learning and organizational structure. This outer metropolitan hospital is suited to the provision of surgical training with the current rotational system for trainees. The setting offers experiences that enable consolidation of learning providing a rich and varied overall surgical training program. Although relational elements of learning were paramount they occurred within a complex environment. Actor-network theory was used to give meaning to emergent themes acknowledging that actors (both people and objects) and their interactions combine to influence training quality, shifting the focus of responsibility for learning away from individuals to the complex interactions in which they work and learn.

  5. Surgical palliation of unresectable pancreatic head cancer in elderly patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Sang Il; Kim, Hyung Ook; Son, Byung Ho; Yoo, Chang Hak; Kim, Hungdai; Shin, Jun Ho

    2009-01-01

    AIM: To determine if surgical biliary bypass would provide improved quality of residual life and safe palliation in elderly patients with unresectable pancreatic head cancer. METHODS: Nineteen patients, 65 years of age or older, were managed with surgical biliary bypass (Group A). These patients were compared with 19 patients under 65 years of age who were managed with surgical biliary bypass (Group B). In addition, the results for group A were compared with those obtained from 17 patients, 65 years of age or older (Group C), who received percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage to evaluate the quality of residual life. RESULTS: Five patients (26.0%) in Group A had complications, including one intraabdominal abscess, one pulmonary atelectasis, and three wound infections. One death (5.3%) occurred on postoperative day 3. With respect to morbidity, mortality, and postoperative hospitalization, no statistically significant difference was noted between Groups A and B. The number of readmissions and the rate of recurrent jaundice were lower in Group A than in Group C, to a statistically significant degree (P = 0.019, P = 0.029, respectively). The median hospital-free survival period and the median overall survival were also significantly longer in Group A (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Surgical palliation does not increase the morbidity or mortality rates, but it does increase the survival rate and improve the quality of life in elderly patients with unresectable pancreatic head cancer. PMID:19248198

  6. Clinical Assessment of Fluid Balance is Incomplete for Colorectal Surgical Patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tolstrup, J; Brandstrup, B

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fluid balance for the surgical patient has been proven very important for the postoperative outcome and development of complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time in modern times, the accordance between nurse-based fluid charting (cumulated fluid...... surgery were included. Cumulated fluid balance and body weight change were charted preoperatively and daily at the same time during a postoperative period of 6 days. Differences were calculated by subtracting cumulated fluid balance from body weight change (1 g = 1 mL), and agreement was assessed...... by making Bland-Altman plots as well as Pearson correlations. RESULTS: From day 1 to 4, the mean difference between cumulated fluid balance and body weight change was below 0.4 kg/L. On day 5 and 6, the discrepancies increased with mean differences of, respectively, 1.2 kg/L (p 

  7. Surgical Training and Education in Promoting Professionalism: a comparative assessment of virtue-based leadership development in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Kristine; Puscas, Liana; Tucci, Debara; Woodard, Charles; Witsell, David; Esclamado, Ramon M; Lee, Walter T

    2013-10-29

    Surgical Training and Education in Promoting Professionalism (STEPP) was developed in 2011 to train tomorrow's leaders during residency. It is based on virtue ethics and takes an approach similar to West Point military academy. The purpose of this research was: (i) to compare the virtue profiles of our residents with that of the military cohort using a standardized virtue assessment tool; and (ii) to assess the value of virtue education on residents. As part of STEPP, otolaryngology residents participated in a virtue-based validated assessment tool called Virtue in Action (VIA) Inventory. This was completed at the initiation of STEPP in July 2011 as well as 1 year later in June 2012. Comparison of the VIA to a military cohort was performed. Leadership 'Basic Training' is a series of forums focused on virtues of initiative, integrity, responsibility, self-discipline, and accountability. A pre- and post-test was administered assessing resident perceptions of the value of this 'Basic Training'. Virtues are shared between otolaryngology residents (n=9) and military personnel (n=2,433) as there were no significant differences in strength scores between two military comparison groups and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) residents. There was a significant improvement (pvirtue-based approach is valued by residents as a part of leadership training during residency.

  8. Surgical Treatment Results of Acute Acromioclavicular Injuries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud Jabalameli

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Different methods of surgical treatment for acromioclavicular(ACjoint injury were considered in the literature. The purpose of the study was to compare intra- articular AC repair technique with the extra-articular coracoclavicular repair technique for the patients with Rockwood type III and VAC joint injury when indicated.Methods: Nineteen consecutive patients with Rockwood type III and VAC joint injury  were treated with intra-articular (Group I - 12 cases and extra-articular (Group II - 7cases repair technique between 1380 - 1386, and the results reviewed. When the diagnosis was established, the mean age of the patients was 32.5 years (Range, 18 - 60; group I and II 31.8 years (Range, 18 - 60 and 34 years (Range, 22 - 58 respectively. The mean duration of postoperative follow - up was 24 months. The Constant shoulder scoring system was applied to obtain clinical results.   Results: Only in group I, the post-surgical complication was associated with fiber allergy, wound infection and pin site infection in two patients respectively. No pain was detected in fourteen cases. Four patients in group I had occasional mild pain during sport activity, while one case in this group reported severe pain during resting which prevented the patient from activity. Also, there was an ossification in thirteen patients particularly in group I. Clinical results showed the mean constant shoulder score was 93.4 in group I and 97.1 in group II.Conclusion: At the time of the follow - up, there was a clear difference between both groups regarding to postoperative pain and discomfort.Therefore, it seemed that potential cause of pain was due to postoperative complications. An interesting postoperative complication without interfere in the functional outcome was coracoclavicular space ossification in most cases. This was probably because of soft tissue injury during the operation.It seemed that surgical treatment of Rockwood type III and VAC joint injuries

  9. A cross-sectional survey of essential surgical capacity in Somalia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkheir, Natalie; Sharma, Akshay; Cherian, Meena; Saleh, Omar Abdelrahman; Everard, Marthe; Popal, Ghulam Rabani; Ibrahim, Abdi Awad

    2014-05-07

    To assess life-saving and disability-preventing surgical services (including emergency, trauma, obstetrics, anaesthesia) of health facilities in Somalia and to assist in the planning of strategies for strengthening surgical care systems. Cross-sectional survey. Health facilities in all 3 administrative zones of Somalia; northwest Somalia (NWS), known as Somaliland; northeast Somalia (NES), known as Puntland; and south/central Somalia (SCS). 14 health facilities. The WHO Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care was employed to capture a health facility's capacity to deliver surgical and anaesthesia services by investigating four categories of data: infrastructure, human resources, interventions available and equipment. The 14 facilities surveyed in Somalia represent 10 of the 18 districts throughout the country. The facilities serve an average patient population of 331 250 people, and 12 of the 14 identify as hospitals. While major surgical procedures were provided at many facilities (caesarean section, laparotomy, appendicectomy, etc), only 22% had fully available oxygen access, 50% fully available electricity and less than 30% had any management guidelines for emergency and surgical care. Furthermore, only 36% were able to provide general anaesthesia inhalation due to lack of skills, supplies and equipment. Basic supplies for airway management and the prevention of infection transmission were severely lacking in most facilities. According to the results of the WHO Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care survey, there exist significant gaps in the capacity of emergency and essential surgical services in Somalia including inadequacies in essential equipment, service provision and infrastructure. The information provided by the WHO tool can serve as a basis for evidence-based decisions on country-level policy regarding the allocation of resources and provision of emergency and essential

  10. Patient satisfaction and quality of surgical care in US hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Thomas C; Orav, E John; Jha, Ashish K

    2015-01-01

    The relationship between patient satisfaction and surgical quality is unclear for US hospitals. Using national data, we examined if hospitals with high patient satisfaction have lower levels of performance on accepted measures of the quality and efficiency of surgical care. Federal policymakers have made patient satisfaction a core measure for the way hospitals are evaluated and paid through the value-based purchasing program. There is broad concern that performance on patient satisfaction may have little or even a negative correlation with the quality of surgical care, leading to potential trade-offs in efforts to improve patient experience with other surgical quality measures. We used the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey data from 2010 and 2011 to assess performance on patient experience. We used national Medicare data on 6 common surgical procedures to calculate measures of surgical efficiency and quality: risk-adjusted length of stay, process score, risk-adjusted mortality rate, risk-adjusted readmission rate, and a composite z score across all 4 metrics. Multivariate models adjusting for hospital characteristics were used to assess the independent relationships between patient satisfaction and measures of surgical efficiency and quality. Of the 2953 US hospitals that perform one of these 6 procedures, the median patient satisfaction score was 69.5% (interquartile range, 63%-75.5%). Length of stay was shorter in hospitals with the highest levels of patient satisfaction (7.1 days vs 7.7 days, P patient satisfaction had the higher process of care performance (96.5 vs 95.5, P patient satisfaction also had a higher composite score for quality across all measures (P patient satisfaction provided more efficient care and were associated with higher surgical quality. Our findings suggest there need not be a trade-off between good quality of care for surgical patients and ensuring a positive patient experience.

  11. Uptake of gallium-67 citrate in clean surgical incisions after colorectal surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Wanyu; Wang Shyhjen; Tsai Shihchuan; Chao Tehsin

    2001-01-01

    Non-specific accumulation of gallium-67 citrate (gallium) in uncomplicated surgical incisions is not uncommon. It is important to know the normal pattern of gallium uptake at surgical incision sites in order to properly interpret the gallium scan when investigating possible wound infection in patients who have undergone abdominal surgery. We studied 42 patients without wound infection after colorectal surgery and performed gallium scans within 40 days after surgery. Patients were divided into three groups according to the interval between the operation and the scan. In group A (26 patients) gallium scan was performed within 7 days after surgery, in group B (8 patients) between 8 and 14 days after surgery, and in group C (8 patients) between 15 and 40 days after surgery. Our data showed that in group A, 61.5% had gallium accumulation at the surgical incision site. In group B, 50% had accumulation of gallium at the surgical incision site, while in group C only one patient (12.5%) showed gallium uptake. It is concluded that the incidence of increased gallium uptake at clean surgical incision sites is high after colorectal surgery. Nuclear medicine physicians should bear in mind the high incidence of non-specific gallium uptake at such sites during the interpretation of possible wound infection in patients after colorectal surgery. (orig.)

  12. Instituting a Surgical Skills Competition Increases Technical Performance of Surgical Clerkship Students Over Time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leraas, Harold J; Cox, Morgan L; Bendersky, Victoria A; Sprinkle, Shanna S; Gilmore, Brian F; Gunasingha, Rathnayaka M; Tracy, Elisabeth T; Sudan, Ranjan

    2017-10-04

    Surgical skills training varies greatly between institutions and is often left to students to approach independently. Although many studies have examined single interventions of skills training, no data currently exists about the implementation of surgical skills assessment as a component of the medical student surgical curriculum. We created a technical skills competition and evaluated its effect on student surgical skill development. Second-year medical students enrolled in the surgery clerkship voluntarily participated in a surgical skills competition consisting of knot tying, laparoscopic peg transfer, and laparoscopic pattern cut. Winning students were awarded dinner with the chair of surgery and a resident of their choice. Individual event times and combined times were recorded and compared for students who completed without disqualification. Disqualification included compromising cutting pattern, dropping a peg out of the field of vision, and incorrect knot tying technique. Timed performance was compared for 2 subsequent academic years using Mann-Whitney U test. Overall, 175 students competed and 71 students met qualification criteria. When compared by academic year, 2015 to 2016 students (n = 34) performed better than 2014 to 2015 students (n = 37) in pattern cut (133s vs 167s, p = 0.040), peg transfer (66s vs 101s, p skills competition improves student technical performance. Further research is needed regarding long-term benefits of surgical competitions for medical students. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The Role of Race and Economic Characteristics in the Presentation and Survival of Patients With Surgically Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John M. Varlotto

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundLittle is understood regarding the inter-relation between economic, marital, and racial/ethnic differences in presentation and survival of surgically resected lung cancer patients. Our investigation will assess these differences in addition to known therapeutic, patient, and histopathologic factors.MethodsA retrospective review of the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Reporting database was conducted through the years 2007–2012. The population was split into nine different ethnic groups. Population differences were assessed via chi-square testing. Multivariable analysis (MVA were used to detect overall survival (OS differences in the total surgical population (TS, N = 35,689 in an ear (T1–T2 < 4 cm N0 surgical population [early-stage resectable (ESR, N = 17,931]. Lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS was assessed in the ESR.ResultsIn the TS population, as compared to Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics presented with younger age, more adenocarcinomas, lower rates of marriage, lower rates of insurance, less stage I tumors, and had less nodes examined, but their type of surgical procedures and OS/LCSS were the same. MVA demonstrated that lower OS and LCSS were associated with males, single/divorced/widowed partnership, lower income (TS only, and Medicaid insurance. MVA also found that Blacks and Hispanics had a similar OS/LCSS to Whites and that all ethnic groups were associated with a similar or better outcomes. The 90-day mortality and positive nodes were correlated with not having insurance and not being married, but they were not associated with ethnicity.ConclusionIn TS and ESR groups, OS was not different in the two largest ethnic groups (Black and Hispanic as compared to Whites, but was related to single/widowed/divorced status, Medicaid insurance, and income (TS group only. Nodal positivity was associated with patients who did not have a married partner or insurance suggesting that these factors may impact disease

  14. Ontogeny of a surgical technique: Robotic kidney transplantation with regional hypothermia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Akshay; McCulloch, Peter; Dahm, Philipp; Ahlawat, Rajesh; Jeong, Wooju; Bhandari, Mahendra; Menon, Mani

    2016-01-01

    Innovation is a hallmark of surgical practice. It is generally accepted that a new procedure will undergo technical changes during its evolution; however, quantitative accounts of the process are limited. Multiple groups, including our own, have recently described a minimally-invasive approach to conventional kidney transplantation (KT) operation. Unique to our experience is a structured development of the technique within the confines of a safe surgical innovation framework - the IDEAL framework (idea, development, exploration, assessment, long-term monitoring; stages 0-4). We here provide a first-hand narrative of the progress of robotic KT operation from preclinical trial to clinical application. Overall, 54 patients underwent robotic KT with regional hypothermia successfully. Major technical changes including selection of optimal patient position (flank vs. lithotomy), robotic instrumentation, vascular occlusion method (bulldog vs. tourniquet) and suture material (prolene vs. GoreTex) occurred early during the procedure development (IDEAL stage 0, preclinical). Minor technical changes such as utilization of the aortic punch for arteriotomy (case 3), use of barbed suture during ureteroneocystostomy (case 6) and extraperitonealization of the graft kidney (case 6) that increased the efficiency and safety of the procedure continued throughout procedure development (IDEAL stages 1-2, clinical stages). We demonstrate that a surgical technique evolves continually; although, the majority of technical alterations occur early in the life-cycle of the procedure. Development of a new technique within the confines a structured surgical innovation framework allows for evidence based progression of the technique and may minimize the risk of harm to the patient. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The effect of video review of resident laparoscopic surgical skills measured by self- and external assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera-Almario, Gabriel E; Kirk, Katherine; Guerrero, Veronica T; Jeong, Kwonho; Kim, Sara; Hamad, Giselle G

    2016-02-01

    Video review of surgical skills is an educational modality that allows trainees to reflect on self-performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether resident and attending assessments of a resident's laparoscopic performance differ and whether video review changes assessments. Third-year surgery residents were invited to participate. Elective laparoscopic procedures were video recorded. The Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills evaluation was completed immediately after the procedure and again 7 to 10 days later by both resident and attending. Scores were compared using t tests. Nine residents participated and 76 video reviews were completed. Residents scored themselves significantly lower than the faculty scores both before and after video review. Resident scores did not change significantly after video review. Attending and resident self-assessment of laparoscopic skills differs and subsequent video review does not significantly affect Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills scores. Further studies should evaluate the impact of video review combined with verbal feedback on skill acquisition and assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The Basic Surgical Skills Course in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Observational Study of Effectiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fergusson, Stuart J; Sedgwick, David M; Ntakiyiruta, Georges; Ntirenganya, Faustin

    2018-04-01

    The Basic Surgical Skills (BSS) course is a common component of postgraduate surgical training programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, but was originally designed in a UK context, and its efficacy and relevance have not been formally assessed in Africa. An observational study was carried out during a BSS course delivered to early-stage surgical trainees from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Technical skill in a basic wound closure task was assessed in a formal Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSAT) before and after course completion. Participants completed a pre-course questionnaire documenting existing surgical experience and self-perceived confidence levels in surgical skills which were to be taught during the course. Participants repeated confidence ratings and completed course evaluation following course delivery. A cohort of 17 participants had completed a pre-course median of 150 Caesarean sections as primary operator. Performance on the OSAT improved from a mean of 10.5/17 pre-course to 14.2/17 post-course (mean of paired differences 3.7, p skills taught, and the course was assessed as highly relevant by trainees. The Basic Surgical Skills course is effective in improving the basic surgical technique of surgical trainees from sub-Saharan Africa and their confidence in key technical skills.

  17. Pre-surgical planning and MR-tractography utility in brain tumour resection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romano, A.; Fantozzi, L.M.; Bozzao, A. [University Sapienza, Department of Neuroradiology, S. Andrea Hospital, Rome (Italy); D' Andrea, G.; Mastronardi, L.; Ferrante, L. [University Sapienza, Department of Neurosurgery, S. Andrea Hospital, Rome (Italy); Minniti, G. [University Sapienza, Department of Radiotherapy, S. Andrea Hospital, Rome (Italy)

    2009-12-15

    The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate the possible identification of trajectories of fibre tracts, (2) to examine the useful of a neuronavigation system for pre-surgical planning, (3) to assess pre- and post-surgery patients' clinical condition and (4) to evaluate the impact of this information on surgical planning and procedure. Twenty-eight right-handed patients were prospectively and consecutively studied. All the patients were clinically assessed by a neurologist in both pre- and post-surgical phases. Separately the pyramidal tract, optic radiation and arcuate fasciculus were reconstructed. The trajectories were considered suitable for surgical planning if there were no interruptions of any of the layers at the level of the lesion. Dedicated software 'merged' the acquired images with the tractographic processing, and the whole dataset was sent to the neuronavigation system. The assessment of the 37 visualised trajectories close to the tumour resulted in a modification of the surgical approach to corticotomy in six patients (21%); the impact on the definition of the resection margins during surgery was 64% (18 cases). The overall impact percentage on the surgical procedure was 82%. In 27 cases, the symptoms had not changed. MR-tractography provides the neurosurgeon with a new anatomical view that has an impact on the surgical resection planning for brain neoplasms. (orig.)

  18. Pre-surgical planning and MR-tractography utility in brain tumour resection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romano, A.; Fantozzi, L.M.; Bozzao, A.; D'Andrea, G.; Mastronardi, L.; Ferrante, L.; Minniti, G.

    2009-01-01

    The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate the possible identification of trajectories of fibre tracts, (2) to examine the useful of a neuronavigation system for pre-surgical planning, (3) to assess pre- and post-surgery patients' clinical condition and (4) to evaluate the impact of this information on surgical planning and procedure. Twenty-eight right-handed patients were prospectively and consecutively studied. All the patients were clinically assessed by a neurologist in both pre- and post-surgical phases. Separately the pyramidal tract, optic radiation and arcuate fasciculus were reconstructed. The trajectories were considered suitable for surgical planning if there were no interruptions of any of the layers at the level of the lesion. Dedicated software 'merged' the acquired images with the tractographic processing, and the whole dataset was sent to the neuronavigation system. The assessment of the 37 visualised trajectories close to the tumour resulted in a modification of the surgical approach to corticotomy in six patients (21%); the impact on the definition of the resection margins during surgery was 64% (18 cases). The overall impact percentage on the surgical procedure was 82%. In 27 cases, the symptoms had not changed. MR-tractography provides the neurosurgeon with a new anatomical view that has an impact on the surgical resection planning for brain neoplasms. (orig.)

  19. Diagnostic Efficiency in Digital Pathology: A Comparison of Optical Versus Digital Assessment in 510 Surgical Pathology Cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, Anne M; Gradecki, Sarah E; Horton, Bethany J; Blackwell, Rebecca; Moskaluk, Christopher A; Mandell, James W; Mills, Stacey E; Cathro, Helen P

    2018-01-01

    Prior work has shown that digital images and microscopic slides can be interpreted with comparable diagnostic accuracy. Although accuracy has been well-validated, the interpretative time for digital images has scarcely been studied and concerns about efficiency remain a major barrier to adoption. We investigated the efficiency of digital pathology when compared with glass slide interpretation in the diagnosis of surgical pathology biopsy and resection specimens. Slides were pulled from 510 surgical pathology cases from 5 organ systems (gastrointestinal, gynecologic, liver, bladder, and brain). Original diagnoses were independently confirmed by 2 validating pathologists. Diagnostic slides were scanned using the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution. Each case was assessed independently on digital and optical by 3 reading pathologists, with a ≥6 week washout period between modalities. Reading pathologists recorded assessment times for each modality; digital times included time to load the case. Diagnostic accuracy was determined based on whether a rendered diagnosis differed significantly from the original diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed to assess for differences in interpretative times across modalities. All 3 reading pathologists showed comparable diagnostic accuracy across optical and digital modalities (mean major discordance rates with original diagnosis: 4.8% vs. 4.4%, respectively). Mean assessment times ranged from 1.2 to 9.1 seconds slower on digital versus optical. The slowest reader showed a significant learning effect during the course of the study so that digital assessment times decreased over time and were comparable with optical times by the end of the series. Organ site and specimen type did not significantly influence differences in interpretative times. In summary, digital image reading times compare favorably relative to glass slides across a variety of organ systems and specimen types. Mean increase in assessment time is 4

  20. [Tumor markers p53, sFAS, FASL, CEA and CA 19-9 in evaluating the effectiveness of surgical and pharmaco nutritional treatment of patients with gastric cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bluvshteĭn, G A; Lysenko, V G; Zakharova, N B; Kitaev, I V

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this study is to develop a marker panel of abnormalities of immune regulatory systems and cell genome in patients with gastric cancer for assessment of efficacy of surgical treatment in combination with pharmaco-nutritional therapy in early postoperative period. Expression of p53, sFAS, FASL, CEA, and CA 19-9, nutritial status, as well as incidence of purulent-septic complications in early postoperative period were determined in 40 patients with gastric cancer (21 patients--the test group and 19 patients--the comparative group) prior to a curative surgical intervention, postoperative days 1 and 7, while the pharmaco-nutritional therapy (the test group) or partial parenteral nutrition (the comparative group) has been performed. The pharmaco-nutritional therapy significantly decreases in activity of tumor suppressing genome, lymphocyte apoptosis, expression of oncology-associated markers, incidence of purulent-septic complications, as well as exacerbation risk for hypotrophy in patients with gastric cancer in early postoperative period. To assess the efficacy of the surgical intervention performed in patients with gastric cancer, an expression of mutant p53 and markers of lymphocyte apoptosis (sFAS/FASL) is reasonable to be evaluated together with determination of oncomarkers (CEA and CA 19-9).

  1. Characterization of aerosols produced by surgical procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yeh, H.C.; Muggenburg, B.A.; Lundgren, D.L.; Guilmette, R.A.; Snipes, M.B.; Jones, R.K. [Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Turner, R.S. [Lovelace Health Systems, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    1994-07-01

    In many surgeries, especially orthopedic procedures, power tools such as saws and drills are used. These tools may produce aerosolized blood and other biological material from bone and soft tissues. Surgical lasers and electrocautery tools can also produce aerosols when tissues are vaporized and condensed. Studies have been reported in the literature concerning production of aerosols during surgery, and some of these aerosols may contain infectious material. Garden et al. (1988) reported the presence of papilloma virus DNA in the fumes produced from laser surgery, but the infectivity of the aerosol was not assessed. Moon and Nininger (1989) measured the size distribution and production rate of emissions from laser surgery and found that particles were generally less than 0.5 {mu}m diameter. More recently there has been concern expressed over the production of aerosolized blood during surgical procedures that require power tools. In an in vitro study, the production of an aerosol containing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported when power tools were used to cut tissues with blood infected with HIV. Another study measured the size distribution of blood aerosols produced by surgical power tools and found blood-containing particles in a number of size ranges. Health care workers are anxious and concerned about whether surgically produced aerosols are inspirable and can contain viable pathogens such as HIV. Other pathogens such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) are also of concern. The Occupational Safety and Health funded a project at the National Institute for Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute to assess the extent of aerosolization of blood and other tissues during surgical procedures. This document reports details of the experimental and sampling approach, methods, analyses, and results on potential production of blood-associated aerosols from surgical procedures in the laboratory and in the hospital surgical suite.

  2. Surgical management of low grade isthmic spondylolisthesis; a randomized controlled study of the surgical fixation with and without reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bashaireh Khaldoon M

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra slips out of the proper position onto the bone below it as a result of pars interarticularis defect. The slipped segment produces abnormal positioning of the vertebrae in relation to each other along the spinal column and causes mechanical back pain and neural breach. Materials and methods A randomized and double blinded study consisted of 41 patients aged 36-69 years (18 females and 28 males treated for symptomatic spondylolisthesis between December,2006 and December, 2009. All patients were randomly distributed into two groups I and II. Twenty patients were in Group I; they underwent reduction of the slipped vertebrae by using Reduction-Screw Technique and posterior lumbar interbody fixation (PLIF. Group II consisted of twenty one patients who underwent only surgical fixation (PLIF without reduction. All patients in this study had same pre and post operative management. Results only one case had broken rod in group I that required revision. Superficial wound infection was experienced in two patients and one patient, from group II, developed wound hematoma. The outcome in both groups was variable on the short term but was almost the same on the long term follow up. Conclusion surgical management of symptomatic low grade spondylolisthesis should include neural decompression and surgical fixation. Reduction of slipped vertebral bodies is unnecessary as the ultimate outcome will be likely similar.

  3. Long-term surgical-orthodontic management of hemimandibular hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Samuel C; Goonewardene, Mithran S

    2016-05-01

    Hemimandibular hyperplasia (HH), also known as hemimandibular hypertrophy, is characterised by excessive unilateral three-dimensional growth of the mandible after birth. Vertical unilateral elongation of the mandible becomes clinically evident as a rare form of vertical facial asymmetry. Aberrant growth of the facial skeleton affects the developing dentition and the dental compensatory mechanism is usually unable to maintain optimal occlusal relationships. The resulting malocclusion is effectively managed by combined surgical-orthodontic care to address the facial, skeletal and dental problems that confront clinicians. Orthodontists are advised to assess patients with HH during the post-treatment retention stage for continuing mandibular growth and assess the stability of treatment outcomes with long-term follow-up and records as required. To present a case of hemimandibular hyperplasia treated successfully by combined surgical-orthodontic care and evaluated for stability over a seven-year follow-up period. Surgical-orthodontic management was accomplished in four stages: 1) pre-surgical orthodontic; 21 surgical; 3) post-surgical orthodontic; and 4) post-treatment orthodontic retention. Complete orthodontic records, including extra- and intra-oral photographs, study models, and cephalograms plus panoramic radiographs were taken at the pretreatment, post-treatment, and seven-year orthodontic retention time-points. Facial, skeletal and dental goals were achieved in the three planes of space and the long-term stability of the treatment results was shown during a post-treatment orthodontic retention period of seven years. Hemimandibular hyperplasia is a true growth anomaly which may be managed effectively. Clinicians may expect successful long-term correction and stability by utilising a comprehensive surgical-orthodontic treatment approach.

  4. Use of 0.5% bupivacaine with buprenorphine in minor oral surgical procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagpal, Varun; Kaur, Tejinder; Kapila, Sarika; Bhullar, Ramandeep Singh; Dhawan, Amit; Kaur, Yashmeet

    2017-01-01

    Minor oral surgical procedures are the most commonly performed procedures by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Performance of painless surgical procedure is highly appreciated by the patients and is possible through the use of local anesthesia, conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Postoperative pain can also be controlled by the use of opioids, as opioid receptors exist in the peripheral nervous system and offers the possibility of providing postoperative analgesia in the surgical patient. The present study compares the efficacy of 0.5% bupivacaine versus 0.5% bupivacaine with 0.3 mg buprenorphine in minor oral surgical procedures. The present study was conducted in 50 patients who required minor oral surgical procedures under local anesthesia. Two types of local anesthetic solutions were used- 0.5% bupivacaine with 1:200000 epinephrine in group I and a mixture of 39 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200000 and 1 ml of 300 μg buprenorphine (3 μg/kg)in group II. Intraoperative and postoperative evaluation was carried out for both the anesthetic solutions. The mean duration of postoperative analgesia in bupivacaine group (508.92 ± 63.30 minutes) was quite less than the buprenorphine combination group (1840.84 ± 819.51 minutes). The mean dose of postoperative analgesic medication in bupivacaine group (1.64 ± 0.99 tablets) was higher than buprenorphine combination group (0.80 ± 1.08 tablets). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the onset of action of the anesthetic effect and duration of anesthesia. Buprenorphine can be used in combination with bupivacaine for patients undergoing minor oral surgical procedures to provide postoperative analgesia for a longer duration.

  5. Abortion - surgical

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suction curettage; Surgical abortion; Elective abortion - surgical; Therapeutic abortion - surgical ... Surgical abortion involves dilating the opening to the uterus (cervix) and placing a small suction tube into the uterus. ...

  6. Prophylactic Antibiotic Choice and Risk of Surgical Site Infection After Hysterectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uppal, Shitanshu; Harris, John; Al-Niaimi, Ahmed; Swenson, Carolyn W; Pearlman, Mark D; Reynolds, R Kevin; Kamdar, Neil; Bazzi, Ali; Campbell, Darrell A; Morgan, Daniel M

    2016-02-01

    To evaluate associations between prophylactic preoperative antibiotic choice and surgical site infection rates after hysterectomy. A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients in the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative undergoing hysterectomy from July 2012 to February 2015. The primary outcome was a composite outcome of any surgical site infection (superficial surgical site infections or combined deep organ space surgical site infections). Preoperative antibiotics were categorized based on the recommendations set forth by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Surgical Care Improvement Project. Patients receiving a recommended antibiotic regimen were categorized into those receiving β-lactam antibiotics and those receiving alternatives to β-lactam antibiotics. Patients receiving nonrecommended antibiotics were categorized into those receiving overtreatment (excluded from further analysis) and those receiving nonstandard antibiotics. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to estimate the independent effect of antibiotic choice. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to validate the results. The study included 21,358 hysterectomies. The overall rate of any surgical site infection was 2.06% (n=441). Unadjusted rates of "any surgical site infection" were 1.8%, 3.1%, and 3.7% for β-lactam, β-lactam alternatives, and nonstandard groups, respectively. After adjusting for patient and operative factors within clusters of hospitals, compared with the β-lactam antibiotics (reference group), the risk of "any surgical site infection" was higher for the group receiving β-lactam alternatives (odds ratio [OR] 1.7, confidence interval [CI] 1.27-2.07) or the nonstandard antibiotics (OR 2.0, CI 1.31-3.1). Compared with women receiving β-lactam antibiotic regimens, there is a higher risk of surgical site infection after hysterectomy among those receiving a recommended β-lactam alternative or nonstandard regimen.

  7. Surgical Education's 100 Most Cited Articles: A Bibliometric Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Alexander H; Abdelrahman, Tarig; Powell, Arfon G M T; Lewis, Wyn G

    2016-01-01

    Bibliometric analysis highlights the key topics and publications, which have shaped surgical education. Here, the 100 most cited articles in the arena of surgical education were analyzed. Thomson Reuters Web of Science was interrogated using the keyword search terms "surgery" and ("learning" or "skills" or "competence" or "assessment" or "training" or "procedure-based assessments" or "performance" or "technical skills" or "curriculum" or "education" or "mentoring"] to identify all English language full articles, and the 100 most cited articles were analyzed by topic, journal, author, year, institution, and country of origin. A total of 403,733 eligible articles were returned and the median citation number was 164 (range: 107-1018). The most cited article (by Seymour, Yale University School of Medicine, Annals of Surgery, 1018 citations) focused on the use of virtual reality surgical simulation training. Annals of Surgery published the highest number of articles and received the most citations (n = 16, 3715 citations). The countries with the greatest number of publications were the USA (n = 45), Canada (n = 19), and the UK (n = 18). The commonest topics included simulation (n = 45) and assessment of clinical competence (n = 40). Surgical skill acquisition and assessment was the area of focus of 85% of the most cited contemporary articles, and this study provides the most cited references, serving as a guide as to what makes a citable published work in the field of surgical education. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Non-observance of guidelines for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis and surgical-site infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lallemand, S; Thouverez, M; Bailly, P; Bertrand, X; Talon, D

    2002-06-01

    A prospective multicentre study was conducted to assess major aspects of surgical prophylaxis and to determine whether inappropriate antimicrobial prophylaxis was a factor associated (risk or protective factor) with surgical site infection (SSI). Surgical prophylaxis practices were assessed by analysing four variables: indication, antimicrobial agent, timing and duration. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to identify predictors of SSI among patient-specific, operation-specific and antimicrobial prophylaxis-specific factors. The frequency of SSI was 2.7% (13 SSI in 474 observations). Total compliance of the prescription with guidelines was observed in 41.1% of cases (195 prescriptions). Of the 139 patients who received an inappropriate drug, 126 (90.6%) received a drug with a broader spectrum than the recommended drug. Prophylaxis was prolonged in 71 (87.7%) of the 81 patients who received prophylaxis for inappropriate lengths of time and 43 (61.4%) of the 70 patients who did not receive prophylaxis at the optimal moment were treated too late. Multivariate analysis clearly demonstrated that SSI was associated with multiple procedures (relative risk 8.5), short duration of prophylaxis (relative risk 12.7) and long-term therapy with antimicrobial agents during the previous year (relative risk 8.8). The ecological risk of the emergence of resistance associated with the frequent use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and prophylaxis for longer periods was not offset by individual benefit to the patients who received inappropriate prophylaxis.

  9. A randomised controlled trial of expectant management versus surgical evacuation of early pregnancy loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadarajah, Ravichandran; Quek, Yek Song; Kuppannan, Kaliammah; Woon, Shu Yuan; Jeganathan, Ravichandran

    2014-07-01

    To show whether a clinically significant difference in success rates exists between expectant and surgical management of early pregnancy loss. Randomised controlled trial comparing expectant versus surgical management of early pregnancy loss over a 1-year period from 1st January to 31st December 2009 at Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru. Pregnant women with missed or incomplete miscarriages at gestations up to 14 weeks were recruited in this study. The success rate in the surgical group was measured as curettage performed without any complications during or after the procedure, while the success rate in the expectant group was defined as complete spontaneous expulsion of products of conception within 6 weeks without any complication. A total of 360 women were recruited and randomised to expectant or surgical management, with 180 women in each group. There was no statistically significant difference in the success rate between the groups and between the different types of miscarriage. With expectant management, 131 (74%) patients had a complete spontaneous expulsion of products of conception, of whom 106 (83%) women miscarried within 7 days. However, the rates of unplanned admissions (18.1%) and unplanned surgical evacuations (17.5%) in the expectant group were significantly higher than the rates (7.4% and 8% respectively) in the surgical group. The complications in both groups were similar. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Chest drainage teaching and training for medical students. Use of a surgical ex vivo pig model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tube, Milton Ignacio Carvalho; Netto, Fernando Antonio Campelo Spencer; Costa, Elaine; Lafayette, Daniell de Siqueira Araújo; Lima, George Augusto da Fonseca Carvalho Antunes; Menezes, Jamile Isabela Santos de; Aires, Vinicius Gueiros Buenos; Ferraz, Álvaro Antônio Bandeira; Campos, Josemberg Marins; Moraes, Fernando Ribeiro de

    2016-05-01

    Implement a constructivist approach in thoracic drainage training in surgical ex vivo pig models, to compare the acquisition of homogeneous surgical skills between medical students. Experimental study, prospective, transversal, analytical, controlled, three steps. Selection, training, evaluation. a) students without training in thoracic drainage; b) without exposure to constructivist methodology. 2) EXCLUSION CRITERIA: a) students developed surgical skills; b) a history of allergy. (N = 312). Two groups participated in the study: A and B. Lecture equal for both groups. Differentiated teaching: group A, descriptive and informative method; group B, learning method based on problems. A surgical ex vivo pig model for training the chest drain was created. Were applied pre and post-test, test goal-discursive and OSATS scale. Theoretical averages: Group A = 9.5 ± 0.5; Group B = 8.8 ± 1.1 (p = 0.006). Medium Practices: Group A = 22.8 ± 1.8; Group B = 23.0 ± 2.8 (p <0.001). Through the constructivist methodology implemented in the thoracic drainage training in surgical ex vivo pig models, has proven the acquisition of surgical skills homogeneous compared among medical students.

  11. Results of surgical treatment for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax according to underlying diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichinose, Junji; Nagayama, Kazuhiro; Hino, Haruaki; Nitadori, Jun-ichi; Anraku, Masaki; Murakawa, Tomohiro; Nakajima, Jun

    2016-04-01

    The outcome of surgical treatment for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) has rarely been investigated. We retrospectively reviewed 183 patients who underwent surgery for SSP. We categorized the patients into three groups according to underlying diseases: Group A (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Group B (interstitial pneumonia [IP]) and Group C (others). We defined treatment success as surgery without hospital mortality, postoperative complications, death within 6 months or ipsilateral recurrence of pneumothorax within 2 years. We assessed the risk factors for unsuccessful treatment using a Cox regression hazard model. There were 123 patients in Group A, 20 in Group B and 40 in Group C. The hospital mortality rates were 2, 15 and 0% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. The hospital mortality, morbidity and pneumothorax recurrence rates in the IP group were higher than in the other groups. The 5-year overall survival rates were 78, 32 and 84% in Groups A, B and C, respectively; the prognosis of the IP group was significantly poorer. The treatment success rates were 86, 45 and 83% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. SSPs caused by IP and SSPs requiring open surgery were identified as the risk factors for unsuccessful treatment. Surgery for SSP caused by underlying diseases other than IP yielded favourable results. However, a careful examination of surgical indication and a realistic disclosure for informed consent are required for patients with SSP caused by IP, because of the high treatment failure rate. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  12. Impact of early surgical evacuation of sylvian hematoma on clinical course and outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutoh, Tatsushi; Ishikawa, Tatsuya; Moroi, Junta; Suzuki, Akifumi; Yasui, Nobuyuki

    2010-01-01

    The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of early surgical evacuation of sylvian hematoma caused by ruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm on clinical outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Hospital records and computed tomography scans for 26 patients with MCA aneurysm who underwent surgical clipping between June 2001 and January 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients presented with sylvian hematoma associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage and received surgery at 7.9±3.6 (mean±standard deviation) hours of ictus. They were divided postoperatively into two groups, achievement (n=16) and non-achievement (n=10) of extensive hematoma evacuation, and their clinical course and functional outcomes were compared. The frequencies of delayed ischemic neurological deficit and vasospasm-related cerebral infarction were significantly less (p<0.05) in the achievement group. Better functional outcomes were obtained in patients with successful evacuation (p<0.05), as assessed by improvement of hemiparesis on manual muscle testing scale at postoperative 1-month follow up and by the modified Rankin scale at postoperative 3 and 6 months. Clinical outcomes were also better in the achievement group. These results suggest that better clinical course and outcome can be expected in patients who undergo early successful hematoma evacuation with surgical clipping of a ruptured MCA aneurysm. (author)

  13. A socio-technical, probabilistic risk assessment model for surgical site infections in ambulatory surgery centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bish, Ebru K; El-Amine, Hadi; Steighner, Laura A; Slonim, Anthony D

    2014-10-01

    To understand how structural and process elements may affect the risk for surgical site infections (SSIs) in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) environment, the researchers employed a tool known as socio-technical probabilistic risk assessment (ST-PRA). ST-PRA is particularly helpful for estimating risks in outcomes that are very rare, such as the risk of SSI in ASCs. Study objectives were to (1) identify the risk factors associated with SSIs resulting from procedures performed at ASCs and (2) design an intervention to mitigate the likelihood of SSIs for the most common risk factors that were identified by the ST-PRA for a particular surgical procedure. ST-PRA was used to study the SSI risk in the ASC setting. Both quantitative and qualitative data sources were utilized, and sensitivity analysis was performed to ensure the robustness of the results. The event entitled "fail to protect the patient effectively" accounted for 51.9% of SSIs in the ambulatory care setting. Critical components of this event included several failure risk points related to skin preparation, antibiotic administration, staff training, proper response to glove punctures during surgery, and adherence to surgical preparation rules related to the wearing of jewelry, watches, and artificial nails. Assuming a 75% reduction in noncompliance on any combination of 2 of these 5 components, the risk for an SSI decreased from 0.0044 to between 0.0027 and 0.0035. An intervention that targeted the 5 major components of the major risk point was proposed, and its implications were discussed.

  14. Post surgical complications from students' large animal surgical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A retrospective study of post surgical complications was conducted on records of students' Large Animal Surgical Laboratories in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (F.V.M.), Ahmadu Bello University (A.B.U), Zaria from 1989 to 1993. Three hundred and eleven surgical complications were recorded from five surgical ...

  15. Performance of language tasks in patients with ruptured aneurysm of the left hemisphere worses in the post-surgical evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Cláudia C. Vieira

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Sub-arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH promotes impairment of upper cortical functions. However, few information is available emphasizing changes in language after aneurismal SAH and aneurysm location influence. Objective To assess the language and verbal fluency performance in aneurismal SAH pre- and post-surgery in patients caused by an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA, left middle cerebral artery (L-MCA and left posterior comunicating artery (L-PcomA. Methods Assessment in 79 patients with SAH, on two occasions: pre- and post surgical treatment. They were divided into three groups by the aneurysms’ location. Results Deterioration is detected in the performance of all patients during the post-surgical period; L-MCA aneurysm patients displayed a reduction in verbal naming and fluency; L-PcomA patients deteriorated in the written language and fluency tasks. Conclusion After the surgical procedure the patients decreased in various language tasks and these differences in performance being directly related to the location of the aneurysm.

  16. Patient satisfaction: does surgical volume matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tevis, Sarah E; Kennedy, Gregory D

    2015-06-01

    Patient satisfaction is an increasing area of interest due to implications of pay for performance and public reporting of results. Although scores are adjusted for patient factors, little is known about the relationship between hospital structure, postoperative outcomes, and patient satisfaction with the hospital experience. Hospitals participating in the University HealthSystem Consortium database from 2011-2012 were included. Patients were restricted to those discharged by general surgeons to isolate surgical patients. Hospital data were paired with Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) results from the Hospital Compare website. Postoperative outcomes were dichotomized based on the median for all hospitals and stratified based on surgical volume. The primary outcome of interest was high on overall patient satisfaction, whereas other HCAHPS domains were assessed as secondary outcomes. Chi square and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate whether postoperative outcomes or surgical volume more significantly influenced high patient satisfaction. The study population consisted of 171 hospitals from the University HealthSystem Consortium database. High surgical volume was a more important predictor of overall patient satisfaction regardless of hospital complication (P patient satisfaction on the HCAHPS survey than postoperative outcomes, whereas volume was less predictive in other HCAHPS domains. Patients may require more specific questioning to identify high quality, safe hospitals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Obesity and Surgical Treatment – A Cost-Effectiveness Assessment for Sweden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sixten Borg

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Background:The rising trend in the prevalence of obesity has during the past decades become a major public health concern in many countries, as obesity may lead to comorbidities and death. A frequent used marker for obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI. The cost of treatment for obesity related diseases has become a heavy burden on national health care budget in many countries. While diet and exercise are the cornerstones of weight management, pharmaco­therapy is often needed to achieve and maintain desired weight loss.  In some cases of extreme obesity, bariatric surgery may be recommended. It is expected to increase by 50% in Sweden.Objective: The overall objective was to develop a cost-effectiveness model using the best available evidence to assess the cost-effectiveness of gastric bypass (GBP surgical treatments for obesity in adult patients, in comparison with conventional treatment (CT, in Sweden from a healthcare perspective. With the model we also seeked to identify the lower cut-off point using BMI criteria, for the surgical intervention to be cost-effective. Methods:A micro-simulation model with an underlying Markov methodology was developed, that simulates individual patients. It simulates the outcomes of the patients in terms of treatment costs, life years, and quality adjusted life years (QALY over his/her remaining lifetime. The costs are presented in SEK in the year 2006 price level (1 SEK ≈ 0.11 EUR ≈ 0.14 USD.Results: We estimated that the incremental cost per QALY gained will not exceed SEK 33,000 per QALY in patients with BMI < 35. In patients with BMI > 35 kg/m2, gastric bypass surgery has lower costs compared to conventional treatment. Conclusion: Gastric bypass surgery is a cost-effective intervention compared to conventional treatment consisting of watchful waiting, diet and exercise.

  18. Perceived age change after aesthetic facial surgical procedures quantifying outcomes of aging face surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauhan, Nitin; Warner, Jeremy P; Adamson, Peter A

    2012-01-01

    To quantify the degree of perceived age change after aesthetic facial surgical procedures to provide an objective measure of surgical success. Sixty patients undergoing various aging face surgical procedures were randomly chosen for analysis. Preoperative and postoperative photographs were evaluated. Raters were presented with photographs in a random assortment and were asked to estimate the age of the patient. Perceived age difference was defined as the difference between the chronological age and the estimated age, and the change in this value after surgery was the chief outcome of interest. Statistical models were designed to account for any effects of interrater differences, preoperative chronological age, rater group, photograph order, or surgical procedure performed. Our patient population was divided into the following 3 groups based on the surgical procedure performed: group 1 (face- and neck-lift [22 patients]), group 2 (face- and neck-lift and upper and lower blepharoplasty [17 patients]), and group 3 (face- and neck-lift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, and forehead-lift [21 patients]). Adjusted means demonstrated that patient ages were estimated to be 1.7 years younger than their chronological age before surgery and 8.9 years younger than their chronological age after surgery. The effect was less substantial for group 1 patients and was most dramatic for group 3 patients, who had undergone all 3 aging face surgical procedures. Our study is novel in that it quantifies the degree of perceived age change after aging face surgical procedures and demonstrates a significant and consistent reduction in perceived age after aesthetic facial surgery. This effect is more substantial when the number of surgical procedures is increased, an effect unrelated to the preoperative age of a patient and unaffected by other variables that we investigated. The ability to perceive age correctly is accurate and consistent.

  19. Improved patient selection by stratified surgical intervention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Miao; Bünger, Cody E; Li, Haisheng

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Choosing the best surgical treatment for patients with spinal metastases remains a significant challenge for spine surgeons. There is currently no gold standard for surgical treatments. The Aarhus Spinal Metastases Algorithm (ASMA) was established to help surgeons choose...... the most appropriate surgical intervention for patients with spinal metastases. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of stratified surgical interventions based on the ASMA, which combines life expectancy and the anatomical classification of patients with spinal metastases...... survival times in the five surgical groups determined by the ASMA were 2.1 (TS 0-4, TC 1-7), 5.1 (TS 5-8, TC 1-7), 12.1 (TS 9-11, TC 1-7 or TS 12-15, TC 7), 26.0 (TS 12-15, TC 4-6), and 36.0 (TS 12-15, TC 1-3) months. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.5%. Postoperative neurological function was maintained...

  20. Risk Assessment of Abdominal Wall Thickness Measured on Pre-Operative Computerized Tomography for Incisional Surgical Site Infection after Abdominal Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tongyoo, Assanee; Chatthamrak, Putipan; Sriussadaporn, Ekkapak; Limpavitayaporn, Palin; Mingmalairak, Chatchai

    2015-07-01

    The surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication of abdominal operation. It relates to increased hospital stay, increased healthcare cost, and decreased patient's quality of life. Obesity, usually defined by BMI, is known as one of the risks of SSI. However, the thickness of subcutaneous layers of abdominal wall might be an important local factor affecting the rate of SSI after the abdominal operations. The objective of this study is to assess the importance of the abdominal wall thickness on incisional SSI rate. The subjects of the present study were patients who had undergone major abdominal operations at Thammasat University Hospital between June 2013 and May 2014, and had been investigated with CT scans before their operations. The demographic data and clinical information of these patients were recorded. The thickness ofsubcutaneous fatty tissue from skin down to the most superficial layer of abdominal wall muscle at the surgical site was measured on CT images. The wound infectious complication was reviewed and categorized as superficial and deep incisional SSIfollowing the definition from Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. The significance ofeach potentialfactors on SSI rates was determined separately with student t-test for quantitative data and χ2-test for categorical data. Then all factors, which had p operative CTscans. Post-operative SSI was 25.2% (35/139), superficial and deep types in 27 and 8 patients, respectively. The comparison of abdominal wall thickness between patients with and without infection was significantly different (20.0 ± 8.4 mm and 16.0 ± 7.2 mm, respectively). When the thickness at 20 mm was used as the cut-off value, 43 of 139 patients had abdominal wall thickness ≥ 20 mm. The incidence of SSI of the thickness ±20 mm group was 37.2% (16/43) and of the less thickness group was 19.8% (19/96), with p operation. However, only abdominal wall thickness and wound classification were still significant

  1. Surgical assessment clinic - One stop emergency out-patient clinic for rapid assessment, reduced admissions and improved acute surgical service: A quality improvement study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina A.W. Macano

    2017-11-01

    Conclusion: By providing suitable guidance for referring practitioners we have optimised our clinic use significantly and improved our acute ambulatory surgical care. We have reduced admissions, provided rapid treatment and have established a service that helps address the ever increasing demand on acute services within the NHS.

  2. Risk factors for acute surgical site infections after lumbar surgery: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Qi; Song, Quanwei; Guo, Runsheng; Bi, Haidi; Liu, Xuqiang; Yu, Xiaolong; Zhu, Jianghao; Dai, Min; Zhang, Bin

    2017-07-19

    Currently, many scholars are concerned about the treatment of postoperative infection; however, few have completed multivariate analyses to determine factors that contribute to the risk of infection. Therefore, we conducted a multivariate analysis of a retrospectively collected database to analyze the risk factors for acute surgical site infection following lumbar surgery, including fracture fixation, lumbar fusion, and minimally invasive lumbar surgery. We retrospectively reviewed data from patients who underwent lumbar surgery between 2014 and 2016, including lumbar fusion, internal fracture fixation, and minimally invasive surgery in our hospital's spinal surgery unit. Patient demographics, procedures, and wound infection rates were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analyses. Twenty-six patients (2.81%) experienced acute surgical site infection following lumbar surgery in our study. The patients' mean body mass index, smoking history, operative time, blood loss, draining time, and drainage volume in the acute surgical site infection group were significantly different from those in the non-acute surgical site infection group (p operative type in the acute surgical site infection group were significantly different than those in the non-acute surgical site infection group (p operative type, operative time, blood loss, and drainage time were independent predictors of acute surgical site infection following lumbar surgery. In order to reduce the risk of infection following lumbar surgery, patients should be evaluated for the risk factors noted above.

  3. The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in assessment of patients after radical surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Genova, K.; Dasheva, A.

    2014-01-01

    Surgical management of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) results in residual anatomic and functional abnormalities in majority of patients. Primarily considered as a benign pulmonary regurgitation with the time results in right ventricular overload, loses the compensatory mechanisms and irreversible right ventricular dilatation and dysfunction. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has evolved during the last two decades as the reference standard imaging modality to assess the anatomic and functional changes in patients with repaired TOF. This article reviews the role of CMR to assess the right ventricular function and to evaluate the degree of pulmonary regurgitation and comments some technical aspects, based to our experience. Key words: Tetralogy of Fallot. Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. Pulmonary regurgitation. Right ventricular assessment

  4. e-Learning in Surgical Education: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayakumar, Nithish; Brunckhorst, Oliver; Dasgupta, Prokar; Khan, Muhammad Shamim; Ahmed, Kamran

    2015-01-01

    e-Learning involves the delivery of educational content through web-based methods. Owing to work-hour restrictions and changing practice patterns in surgery, e-learning can offer an effective alternative to traditional teaching. Our aims were to (1) identify current modalities of e-learning, (2) assess the efficacy of e-learning as an intervention in surgical education through a systematic review of the literature, and (3) discuss the relevance of e-learning as an educational tool in surgical education. This is the first such systematic review in this field. A systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted for relevant articles published until July 2014, using a predefined search strategy. The database search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 38 articles were found which met the inclusion criteria. In these studies, e-learning was used as an intervention in 3 different ways: (1) to teach cases through virtual patients (18/38); (2) to teach theoretical knowledge through online tutorials, or other means (18/38); and (3) to teach surgical skills (2/38). Nearly all of the studies reviewed report significant knowledge gain from e-learning; however, 2 in 3 studies did not use a control group. e-Learning has emerged as an effective mode of teaching with particular relevance for surgical education today. Published studies have demonstrated the efficacy of this method; however, future work must involve well-designed randomized controlled trials comparing e-learning against standard teaching. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Long-term outcome and quality of life of patients treated in surgical intensive care: a comparison between sepsis and trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korosec Jagodic, Helena; Jagodic, Klemen; Podbregar, Matej

    2006-01-01

    Our aim was to determine long-term survival and quality of life of patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) because of sepsis or trauma. This was an observational study conducted in an 11-bed, closed surgical ICU at a 860-bed teaching general hospital over a 1-year period (January 2003 to December 2003). Patients were divided into two groups according to admission diagnoses: group 1 included patients with sepsis; and group 2 included patients with trauma (polytrauma, multiple trauma, head injury, or spinal injury). Quality of life was assessed after 2 years following ICU admission using the EuroQol 5D questionnaire. A total of 164 patients (98 trauma patients and 66 patients with sepsis) were included in the study. Trauma patients were younger than patients with sepsis (53 +/- 21 years versus 64 +/- 13 years; P Trauma patients stayed longer on the general ward (35 +/- 44 days versus 17 +/- 24 days; P trauma group (surgical ICU survival: 60% versus 74%; in-hospital survival: 42% versus 62%; post-hospital survival: 78% versus 92%; cumulative 2-year survival: 33% versus 57%; P quality of life in all five dimensions of the EuroQol 5D between groups: 60% of patients had signs of depression, almost 60% had problems in usual activities and 56% had pain. Patients with sepsis treated in a surgical ICU have higher short-term and long-term mortality than do trauma patients. However, quality of life is reduced to the same level in both groups.

  6. Progress in virtual reality simulators for surgical training and certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Visser, Hans; Watson, Marcus O; Salvado, Olivier; Passenger, Joshua D

    2011-02-21

    There is increasing evidence that educating trainee surgeons by simulation is preferable to traditional operating-room training methods with actual patients. Apart from reducing costs and risks to patients, training by simulation can provide some unique benefits, such as greater control over the training procedure and more easily defined metrics for assessing proficiency. Virtual reality (VR) simulators are now playing an increasing role in surgical training. However, currently available VR simulators lack the fidelity to teach trainees past the novice-to-intermediate skills level. Recent technological developments in other industries using simulation, such as the games and entertainment and aviation industries, suggest that the next generation of VR simulators should be suitable for training, maintenance and certification of advanced surgical skills. To be effective as an advanced surgical training and assessment tool, VR simulation needs to provide adequate and relevant levels of physical realism, case complexity and performance assessment. Proper validation of VR simulators and an increased appreciation of their value by the medical profession are crucial for them to be accepted into surgical training curricula.

  7. Nursing assessment of continuous vital sign surveillance to improve patient safety on the medical/surgical unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watkins, Terri; Whisman, Lynn; Booker, Pamela

    2016-01-01

    Evaluate continuous vital sign surveillance as a tool to improve patient safety in the medical/surgical unit. Failure-to-rescue is an important measure of hospital quality. Patient deterioration is often preceded by changes in vital signs. However, continuous multi-parameter vital sign monitoring may decrease patient safety with an abundance of unnecessary alarms. Prospective observational study at two geographically disperse hospitals in a single hospital system. A multi-parameter vital sign monitoring system was installed in a medical/surgical unit in Utah and one in Alabama providing continuous display of SpO2, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate on a central station. Alarm thresholds and time to alert annunciations were set based on prior analysis of the distribution of each vital sign. At the end of 4 weeks, nurses completed a survey on their experience. An average alert per patient, per day was determined retrospectively from the saved vital signs data and knowledge of the alarm settings. Ninety-two per cent of the nurses agreed that the number of alarms and alerts were appropriate; 54% strongly agreed. On average, both units experienced 10·8 alarms per patient, per day. One hundred per cent agreed the monitor provided valuable patient data that increased patient safety; 79% strongly agreed. Continuous, multi-parameter patient monitoring could be performed on medical/surgical units with a small and appropriate level of alarms. Continuous vital sign assessment may have initiated nursing interventions that prevented failure-to-rescue events. Nurses surveyed unanimously agreed that continuous vital sign surveillance will help enhance patient safety. Nursing response to abnormal vital signs is one of the most important levers in patient safety, by providing timely recognition of early clinical deterioration. This occurs through diligent nursing surveillance, involving assessment, interpretation of data, recognition of a problem and meaningful

  8. Is surgical workforce diversity increasing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andriole, Dorothy A; Jeffe, Donna B; Schechtman, Kenneth B

    2007-03-01

    We sought to determine the extent to which recent increases in levels of gender and racial diversity in the overall resident-physician workforce were evident among core-surgical specialty resident workforces. Chi-square tests for trend assessed the importance of changes from 1996 to 2004 in proportions of women and African Americans in the surgery-resident workforce. Surgery-resident trends were compared with overall resident workforce trends using two-tailed t-tests to compare regression slopes that quantified rates of change over time. Chi-square tests assessed differences between proportions of women and African Americans in the current overall board-certified workforce and their proportions in the surgery board-certified workforce. From 1996 to 2004, proportions of women increased in all seven surgical specialties studied. Compared with the overall trend toward increasing proportions of women in the resident workforce, the trend in one surgical specialty was larger (obstetrics/gynecology, p 0.05), and two were smaller (each p 0.05). Proportions of African Americans decreased in three specialties (each p workforce, except obstetrics/gynecology, remained lower than in the overall board-certified workforce (each p workforces have persisted since 1996 and will likely perpetuate ongoing surgery board-certified workforce disparities.

  9. Surgical data processing for smart intraoperative assistance systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stauder Ralf

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Different components of the newly defined field of surgical data science have been under research at our groups for more than a decade now. In this paper, we describe our sensor-driven approaches to workflow recognition without the need for explicit models, and our current aim is to apply this knowledge to enable context-aware surgical assistance systems, such as a unified surgical display and robotic assistance systems. The methods we evaluated over time include dynamic time warping, hidden Markov models, random forests, and recently deep neural networks, specifically convolutional neural networks.

  10. Comparison of effectiveness and cost of patent ductus arteriosus device occlusion versus surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulqarnain, Arif; Younas, Muhammad; Waqar, Tariq; Beg, Ahsan; Asma, Touseef; Baig, Mirza Ahmad Raza

    2016-01-01

    Comparison of effectiveness and cost of transcatheter occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with surgical ligation of PDA. This retrospective comparative study was conducted in the pediatric cardiology department of Ch. Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology Multan, Pakistan. Data of 250 patients who underwent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure either surgical or trans-catheter closure using SHSMA Occluder having weight >5 kg from April 2012 to October 2015 were included in this study. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. Quantitative variables were compared using independent sample t-test. Chi-square test and fishers exact was used for qualitative variables. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. There were one hundred and twenty (120) patients who underwent transcatheter occlusion of PDA using SHSMA occluder (PDA Device Group) and one hundred and thirty (130) patients who underwent surgical ligation of PDA (Surgical Group). Incidence of residual shunting was two (1.5%) in surgical group and 0 (0.0%) in PDA Device group for one month follow up period. There were 4 (3.1%) major complications in surgical group. The rate of blood transfusions were high in surgical group (p-value 0.04). Hospital stay time was significantly less in PDA Device group (P-value <0.001). Total procedural cost was 110695+1054 Pakistani rupees in PDA Device group and 92414+3512 in surgical group (p-value <0.001). The cost of PDA device closure was 16.52% higher than the surgical ligation of PDA. There was no operative mortality. The transcatheter closure of PDA is an effective and less invasive method as compared to the surgical ligation. There is a lower rate of complications and the cost is not much high as compared to surgical PDA ligation.

  11. Changes in life satisfaction and self-esteem in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with and without surgical intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingtao; He, Dawei; Gao, Juan; Yu, Xiuchun; Sun, Haining; Chen, Ziqiang; Li, Ming

    2011-04-20

    Pre-/poststudy comparing surgical and nonsurgical treatment. To identify whether orthopedic spinal surgery can effectively improve life satisfaction and self-esteem in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. There have been many studies about the effect of spinal deformity and its various treatments on the mental health of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis has been reported to have a negative effect on the life quality and mental health of patients. It has also been reported that no matter what the treatment, the existence of scoliosis is a risk factor for depression. However, there has been no report on whether orthopedic spinal surgery affects the life satisfaction and self-esteem of scoliosis patients. Forty-six patients with Cobb angles of more than 30° were recruited from a group of patients that were treated from January 2007 to August 2007. Twenty-one patients with Cobb angles of more than 40° underwent surgical correction while the remaining patients received regular observation (n = 11) or bracing (n = 14). Self-esteem and life satisfaction were assessed before and approximately 1 year after treatment using previously validated scales. There were no between-group differences in age, sex, or major curve location between the surgically and nonsurgically treated groups. The major curve Cobb angle decreased significantly following treatment in the surgically treated (52° ± 10° to 15° ± 8°, P life satisfaction (8 ± 1 vs. 7 ± 10); however, preintervention self-esteem scores were significantly higher in the nonsurgically treated group (28 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 3, P = 0.008). Postintervention, both life satisfaction (9 ± 1) and self-esteem (31 ± 2) scores improved significantly (P Self-esteem levels decreased significantly in the nonsurgically treated group (P self-esteem and life satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the surgically treated than the nonsurgically treated group (P self-esteem and life satisfaction.

  12. Echosonography and surgical therapy of facial skin tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pešić Zoran U.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available In the second half of the 20 century, echosonography has been used in many medical specialties. In 1992 and 1993 highfrequencies echosonography was used in the examination of irritant and allergic skin lesions in order to examine the effects of different therapeuthical agents on the skin lesions [1-4]. Hoffmann used highfrequencies echosonography in the examination of healing of skin lesions [3]. By their incidence skin tumors are the largest group of newly discovered tumors, and their usual location is on the face [5-7]. By clinical examination it is not possible to precisely determine the depth of tumor border; therefore, the radically performed surgical excision is the only correct surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to estimate the results of preoperatively performed high frequencies echosonography in order to reduce the number of incorrectly performed surgical excisions of skin tumors. The group was composed of 40 patients with 45 tumors, who first underwent echosonographic diagnostic procedure (20 MHz, Hadsund electronic, Hadsund Technology, Denmark and then surgical excision; patients in control group (45 patients with 45 tumors were only subjected to surgical excision. Excised tumors were then pathohistologically analyzed, and measurements of tumor depth progression were performed. Margins of pathohistological specimen were controlled for the presence of tumor cells. Results of measurements of tumor depth obtained by echosonography and pathohistological measurements were compared. By Jate's modification of c2 test results regarding correct and incorrect surgical excision in patients and control group were compared. By linear regression analysis results of tumor depth obtained by echosonographic and pathohistologic examinations were compared. Hypoechogen zone echosonographic results were used like criteria for tumor expansion. Results of tumor depth measurements are presented in Table 1. Linear regression analysis showed (R = 0

  13. Age, gender and tumour size predict work capacity after surgical treatment of vestibular schwannomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Shudifat, Abdul Rahman; Kahlon, Babar; Höglund, Peter; Soliman, Ahmed Y; Lindskog, Kristoffer; Siesjo, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to identify predictive factors for outcome after surgery of vestibular schwannomas. This is a retrospective study with partially collected prospective data of patients who were surgically treated for vestibular schwannomas at a single institution from 1979 to 2000. Patients with recurrent tumours, NF2 and those incapable of answering questionnaires were excluded from the study. The short form 36 (SF36) questionnaire and a specific questionnaire regarding neurological status, work status and independent life (IL) status were sent to all eligible patients. The questionnaires were sent to 430 eligible patients (out of 537) and 395 (93%) responded. Scores for work capacity (WC) and IL were compared with SF36 scores as outcome estimates. Patients were divided into two groups (group age, gender and tumour diameter were independent predictive factors for postoperative WC in multivariate analysis. A high-risk group was identified in women with age >50 years and tumour diameter >25 mm. In patients ≥64, gender and tumour diameter were significant predictive factors for IL in univariate analysis. Perioperative and postoperative objective factors as length of surgery, blood loss and complications did not predict outcome in the multivariable analysis for any age group. Patients' assessment of change in balance function was the only neurological factor that showed significance both in univariate and multivariable analysis in both age cohorts. While SF36 scores were lower in surgically treated patients in relation to normograms for the general population, they did not correlate significantly to WC and IL. The SF36 questionnaire did not correlate to outcome measures as WC and IL in patients undergoing surgery for vestibular schwannomas. Women and patients above 50 years with larger tumours have a high risk for reduced WC after surgical treatment. These results question the validity of quality of life scores in assessment of outcome after surgery

  14. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF UPPER AND MIDDLE FACIAL ZONE TRAUMAS IN PROGRESS OF CONCOMITANT TRAUMATIC CRANIOFACIAL INJURIES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagvilava, G; Gvenetadze, Z; Toradze, G; Devidze, I; Gvenetadze, G

    2015-09-01

    In 2012-2015, 207 patients with concomitant craniofacial injuries, who underwent surgical treatment, were observed; among them 176 were men and 31- women. Age of the patients ranged from 16 to 60 years. According to localization and severity of trauma and a priority of surgical intervention, the patients conventionally were divided into 3 groups by the authors: I group (65 patients) - craniofacial injuries; the skull as well as upper and middle areas of face (subcranial and frontobasal fractures) were affected (fractured). II group (80 patients) - severe traumatic injuries of upper and especially middle zones of the face, accompanied with closed craniocerebral trauma, no need in neurosurgery. III group (62 patients) -on the background of serious head traumas, the injuries of face bones were less severe (injury of one or two anatomic areas with displacement of fractured fragments but without bone tissue defects) According to the obtained results a priority was always given to the neurosurgery (vital testimony).The reconstructive surgeries on face skeleton was conducted in combination involving neurosurgeons (I group patients). Reconstructive surgeries of facial bones were conducted in the patients of II group, immediately or at primary deferred period of time but in the patients of III group the surgical procedures for removal of early secondary or traumatic residual fractures have been performed. Reposition of the fractured facial bone fragments was performed in an open way and fixation was carried out by titanium plates and mesh cage (at bone tissue defect). For prevention and elimination of post-traumatic inflammatory processes, the final stage of surgical intervention was: sanation of nasal accessory sinuses and catheterization (5-7 days) of external carotid arteries for administration of antibiotics and other medical preparations. Early and differentiated approach to face injuries, worsening in the course of craniocephalic trauma was not revealed in any patient

  15. Effect of Topical Tetracycline Gel with Non Surgical Periodontal Therapy on Hba1c and Lipid Profile in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Clinico- Biochemical Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Haerian-Ardakani

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The present study aimed to evaluate the Effect of topical tetracycline gel application with non surgical periodontal therapy on HbA1c and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: A total of 30 type 2 diabetic patients were randomly divided into two groups. The first group received scaling and root planning, whereas the second group received scaling and root planning with topically applied tetracycline gel. Clinical factors such as GI, PI, PPD and biochemical factors such as HbA1c and lipid profile were assessed in beginning of study and 3 months later. Results: Comparing the clinical factors between the two groups revealed that periodontal pocket depth significantly reduced in tetracycline-received group. Regarding the biochemical factors, triglyceride levels decreased significantly in tetracycline-received group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in regard with other clinical and biochemical factors. Conclusion: The study findings demonstrated that clinical and biochemical parameters have been improved after non surgical periodontal treatment in both groups. Although it seems that application of topical tetracycline gel combined with non-surgical periodontal therapy is effective in improvement of some clinical and biochemical factors like PPD and TG, it doesn’t offer any superiority in regard with other factors compared to mere non surgical periodontal therapy.

  16. Evaluation of the effect of cognitive therapy on perioperative anxiety and depression among Nigerian surgical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osinowo, H O; Olley, B O; Adejumo, A O

    2003-12-01

    Surgical paients have been known to benefit immensely from psychological interventions. This study set out to assess the pre and postoperative anxiety levels and depression and the effect of cognitive therapy among Nigerian surgical patients. The effects of gender and educational status on perioperative anxiety and depression were also evaluated. The study utilized a controlled outcome design to evaluate the efficacy of self-instructional training (SIT) and rational emotive therapy (RET) in surgical patients. Preoperative anxiety and depression scores were used as co-variants. Thirty-three (33) elective surgical patients were sampled randomly, divided into 3 groups of eleven (11) patients each. Eight (8) subjects underwent gynaecological procedures while the remaining 25 subjects had general surgical procedures. The mean age was 32.72 +/- 15.83 years (range = 17-16 years.) The major instruments used in the study were the State Anxiety Subscale of the Speilberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Inventory. SIT had the potential to reduce anxiety level among subjects postoperatively (t = 2.06; df = 10; p < 0.05). The use of RET reduced depression among surgical patients (t = 1.23; df = 10; p < 0.05). It was concluded that surgical patients manifest varying degrees of anxiety preoperatively and postoperatively. Patient's pre and postoperative anxiety and depression can be reduced by the introduction of SIT and RET.

  17. Comparison of valvar and right ventricular function following transcatheter and surgical pulmonary valve replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wendy F; Pollard, Heidi; Karimi, Mohsen; Asnes, Jeremy D; Hellenbrand, William E; Shabanova, Veronika; Weismann, Constance G

    2018-01-01

    Trans-catheter (TC) pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) has become common practice for patients with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) and/or pulmonic insufficiency (PI). Our aim was to compare PVR and right ventricular (RV) function of patients who received TC vs surgical PVR. Retrospective review of echocardiograms obtained at three time points: before, immediately after PVR, and most recent. Sixty-two patients (median age 19 years, median follow-up 25 months) following TC (N = 32) or surgical (N = 30) PVR at Yale-New Haven Hospital were included. Pulmonary valve and right ventricular function before, immediately after, and most recently after PVR. At baseline, the TC group had predominant RVOTO (74% vs 10%, P function was good throughout. At last follow-up, the TC group had preserved valve function, but the surgical group did not (moderate RVOTO: 6% vs 41%, P mild PI: 0% vs 24%, P = .003). Patients younger than 17 years at surgical PVR had the highest risk of developing PVR dysfunction, while PVR function in follow-up was similar in adults. Looking at RV size and function, both groups had a decline in RV size following PVR. However, while RV function remained stable in the TC group, there was a transient postoperative decline in the surgical group. TC PVR in patients age function in follow-up compared to surgical valves. There was a transient decline in RV function following surgical but not TC PVR. TC PVR should therefore be the first choice in children who are considered for PVR, whenever possible. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgical Simulation Training Curriculum: Transfer Reliability and Maintenance of Skill Over Time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, John C; Belmont, Philip J; Lanzi, Joseph; Martin, Kevin; Bader, Julia; Owens, Brett; Waterman, Brian R

    2015-01-01

    Surgical education is evolving as work hour constraints limit the exposure of residents to the operating room. Potential consequences may include erosion of resident education and decreased quality of patient care. Surgical simulation training has become a focus of study in an effort to counter these challenges. Previous studies have validated the use of arthroscopic surgical simulation programs both in vitro and in vivo. However, no study has examined if the gains made by residents after a simulation program are retained after a period away from training. In all, 17 orthopedic surgery residents were randomized into simulation or standard practice groups. All subjects were oriented to the arthroscopic simulator, a 14-point anatomic checklist, and Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET). The experimental group received 1 hour of simulation training whereas the control group had no additional training. All subjects performed a recorded, diagnostic arthroscopy intraoperatively. These videos were scored by 2 blinded, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and outcome measures were compared within and between the groups. After 1 year in which neither group had exposure to surgical simulation training, all residents were retested intraoperatively and scored in the exact same fashion. Individual surgical case logs were reviewed and surgical case volume was documented. There was no difference between the 2 groups after initial simulation testing and there was no correlation between case volume and initial scores. After training, the simulation group improved as compared with baseline in mean ASSET (p = 0.023) and mean time to completion (p = 0.01). After 1 year, there was no difference between the groups in any outcome measurements. Although individual technical skills can be cultivated with surgical simulation training, these advancements can be lost without continued education. It is imperative that residency programs implement a simulation curriculum and

  19. The choice of surgical specialization by medical students and their syncopal history.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudnicki, Jerzy; Zyśko, Dorota; Kozłowski, Dariusz; Kuliczkowski, Wiktor; Koźluk, Edward; Lelonek, Małgorzata; Piątkowska, Agnieszka; Gajek, Jacek; Negrusz-Kawecka, Marta; Agrawal, Anil Kumar

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the study was to assess whether medical students' fainting outside the university or while witnessing surgical procedures and/or autopsies influenced their choice of a specialization. The study group consisted of 605 medical students (from fourth to sixth year of study) from five medical universities in Poland (325 women, 212 men and 8 responders of an unspecified gender). The median age of subjects studied was 23 years, and the interquartile range was 23-24 years. The students at each university were chosen randomly by the author who worked there and had contact with them. An anonymous questionnaire was developed to gather information regarding demographics, the specialization which each student wanted to choose, the syncope occurrence in the medical history, the syncope and presyncope occurrence during surgery and autopsy as well as the syncopal events' characteristics. The group of 15% of women and 30% of men declared to have pursued the surgical specialization (P<0.001), 29% of women and 56% of men declared the intention to pursue an invasive specialization (P<0.001). As many as 36.0% of women studied and 13.1% of men studied reported syncopal spells outside university (P<0.001). Only 41 students (6.8%) reported that syncope or presyncope in any studied circumstances had an impact on their specialization choice. The multivariate analysis showed that the choice of surgical specialization is related to the male gender and the absence of syncopal spells outside the university. Syncopal and presyncopal spells may affect the professional choices of the medical students. The male gender and a lack of syncope occurrence outside operating room are related to the choice of surgical specialization.

  20. Pre-surgical register of tobacco consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavilán, Eva; Moreno, Montse; Pérez, Àngels; Castellano, Yolanda; Fernández, Esteve; Martínez, Cristina

    2018-03-24

    Smoking cessation before surgery decreases the risk of complications. The aim of this study was to analyse the smoking register, associated variables and a short talk given to smokers in pre-surgical visits. Cross-sectional study. The pre-surgical records of 680 patients were assessed. We selected patient sociodemographic variables, surgical intervention characteristics, smoking status and consumption pattern. Logistic regression was used to study the variables association with smoking. A percentage of 97.2 of the pre-surgical records include information on tobacco consumption. Overall 20% of surgical patients are smokers. The probability of smoking is higher among men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-4.0) and≤60 years (aOR 5.4, 95% CI 3.2-9.1). None of the records had information regarding a short talk given to patients to give up smoking. Smoking consumption was prevalent, but the characterisation of a smoker's profile and short talk given to patient before surgery was practically nonexistent. Ensuring that patients who smokes receives a short talk to give up smoking before surgery is necessary. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  1. Assessment of surgical and obstetrical care at 10 district hospitals in Ghana using on-site interviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Fizan; Choo, Shelly; Hesse, Afua A J; Abantanga, Francis; Sory, Elias; Osen, Hayley; Ng, Julie; McCord, Colin W; Cherian, Meena; Fleischer-Djoleto, Charles; Perry, Henry

    2011-12-01

    For most of the population in Africa, district hospitals represent the first level of access for emergency and essential surgical services. The present study documents the number and availability of surgical and obstetrical care providers as well as the types of surgical and obstetrical procedures being performed at 10 first-referral district hospitals in Ghana. After institutional review board and governmental approval, a study team composed of Ghanaian and American surgeons performed on-site surveys at 10 district hospitals in 10 different regions of Ghana in August 2009. Face-to-face interviews were conducted documenting the numbers and availability of surgical and obstetrical personnel as well as gathering data relating to the number and types of procedures being performed at the facilities. A total of 68 surgical and obstetrical providers were interviewed. Surgical and obstetrical care providers consisted of Medical Officers (8.5%), nurse anesthetists (6%), theatre nurses (33%), midwives (50.7%), and others (4.5%). Major surgical cases represented 37% of overall case volumes with cesarean section as the most common type of major surgical procedure performed. The most common minor surgical procedures performed were suturing of lacerations or episiotomies. The present study demonstrates that there is a substantial shortage of adequately trained surgeons who can perform surgical and obstetrical procedures at first-referral facilities. Addressing human resource needs and further defining practice constraints at the district hospital level are important facets of future planning and policy implementation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Surgical lighting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knulst, A.J.

    2017-01-01

    The surgical light is an important tool for surgeons to create and maintain good visibility on the surgical task. Chapter 1 gives background to the field of (surgical) lighting and related terminology. Although the surgical light has been developed strongly since its introduction a long time ago,

  3. Surgical smoke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Joe King-Man; Chan, Fion Siu-Yin; Chu, Kent-Man

    2009-10-01

    Surgical smoke is the gaseous by-product formed during surgical procedures. Most surgeons, operating theatre staff and administrators are unaware of its potential health risks. Surgical smoke is produced by various surgical instruments including those used in electrocautery, lasers, ultrasonic scalpels, high speed drills, burrs and saws. The potential risks include carbon monoxide toxicity to the patient undergoing a laparoscopic operation, pulmonary fibrosis induced by non-viable particles, and transmission of infectious diseases like human papilloma virus. Cytotoxicity and mutagenicity are other concerns. Minimisation of the production of surgical smoke and modification of any evacuation systems are possible solutions. In general, a surgical mask can provide more than 90% protection to exposure to surgical smoke; however, in most circumstances it cannot provide air-tight protection to the user. An at least N95 grade or equivalent respirator offers the best protection against surgical smoke, but whether such protection is necessary is currently unknown.

  4. In the time of significant generational diversity - surgical leadership must step up!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Money, Samuel R; O'Donnell, Mark E; Gray, Richard J

    2014-02-01

    The diverse attitudes and motivations of surgeons and surgical trainees within different age groups present an important challenge for surgical leaders and educators. These challenges to surgical leadership are not unique, and other industries have likewise needed to grapple with how best to manage these various age groups. The authors will herein explore management and leadership for surgeons in a time of age diversity, define generational variations within "Baby-Boomer", "Generation X" and "Generation Y" populations, and identify work ethos concepts amongst these three groups. The surgical community must understand and embrace these concepts in order to continue to attract a stellar pool of applicants from medical school. By not accepting the changing attitudes and motivations of young trainees and medical students, we may disenfranchise a high percentage of potential future surgeons. Surgical training programs will fill, but will they contain the highest quality trainees? Copyright © 2013 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems surgical care survey: benefits and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Kristine A; Rhee, John S; Brereton, Jean M; Zema, Carla L; Witsell, David L

    2012-10-01

    To describe the feasibility and initial results of the implementation of a continuous quality improvement project using the newly available Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Surgical Care Survey (S-CAHPS), in a small cohort of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery practices. Prospective observational study using a newly validated health care consumer survey. Two community-based and 2 university-based otolaryngology-head and neck surgery outpatient clinic practices. Fourteen board-certified otolaryngology, head and neck surgeons from 4 practice sites voluntarily participated in this project. All adult patients scheduled for surgery during a 12-month period were asked to complete the S-CAHPS survey through an electronic data capture (EDC) system 7 to 28 days after surgery. The surgeons were not directly involved in administration or collection of survey data. Three sites successfully implemented the S-CAHPS project. A 39.9% response rate was achieved for the cohort of surgical patients entered into the EDC system. While most patients rated their surgeons very high (mean of 9.5 or greater out of 10), subanalysis revealed there is variability among sites and surgeons in communication practices. From these data, a potential surgeon Quality Improvement report was developed that highlights priority areas to improve surgeon-patient rapport. The S-CAHPS survey can be successfully implemented in most otolaryngology practices, and our initial work holds promise for how the survey can be best deployed and analyzed for the betterment of both the surgeon and the patient.

  6. Freeform fabrication of tissue-simulating phantom for potential use of surgical planning in conjoined twins separation surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Shuwei; Wang, Haili; Xue, Yue; Yuan, Li; Zhou, Ximing; Zhao, Zuhua; Dong, Erbao; Liu, Bin; Liu, Wendong; Cromeens, Barrett; Adler, Brent; Besner, Gail; Xu, Ronald X

    2017-09-08

    Preoperative assessment of tissue anatomy and accurate surgical planning is crucial in conjoined twin separation surgery. We developed a new method that combines three-dimensional (3D) printing, assembling, and casting to produce anatomic models of high fidelity for surgical planning. The related anatomic features of the conjoined twins were captured by computed tomography (CT), classified as five organ groups, and reconstructed as five computer models. Among these organ groups, the skeleton was produced by fused deposition modeling (FDM) using acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. For the other four organ groups, shell molds were prepared by FDM and cast with silica gel to simulate soft tissues, with contrast enhancement pigments added to simulate different CT and visual contrasts. The produced models were assembled, positioned firmly within a 3D printed shell mold simulating the skin boundary, and cast with transparent silica gel. The produced phantom was subject to further CT scan in comparison with that of the patient data for fidelity evaluation. Further data analysis showed that the produced model reassembled the geometric features of the original CT data with an overall mean deviation of less than 2 mm, indicating the clinical potential to use this method for surgical planning in conjoined twin separation surgery.

  7. Surgical rehabilitation of patients with spinal neurotrophic decubitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. G. Shapovalov

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The greatest weight neurodystrophic process develops in traumatic spinal cord injury, appears as neurotrophic decubitus (bedsores. There is a high risk of wound infection in the event of pressure ulcers. Surgical repair of the skin integrity in spinal patients of 3 and 4 grade is a basic prerequisite for the further complex of the rehabilitation measures. Work objective: to develop the concept of innovative technologies of treatment of local physical impacts and to implement it in surgical system of rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord lesion with neurotrophic decubitus of 3 and 4 grade. Clinical studies subjected 49 (100% patients with spinal cord lesions and neurotrophic decubitus of 3 and 4 grade. All patients were divided into two groups: 1– (study group 1 29 patients; 2 – (control group 2 20 patients. The managed negative pressure system S042 NPWT VivanoTec (Hartmann, a method of ultrasonic cavitation (Sonoca%180, the system for the hydro surgery Versajet Smith and Nephew were used in the 1%st group. Traditional dressings for the preparation of a plastic closure of the wound defect neurotrophic decubitus of the grade 3%4 were used in the 2nd group. Statistical analysis was performed using package of Microsoft Excel%97 Statistica for Windows 6.0, SPSS 10.0 for Windows. The study showed that the use of complex methods of vacuum therapy, ultrasound cavitation and hydro surgical in the 1st group significantly reduces the duration of treatment compared with conservative methods in the 2nd group. In group 1, the mean duration of treatment was 19.9±13.9 days, in group 2 (comparison group – 40.0±28.2 days (p<0.05. The usage of physical methods (managed negative pressure system, ultrasonic processing method, hydro surgical system local treatment is a highly effective method of preparation neurotrophic decubitus grade 3 and 4 to the early recovery of the skin. Physical methods of local treatment have a positive effect on tissue

  8. Association between fundus autofluorescence and visual outcome in surgically closed macular holes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Young Seob; Yu, Seung-Young; Cho, Nam Suk; Kim, Moo Sang; Kim, Young Gyun; Kim, Eung Suk; Kwak, Hyung Woo

    2013-06-01

    To investigate the association between fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and visual acuity, recovery of foveal microstructure, and FAF in surgically closed macular holes. Twenty-six eyes with surgically closed macular hole were classified into two groups based on foveal FAF: normal autofluorescence (NAF) or increased autofluorescence (IAF). The association between foveal FAF and visual acuity was analyzed. In addition, we examined the relationship between recovery of the foveal microstructure assessed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography and FAF after macular hole surgery. At 1 month and 6 months after surgery, there were 9 NAF eyes and 17 IAF eyes. There were no differences between NAF and IAF eyes at 1 month and 6 months after surgery. Preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) did not differ between groups. Best-corrected visual acuity was significantly higher in the NAF group than in the IAF group at 1 month postoperatively (0.59 ± 0.34 vs. 0.91 ± 0.36, P = 0.044) and tended to be higher at 6 months (0.37 ± 0.38 vs. 0.69 ± 0.53, P = 0.126). Restoration of photoreceptor external limiting membrane differed significantly in 8 NAF eyes (89%) and 4 IAF eyes (24%) at postoperation 1 month (P = 0.001). After 6 months, external limiting membrane was restored in all 9 NAF eyes (100%) and in only 11 IAF eyes (65%) (P = 0.042). Fundus autofluorescence findings observed in surgically closed macular holes correlated with visual improvement and photoreceptor status. Eyes with visual improvement had restoration of normal foveal autofluorescence and retinal microstructure, whereas eyes with persistent foveal hyperautofluorescence did not achieve complete restoration of the retinal microstructure, and visual improvement was not as significant.

  9. Outcomes after medical and surgical interventions in horses with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinosa, P; Nieto, J E; Estell, K E; Kass, P H; Aleman, M

    2017-11-01

    Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) is a cause of neurological disease in horses that is characterised by facial and vestibulocochlear nerve deficits. Studies reporting and comparing survival following medical or surgical treatment of THO are lacking. To compare survival and prognosis in horses with THO treated medically or surgically, and to report surgical complications. Retrospective study. The medical records of horses diagnosed with THO were retrieved, and data on signalment, clinical signs and duration, corneal ulceration and bilateral occurrence were recorded. Neurological severity was graded according to clinical signs. Preoperative radiographic and endoscopic images were graded according to the severity of changes. Factors potentially affecting survival and treatment were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression. A total of 77 horses were identified as having THO during the period 1990-2014. Of these, 25 horses underwent ceratohyoid ostectomy (CHO) and eight underwent partial stylohyoid ostectomy (PSHO). Thirteen of 20, one of 25 and one of eight horses treated by medical therapy, CHO and PSHO, respectively, died or were subjected to euthanasia as a consequence of THO. Compared with CHO, medical therapy was significantly associated with nonsurvival, but there were no significant differences in survival between horses undergoing PSHO and medical therapy. The duration of clinical signs, and neurological, radiographic and endoscopic grades were not associated with survival of THO. However, the age of the horse was significantly associated with poorer survival. Survival time was significantly shorter in the medical therapy group compared with the two surgical groups combined, but did not differ significantly between the two surgical groups. No significant difference between groups was seen in the incidence of surgical complications (33.3% in the PSHO and 22.2% in the CHO group). This was a nonrandomised study of treatment effects on survival and

  10. Effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on chronic kidney disease patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hilana Paula Carillo Artese

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Chronic kidney disease (CKD is a debilitating systemic condition. Our working hypothesis is that CKD predialysis patients with periodontitis would respond poorly to periodontal treatment owing to immunologic compromise. Twenty-one predialysis patients (group 1 and 19 individuals without clinical evidence of kidney disease (group 2 with chronic periodontitis were subjected to non-surgical periodontal treatment with no antibiotics. Clinical periodontal and systemic parameters were evaluated at baseline and 3 months after treatment. Both groups showed significant and similar post-treatment improvements in all periodontal parameters examined. Most interestingly, periodontal treatment had a statistically significant positive effect on the glomerular filtration rate of each individual (group 1, p = 0.04; group 2, p = 0.002. Our results indicate that chronic periodontitis in predialysis kidney disease patients improved similarly in patients with chronic periodontitis and no history of CKD after receiving non-surgical periodontal therapy. This study demonstrates that CKD predialysis patients show a good response to non-surgical periodontal treatment.

  11. High self-assessment of disability and the surgeon's recommendation against surgical intervention may negatively impact satisfaction scores in patients with spinal disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazur, Marcus D; McEvoy, Sara; Schmidt, Meic H; Bisson, Erica F

    2015-06-01

    OBJECT Patient satisfaction scores have become a common metric for health care quality. Because satisfaction scores are right-skewed, even small differences in mean scores can have a large impact. Little information, however, is available on the specific factors that play a role in satisfaction in patients with spinal disorders. The authors investigated whether disability severity and the surgeon's recommendation for or against surgical intervention were associated with patient satisfaction scores. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study involving adult patients who were referred to a spine surgeon for an outpatient evaluation of back pain. Patients completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) before their clinic appointment and a Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey after their visit. Patients were grouped by self-assessed disability severity: mild to moderate (ODI Satisfaction scores were graded from 0 (very poor) to 100 (very good). Nonparametric tests were used to evaluate the association between patient satisfaction and current disability self-assessment. The authors also investigated whether the surgeon's recommendation against surgery negatively affected patient satisfaction. RESULTS One hundred thirty patients completed the ODI questionnaire before and satisfaction surveys after seeing a spine surgeon for a new outpatient back pain consultation. Of these, 68 patients had severe disability, 62 had mild to moderate disability, 67 received a recommendation for surgery, and 63 received a recommendation against surgery. Composite satisfaction scores were lower among patients who had severe disability than among those with mild to moderate disability (median [interquartile range]: 91.7 [83.7-96.4] vs 95.8 [91.0-99.3], respectively; p = 0.0040). Patients who received a recommendation against surgery reported lower satisfaction scores than those who received a recommendation for surgery (91.7 [83.5-95.8] vs 95.8 [88.5-99.8]; p = 0

  12. Deliberate Practice Enhances Quality of Laparoscopic Surgical Performance in a Randomized Controlled Trial: from Arrested Development to Expert Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Daniel A.; Sirimanna, Pramudith; Gomez, Ernest D.; Beyer-Berjot, Laura; Ericsson, K. Anders; Williams, Noel N.; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

    2014-01-01

    Background This study investigated whether deliberate practice leads to an increase in surgical quality in virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC). Previous research has suggested that sustained DP is effective in surgical training. Methods Fourteen residents were randomized into deliberate practice (n=7) or control training (n=7). Both groups performed 10 sessions of two VR LCs. Each session, the DP group was assigned 30 minutes of DP activities in between LCs while the control group viewed educational videos or read journal articles. Performance was assessed on speed and dexterity; quality was rated with global (GRS) and procedure-specific (PSRS) rating scales. All participants then performed five porcine LCs. Results Both groups improved over 20 VR LCs in time, dexterity, and global rating scales (all pachieved higher quality of VR surgical performance than control for GRS (26 vs. 20, p=0.001) and PSRS (18 vs. 15, p=0.001). For VR cases, DP subjects plateaued at GRS=25 after 10 cases and control group at GRS=20 after five cases. At completion of VR training, 100% of the DP group reached target quality of performance (GRS≥21) compared to 30% in the control group. There were no significant differences for improvements in time or dexterity over five porcine LCs. Conclusion This study suggests that DP leads to higher quality performance in VR LC than standard training alone. Standard training may leave individuals in a state of “arrested development” compared to DP. PMID:25539697

  13. Surgical treatment of primitive gastro-intestinal lymphomas: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cirocchi Roberto

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Primitive Gastrointestinal Lymphomas (PGIL are uncommon tumours, although time-trend analyses have demonstrated an increase. The role of surgery in the management of lymphoproliferative diseases has changed over the past 40 years. Nowadays their management is centred on systemic treatments as chemo-/radio- therapy. Surgery is restricted to very selected indications, always discussed in a multidisciplinary setting. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the actual role of surgery in the treatment of PGIL. A systematic review of literature was conducted according to the recommendations of The Cochrane Collaboration. Main outcomes analysed were overall survival (OS and disease free survival (DFS. There are currently 1 RCT and 4 non-randomised prospective controlled studies comparing surgical versus medical treatment for PGIL. Seven hundred and one patients were analysed, divided into two groups: 318 who underwent to surgery alone or associated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (surgical group versus 383 who were treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (medical group. Despite the OS at 10 years between surgical and medical groups did not show relevant differences, the DFS was significantly better in the medical group (P = 0.00001. Accordingly a trend was noticed in the recurrence rate, which was lower in the medical group (6.06 vs. 8.57%; and an higher mortality was revealed in the surgical group (4.51% vs. 1.50%. The chemotherapy confirms its primary role in the management of PGIL as part of systemic treatment in the medical group. Surgery remains the treatment of choice in case of PGIL acutely complicated, although there is no evidence in literature regarding the utility of preventive surgery.

  14. Single visit surgery for pediatric ambulatory surgical procedures: a satisfaction and cost analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Jacob K; Deming, Lisa A; King, Denis R; Rager, Terrence M; Gartner, Sarah; Huibregtse, Natalie; Moss, R Lawrence; Besner, Gail E

    2017-10-10

    Single visit surgery (SVS) consists of same-day pre-operative assessment and operation with telephone post-operative follow-up. This reduces family time commitment to 1 hospital trip rather than 2-3. We began SVS for ambulatory patients with clear surgical indications in 2013. We sought to determine family satisfaction, cost savings to families, and institutional financial feasibility of SVS. SVS patients were compared to age/case matched conventional surgery (CS) patients. Satisfaction was assessed by post-operative telephone survey. Family costs were calculated as the sum of lost revenue (based on median income) and transportation costs ($0.50/mile). Satisfaction was high in both groups (98% for SVS vs. 93% for CS; p=0.27). 40% of CS families indicated that they would have preferred SVS, whereas no SVS families indicated preference for the CS option (p<0.001). Distance from the hospital did not correlate with satisfaction. Estimated cost savings for an SVS family was $188. Reimbursement, hospital and physician charges, and day-of-surgery cancellation rates were similar. SVS provides substantial cost savings to families while maintaining patient satisfaction and equivalent institutional reimbursement. SVS is an effective approach to low-risk ambulatory surgical procedures that is less disruptive to families, facilitates access to pediatric surgical care, and reduces resource utilization. Cost Effectiveness Study. Level II. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Curative effect analysis of invasive bladder cancer by joint surgical operation with interventional therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Biao; Wen Bin; Liu Tisheng; Wei Liqian

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To explore the effective therapy for invasive bladder cancer. Methods: Forty patients with invasive bladder cancer were divided into group A and group B. Intra-internal lilac-arterial chemotherapy and infusion pump chemotherapy combined with surgical operation were performed in group A and only surgical operation for group B. The differences of recurrence rates and survival rates between the two groups together with the effectiveness of intra-arterial chemotherapy combined surgical operation were evaluated at the same time. Results: Reduction in volumes of cancer and hematuria were obvious and nearly disappeared in group A patients with pathomorphological features demonstrating large pachyareas of necrosis together with degeneration and inflammatory changes of carcinoma tissue; outcoming with five recurrent cases (20%) and 2 deaths (10%). In group B, 9 cases relapsed(45%) and 4 eases died(20%). Conclusion: The combination of intra-internal lilac-arterial chemoembolization with infusion pump chemotherapy together with surgical operation is safe, effective for invasive bladder cancer, resulting in high raise of survival and life quality. (authors)

  16. Dual in vivo Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Imaging of HER2 Expression in Breast Tumors for Diagnosis, Margin Assessment, and Surgical Guidance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azusa Maeda

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomarker-specific imaging probes offer ways to improve molecular diagnosis, intraoperative margin assessment, and tumor resection. Fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging probes are of particular interest for clinical applications because the combination enables deeper tissue penetration for tumor detection while maintaining imaging sensitivity compared to a single optical imaging modality. Here we describe the development of a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2-targeting imaging probe to visualize differential levels of HER2 expression in a breast cancer model. Specifically, we labeled trastuzumab with Black Hole Quencher 3 (BHQ3 and fluorescein for photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging of HER2 overexpression, respectively. The dual-labeled trastuzumab was tested for its ability to detect HER2 overexpression in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated an over twofold increase in the signal intensity for HER2-overexpressing tumors in vivo, compared to low–HER2-expressing tumors, using photoacoustic imaging. Furthermore, we demonstrated the feasibility of detecting tumors and positive surgical margins by fluorescence imaging. These results suggest that multimodal HER2-specific imaging of breast cancer using the BHQ3-fluorescein trastuzumab enables molecular-level detection and surgical margin assessment of breast tumors in vivo. This technique may have future clinical impact for primary lesion detection, as well as intraoperative molecular-level surgical guidance in breast cancer.

  17. Systems for tracking minimally invasive surgical instruments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chmarra, M K; Grimbergen, C A; Dankelman, J

    2007-01-01

    Minimally invasive surgery (e.g. laparoscopy) requires special surgical skills, which should be objectively assessed. Several studies have shown that motion analysis is a valuable assessment tool of basic surgical skills in laparoscopy. However, to use motion analysis as the assessment tool, it is necessary to track and record the motions of laparoscopic instruments. This article describes the state of the art in research on tracking systems for laparoscopy. It gives an overview on existing systems, on how these systems work, their advantages, and their shortcomings. Although various approaches have been used, none of the tracking systems to date comes out as clearly superior. A great number of systems can be used in training environment only, most systems do not allow the use of real laparoscopic instruments, and only a small number of systems provide force feedback.

  18. Does previous open surgical experience have any influence on robotic surgery simulation exercises?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cumpanas, Alin Adrian; Bardan, Razvan; Ferician, Ovidiu Catalin; Latcu, Silviu Constantin; Duta, Ciprian; Lazar, Fulger Octavian

    2017-12-01

    Within the last years, there has been a trend in many hospitals to switch their surgical activity from open/laparoscopic procedures to robotic surgery. Some open surgeons have been shifting their activity to robotic surgery. It is still unclear whether there is a transfer of open surgical skills to robotic ones. To evaluate whether such transfer of skills occurs and to identify which specific skills are more significantly transferred from the operative table to the console. Twenty-five volunteers were included in the study, divided into 2 groups: group A (15 participants) - medical students (without any surgical experience in open, laparoscopic or robotic surgery); and group B (10 participants) - surgeons with exclusively open surgical experience, without any previous laparoscopic or robotic experience. Participants were asked to complete 3 robotic simulator console exercises structured from the easiest one (Peg Board) to the toughest one (Sponge Suture). Overall scores for each exercise as well as specific metrics were compared between the two groups. There were no significant differences between overall scores of the two groups for the easiest task. Overall scores were better for group B as the exercises got more complex. For the intermediate and high-difficulty level exercises, most of the specific metrics were better for group B, with the exception of the working master space item. Our results suggest that the open surgical skills transfer to robotic skills, at least for the very beginning of the training process.

  19. Surgical Site Infection Following Fixation of Acetabular Fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Faizan; Younus, Sajid; Asmatullah; Zia, Osama Bin; Khan, Naveed

    2017-09-01

    Acetabular fractures are mainly caused by high energy trauma. Surgical fixation of these fractures requires extensive surgical exposure which increases the length of operation and blood loss as well. This may increase the risk of surgical site infection. Our aim is to evaluate the prevalence of surgical site infections and the risk factors associated with it so as to minimize its chances. A total of 261 patients who underwent acetabular fracture surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups, with or without surgical site infection. Factors examined include patients' gender, age, body mass index (BMI), time between injury and surgery, operative time, estimated blood loss, number of packed red blood cell transfused, length of total intensive care unit (ICU) stay, fracture type, surgical approach, smoking status, patients' comorbids and associated injuries. Fourteen patients (5.4%) developed surgical site infection. Out of 14 infections, 4 were superficial and 10 were deep. The factors that were found to be associated with surgical site infection following acetabular fracture fixation were prolonged operation time, increased BMI, prolonged ICU stay, larger amount of packed red blood cell transfused and associated genitourinary and abdominal trauma. In our study, we conclude that measures should be undertaken to attenuate the chances of surgical site infection in this major surgery by considering the risk factors significantly associated with it.

  20. [The clinical features and surgical treatment strategies of cervical kyphosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jia-hu; Jia, Lian-shun; Zhou, Xu-hui; Song, Li-jun; Cai, Wei-hua; Li, Xiang

    2010-10-15

    To analyze the clinical characteristics and the surgical treatment strategy of cervical kyphosis. From March 2006 to October 2009, 31 cases of cervical kyphosis were treated. According to the clinical features and imaging findings, different treatment methods were used. There were 9 patients in operation group, including 4 male and 5 female patients, aged from 17 to 72 years (average age of 35 years). Among them, 5 cases were idiopathic kyphosis and 4 cases were caused by laminectomy or other reasons. There were 22 patients in conservative treatment group, including 11 male and 11 female patients, aged from 14 to 40 years (average age of 29 years), who were all idiopathic cervical kyphosis. Before and 1 week after operation, clinical assessment were taken for the patients in operation group using Spinal Cord Injuries Classification Standard of American Spinal Injury Association (AISA). During the periodic review, the anteroposterior, normal sagittal films of cervical spine were taken. At 1 week and every 6 months after operation, MRI films were also taken. These films were studied to evaluate the effects of the operations. In the conservative group, assessment of treatment results by studying anteroposterior and normal lateral views of cervical spine were were taken every month. The clinical characteristics and the surgical treatment strategies of these patients were analyzed. In operation group, 9 cases were followed up for 6 to 18 months, all patients did not failed in internal fixation and fusion. AISA neurological score and neurological function significantly improved. Three days after operation the average Cobb angle was -1.29 ° (preoperative 54.24 °). In conservative group, the average Cobb angle was -5.41 ° (before treatment 11.20 °) 4 months after the treatment. The symptoms of neck shoulder and back pain disappeared, and all patients were followed up for 3 to 24 months, with no recurrence of symptoms. In the early period of cervical kyphosis, adopt

  1. Surgical Assisting

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... instruction, including: Microbiology Pathophysiology Pharmacology Anatomy and physiology Medical terminology Curriculum . Course content includes: Advanced surgical anatomy Surgical microbiology Surgical pharmacology Anesthesia methods and agents Bioscience Ethical ...

  2. Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in a General Surgical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... organized for general surgeons undertaking paediatric surgical emergencies. More paediatric surgeons should be trained and more paediatric surgical units should established in the country. Key Words: Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies; Paediatric Surgeons, General Surgeons. Journal of College of Medicine ...

  3. Surgical options after Fontan failure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Melle, Joost P; Wolff, Djoeke; Hörer, Jürgen

    2016-01-01

    by the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association among 22 member centres. Outcome of surgery to address failing Fontan was collected in 225 patients among which were patients with Fontan takedown (n=38; 17%), Fontan conversion (n=137; 61%) or HTX (n=50; 22%). RESULTS: The most prevalent indication...... for failing Fontan surgery was arrhythmia (43.6%), but indications differed across the surgical groups (p...OBJECTIVE: The objective of this European multicenter study was to report surgical outcomes of Fontan takedown, Fontan conversion and heart transplantation (HTX) for failing Fontan patients in terms of all-cause mortality and (re-)HTX. METHODS: A retrospective international study was conducted...

  4. Strengthening Your Surgical Hand: Strengths-Based Profiling and Coaching of Surgical Trainees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.A.L. Macafee

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction As scientific and professional disciplines, medicine and surgery have a tendency to focus on deficiencies, namely what trainees do not know or are not good at doing. The philosophy of Positive Psychology and the notion of “Strengths” takes a different stance. It is an inherently positive process, seeing each trainee as an individual bringing a unique set of strengths to every situation. There is clear evidence from the commercial sector regarding improved performance and well-being when focusing on one's strengths. We were therefore keen to investigate its potential role in the global development of trainee surgeons. Methods Surgical trainees from Core Training 1 to Specialty Training 8 in one training region of the United Kingdom were invited to voluntarily undertake the online Strengthscope™ assessment tool. The computer-generated report was reviewed by an Occupational Psychologist and trainees were then invited to have a strengths-focused feedback discussion on that report, either face-to-face or via telephone. Results Thirty four surgical trainees ranging from CT1 to ST6 completed the tool and 28 undertook the voluntary feedback sessions. Decisiveness, self-improvement, efficiency, emotional control and critical thinking were common strengths identified. Less commonly represented were leading, creativity and developing others. Trainees found that the tool and feedback helped them identify their strengths and embrace them, rather than fitting the surgical mould. It further aided the recognition of strengths in-overdrive and for some trainees it helped explain difficulties they had experienced in previous jobs. It provided insight into individual motivations and character whilst also highlighting how others in the workplace might perceive them. Trainees liked the emphasis on the building up of positive attributes and utilizing innate skills and strengths. The feedback consultation from an accredited coach trained in the

  5. An advanced simulator for orthopedic surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cecil, J; Gupta, Avinash; Pirela-Cruz, Miguel

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of creating the virtual reality (VR) simulator is to facilitate and supplement the training opportunities provided to orthopedic residents. The use of VR simulators has increased rapidly in the field of medical surgery for training purposes. This paper discusses the creation of the virtual surgical environment (VSE) for training residents in an orthopedic surgical process called less invasive stabilization system (LISS) surgery which is used to address fractures of the femur. The overall methodology included first obtaining an understanding of the LISS plating process through interactions with expert orthopedic surgeons and developing the information centric models. The information centric models provided a structured basis to design and build the simulator. Subsequently, the haptic-based simulator was built. Finally, the learning assessments were conducted in a medical school. The results from the learning assessments confirm the effectiveness of the VSE for teaching medical residents and students. The scope of the assessment was to ensure (1) the correctness and (2) the usefulness of the VSE. Out of 37 residents/students who participated in the test, 32 showed improvements in their understanding of the LISS plating surgical process. A majority of participants were satisfied with the use of teaching Avatars and haptic technology. A paired t test was conducted to test the statistical significance of the assessment data which showed that the data were statistically significant. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of adopting information centric modeling approach in the design and development of the simulator. The assessment results underscore the potential of using VR-based simulators in medical education especially in orthopedic surgery.

  6. A primer on standards setting as it applies to surgical education and credentialing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cendan, Juan; Wier, Daryl; Behrns, Kevin

    2013-07-01

    Surgical technological advances in the past three decades have led to dramatic reductions in the morbidity associated with abdominal procedures and permanently altered the surgical practice landscape. Significant changes continue apace including surgical robotics, natural orifice-based surgery, and single-incision approaches. These disruptive technologies have on occasion been injurious to patients, and high-stakes assessment before adoption of new technologies would be reasonable. We reviewed the drivers for well-established psychometric techniques available for the standards-setting process. We present a series of examples that are relevant in the surgical domain including standards setting for knowledge and skills assessments. Defensible standards for knowledge and procedural skills will likely become part of surgical clinical practice. Understanding the methodology for determining standards should position the surgical community to assist in the process and lead within their clinical settings as standards are considered that may affect patient safety and physician credentialing.

  7. Repeated Surgical or Endoscopic Myotomy for Recurrent Dysphagia in Patients After Previous Myotomy for Achalasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fumagalli, Uberto; Rosati, Riccardo; De Pascale, Stefano; Porta, Matteo; Carlani, Elisa; Pestalozza, Alessandra; Repici, Alessandro

    2016-03-01

    Surgical myotomy of the lower esophageal sphincter has a 5-year success rate of approximately 91 %. Peroral endoscopic myotomy can provide similar results for controlling dysphagia. Some patients experience either persistent or recurrent dysphagia after myotomy. We present here a retrospective analysis of our experience with redo myotomy for recurrent dysphagia in patients with achalasia. From March 1996 to February 2015, 234 myotomies for primary or recurrent achalasia were performed in our center. Fifteen patients (6.4 %) had had a previous myotomy and were undergoing surgical redo myotomy (n = 9) or endoscopic redo myotomy (n = 6) for recurrent symptoms. Patients presented at a median of 10.4 months after previous myotomy. Median preoperative Eckardt score was 6. Among the nine patients undergoing surgical myotomy, three esophageal perforations occurred intraoperatively (all repaired immediately). Surgery lasted 111 and 62 min on average (median) in the surgical and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) groups, respectively. No postoperative complications occurred in either group. Median postoperative stay was 3 and 2.5 days in the surgical and POEM groups, respectively. In the surgical group, Eckardt score was dysphagia. Preliminary results using POEM indicate that the technique can be safely used in patients who have undergone previous surgical myotomy.

  8. Analysis of surgical outcomes of diverticular disease of the colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyaso, Hideaki; Iwakawa, Kazuhide; Kitada, Koji; Kimura, Yuji; Isoda, Kenta; Nishie, Manabu; Hamano, Ryosuke; Tokunaga, Naoyuki; Tsunemitsu, Yosuke; Ohtsuka, Shinya; Inagawaki, Masaru; Iwagaki, Hiromi

    2012-01-01

    We analyzed retrospectively the surgical outcomes of diverticular diseases of the colon at the surgical division of Fukuyama Medical Center. Data were collected from 39 patients who underwent surgery for diverticular disease at Fukuyama Medical Center. Thirty-nine patients were admitted between 2005 and 2010. The mean age of the 39 patients was 63.6 years. The collected data included patient demographics, patient history, type of surgery and complications. Patients were divided into 2 groups, Elective vs. Emergent group, right vs. left colon group and laparotomy vs. laparoscopic approach. Multivariate analysis of the logistic model of morbidity revealed a significantly higher rate in the left colon and the Cox proportional hazards model clearly showed fewer postoperative hospital days with the laparoscopic approach. Surgical procedures should be decided in reference to the particular clinical and pathological features of diverticular disease to gain an acceptable morbidity and mortality rates.

  9. Detailed Surgical Anatomy of Prostate: Relationship between Urethra and Dorsal Vein Complex with Apex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunc, Lutfi; Akin, Yigit; Gumustas, Huseyin; Ak, Esat; Peker, Tuncay; Veneziano, Domenico; Guneri, Cagri

    2016-01-01

    To describe our surgical technique for dissecting the apex of prostate during robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) and detailed surgical anatomy of prostate including relationship between urethra and dorsal vein complex with apex. In retrospective view of prospective collected data, 73 patients underwent RALP between December 2012 and September 2014. Surgical anatomy of prostate was revealed in all procedures. Quality of life (QoL) scores were assessed before, immediately after catheter removal, and 1 month after surgery. We divided urinary continence into 3 groups, as very early continence; continence at time of urethral catheter removal, early continent; and continence 1 month after surgery. The rest of the patients were accepted as continence. The mean follow-up was 10.2 ± 5.4 months and mean age was 61.5 ± 6.6. Maximum protection of urethra could be provided in all. Mean catheter removal was 8.9 ± 1.7 days, and all patients were continent at the time of catheter removal. QoL scores before RALP could be protected after surgery (p = 0.2). Neither conversion to open/conventional laparoscopic surgery nor complications related with bladder neck were detected. Our surgical technique can be a strong candidate for being a surgical technique for preserving urethra and very early continence could be provided after surgery. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. STOPDVTs: Development and testing of a clinical assessment tool to guide nursing assessment of postoperative patients for Deep Vein Thrombosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Alanna; Redley, Bernice; Wood, Beverley; Botti, Mari; Hutchinson, Anastasia F

    2018-03-01

    To develop and test a clinical tool to guide nurses' assessment of postoperative patients for Deep Vein Thrombosis. Preventing venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients is an international patient safety priority. Despite high-level evidence for optimal venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, implementation is inconsistent and the incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis remains high. A two-stage sequential multi-method design was used. In stage 1, the STOPDVTs tool was developed using a review of the literature and focus groups with local clinical experts. Stage 2 involved pilot testing the tool with 38 surgical nurses who conducted repeated assessments on a prospective sample of 50 postoperative orthopaedic patients. Stage 1: The focus group members who were members of the nursing leadership team agreed on eight local and systemic signs and symptoms that should be included in a nursing patient assessment tool for early Deep Vein Thrombosis. Local symptoms were pain in the limbs, calf swelling and tightness, changes in the affected limb's skin temperature. Systemic signs included in the tool were as follows: increased shortness of breath, increased respiratory and heart rates, and decreased oxygen saturation. Stage 2: The STOPDVTs tool had acceptable face and content validity, the agreement between the expert nurse and surgical nurses on assessments of individual signs and symptoms varied between 44%-94%. Surgical nurses were less likely than the expert nurse to identify signs indicative of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Despite finding the STOPDVTs clinical assessment tool was a useful guide for nursing assessment, surgical nurses often underestimated the potential importance of clinical signs. The findings reveal a gap in nursing knowledge and skill in assessing for Deep Vein Thrombosis in postoperative orthopaedic patients. This study identified a possible risk to patient safety related to under-recognition of the signs and symptoms of possible Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in

  11. Surgical care for the aged: a retrospective cross-sectional study of a national surgical mortality audit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Jennifer; North, John B; Ware, Robert S

    2015-01-01

    Objectives It is assumed that increased age signifies increased surgical care. Few surgical studies describe the differences in care provided to older patients compared with younger patients. We aimed to examine the relationships between increasing age, preoperative factors and markers of postoperative care in adults who died in-hospital after surgery in Australia. Design This retrospective cross-sectional study extracted data from a national surgical mortality audit—an independent, peer-reviewed process. Setting From January 2009 to December 2012, 111 public and 61 private Australian hospitals notified the audit of in-hospital deaths after general anaesthetic surgery or if the patient was admitted under a surgeon. Participants Notified deaths totalled 19 723. We excluded deaths if patients were brain dead, younger than 17 years or never had an operation (n=11 376). From this baseline population, we divided 11 201 deaths into three patient age groups: youngest (17–64 years), medium (65–79 years) and oldest (≥80 years). Outcome measures Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses determined the relationships between increasing age and the measured preoperative factors and postoperative variables. Results The baseline population's median age was 78 years (IQR 66–85), 43.7% (4892/11 201) were 80 years or older and 83.4% (9319/11 173) had emergency admissions. The oldest group had increased trauma and emergency admissions than the medium and youngest age groups. Seven of the eight measured markers of postoperative care demonstrate strong and significant relationships with increasing age. The oldest group compared with the medium group had decreased rates of: unplanned returns to theatre (11.2% (526/4709) vs 20.2% (726/3586)), unplanned intensive care admissions (16.3% (545/3350) vs 24.0% (601/2504)) and treatment in intensive care units (59.7% (2689/4507) vs 76.7% (2754/3590)). Conclusions The oldest patients received

  12. Development of a group work assessment pedagogy using constructive alignment theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Croy, Suzanne R

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore group work assessment underpinned by constructive alignment theory to develop a new assessment pedagogy. A review was undertaken of an existing module 'Mental Health Nursing 1', with student nurses participating in the BSc (Hons) Nursing Programme. Constructive alignment theory requires teachers to adopt a deep approach to learning where module learning outcomes are aligned with the teaching environment and modes of assessment. As the module progressed, reviewing the Mental Health Nursing 1 module became an excellent opportunity to begin to understand how constructive alignment theory can inform a group work assessment pedagogy. Working using a constructively aligned assessment process became a valuable learning experience for the module leader whilst at the same time revealed a gap in the research around the impact of constructively aligned teaching and group work assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Cost-effectiveness assessment in outpatient sinonasal surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortuaire, G; Theis, D; Fackeure, R; Chevalier, D; Gengler, I

    2018-02-01

    To assess the cost-effectiveness of outpatient sinonasal surgery in terms of clinical efficacy and control of expenses. A retrospective study was conducted from January 2014 to January 2016. Patients scheduled for outpatient sinonasal surgery were systematically included. Clinical data were extracted from surgical and anesthesiology computer files. The cost accounting methods applied in our institution were used to evaluate logistic and technical costs. The standardized hospital fees rating system based on hospital stay and severity in diagnosis-related groups (Groupes homogènes de séjours: GHS) was used to estimate institutional revenue. Over 2years, 927 outpatient surgical procedures were performed. The crossover rate to conventional hospital admission was 2.9%. In a day-1 telephone interview, 85% of patients were very satisfied with the procedure. All outpatient cases showed significantly lower costs than estimated for conventional management with overnight admission, while hospital revenue did not differ between the two. This study confirmed the efficacy of outpatient surgery in this indication. Lower costs could allow savings for the health system by readjusting the rating for the procedure. More precise assessment of cost-effectiveness will require more fine-grained studies based on micro costing at hospital level and assessment of impact on conventional surgical activity and post-discharge community care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. Attitudes and Perceptions of Surgical Oncology Fellows on ACGME Accreditation and the Complex General Surgical Oncology Certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, David Y; Flaherty, Devin C; Lau, Briana J; Deutsch, Gary B; Kirchoff, Daniel D; Huynh, Kelly T; Lee, Ji-Hey; Faries, Mark B; Bilchik, Anton J

    2015-11-01

    With the first qualifying examination administered September 15, 2014, complex general surgical oncology (CGSO) is now a board-certified specialty. We aimed to assess the attitudes and perceptions of current and future surgical oncology fellows regarding the recently instituted Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation. A 29-question anonymous survey was distributed to fellows in surgical oncology fellowship programs and applicants interviewing at our fellowship program. There were 110 responses (79 fellows and 31 candidates). The response rate for the first- and second-year fellows was 66 %. Ninety-percent of the respondents were aware that completing an ACGME-accredited fellowship leads to board eligibility in CGSO. However, the majority (80 %) of the respondents stated that their decision to specialize in surgical oncology was not influenced by the ACGME accreditation. The fellows in training were concerned about the cost of the exam (90 %) and expressed anxiety in preparing for another board exam (83 %). However, the majority of the respondents believed that CGSO board certification will be helpful (79 %) in obtaining their future career goals. Interestingly, candidate fellows appeared more focused on a career in general complex surgical oncology (p = 0.004), highlighting the impact that fellowship training may have on organ-specific subspecialization. The majority of the surveyed surgical oncology fellows and candidates believe that obtaining board certification in CGSO is important and will help them pursue their career goals. However, the decision to specialize in surgical oncology does not appear to be motivated by ACGME accreditation or the new board certification.

  15. Professionals' and laypersons' appreciation of various options for Class III surgical correction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabré, M; Mossaz, C; Christou, P; Kiliaridis, S

    2010-08-01

    The objectives of this study were to evaluate the assessments of maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists, and laypersons on the predicted aesthetic outcome of various surgical options in Class III correction and the associations between certain initial cephalometric values and the judges' preferred option. Pre-surgical lateral headfilms and coloured profile photographs of 18 skeletal Class III Caucasian adult patients (10 males and 8 females) with a mean age of 24.5 years were used. The headfilms were hand traced and digitized. Conventional cephalometric analysis was performed. Computerized predictions of three surgical options, mandibular setback, Le Fort I advancement, and bimaxillary surgery, were made. For each case, the pre-surgical profile photograph with the three predictions was presented on a printed page. The questionnaire was sent to 51 maxillofacial surgeons (response rate 45.1 per cent), 78 orthodontists (response rate 71.8 per cent), and 61 laypersons (response rate 100 per cent) to aesthetically evaluate the pre-surgical photographs and the surgical predictions by placing a mark along a 10-graded visual analogue scale (VAS) using a standard profile for calibration. Confidence interval was calculated for each patient. An independent samples t-test was used to detect initial cephalometric values associated with the judges' preferred option and analysis of variance/Tukey's honestly significant differences to evaluate differences between judges. Intra-observer reliability was assessed with a paired t-test. All treatment predictions led to improved scoring of facial aesthetics with the exception of the setback option for three patients. For 14 patients, general agreement for the preferred option existed between the three groups of judges. Laypersons tended to give lower improvement scores than professionals. Overjet, nasofacial, and nasomental angles were important in decision making between the mandibular setback and Le Fort I options (the more negative

  16. The role of early surgical intervention in civilian gunshot wounds to the head.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helling, T S; McNabney, W K; Whittaker, C K; Schultz, C C; Watkins, M

    1992-03-01

    Surgical management of gunshot wounds of the head has remained a controversial issue in the care of civilian patients. In an attempt to determine who might benefit from aggressive surgical intervention, we examined 89 patients over a 3-year period who had suffered cranial gunshot wounds and had at least one computed tomographic scan of the head after admission. Patients were divided into those receiving early (less than 24 hours) surgical intervention (ES, n = 27), late (greater than 24 hours) surgical intervention (LS, n = 6) or no surgical intervention (NS, n = 56). Overall mortality was 63%. Ten of 27 patients (37%) in the ES group died compared with 46 of 56 patients (82%) in the NS group (p less than 0.0001). Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores in the ES group averaged 7.86 +/- 4.72 and in the NS group 5.59 +/- 4.42 (p less than 0.05). The GCS scores in the LS group (all of whom survived) were significantly higher than those of the other two groups, 12.17 +/- 4.10. The number of patients with GCS scores of 3 or 4 on admission was significantly less in the ES (41%) than in the NS group (66%, p = 0.035) and survival was better with surgery (36%) than without (3%, p = 0.007). Patients with mass lesions (clot, ventricular blood) were more often found in the ES group (17/27) than in the NS group (18/56) (p = 0.008). Patients with bihemispheric injuries fared better with surgery (7 of 14 survivors) than without (2 of 33 survivors, p = 0.0003). Only one infectious complication (brain abscess) was encountered in the LS group. No delayed intracranial complications in survivors in the NS group were seen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  17. Antibiotic prophylaxis adequacy in knee arthroplasty and surgical wound infection: Prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del-Moral-Luque, J A; Checa-García, A; López-Hualda, Á; Villar-Del-Campo, M C; Martínez-Martín, J; Moreno-Coronas, F J; Montejo-Sancho, J; Rodríguez-Caravaca, G

    Antibiotic prophylaxis is the most suitable tool for preventing surgical wound infection. This study evaluated adequacy of antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery for knee arthroplasty and its effect on surgical site infection. Prospective cohort study. We assessed the degree of adequacy of antibiotic prophylaxis, the causes of non-adequacy, and the effect of non-adequacy on surgical site infection. Incidence of surgical site infection was studied after a maximum incubation period of a year. To assess the effect of prophylaxis non-adequacy on surgical site infection we used the relative risk adjusted with the aid of a logistic regression model. The study covered a total of 1749 patients. Antibiotic prophylaxis was indicated in all patients and administered in 99.8% of cases, with an overall protocol adequacy of 77.6%. The principal cause of non-compliance was the duration of prescription of the antibiotics (46.5%). Cumulative incidence of surgical site infection was 1.43%. No relationship was found between prophylaxis adequacy and surgical infection (RR=1.15; 95% CI: .31-2.99) (P>.05). Surveillance and infection control programs enable risk factors of infection and improvement measures to be assessed. Monitoring infection rates enables us to reduce their incidence. Adequacy of antibiotic prophylaxis was high but could be improved. We did not find a relationship between prophylaxis adequacy and surgical site infection rate. Copyright © 2017 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. The state of the vegetative nervous system in patients with gonarthrosis for surgical treatment before and after surgical treatment

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    Karaseva T.lu.

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Analyzing the vegetative tensity of organism» functional systems before and after surgical treatment of elderly patients with metabolic-and-dystrophic gonarthrosis. Methods. The evaluation of vegetative homeostasis, reactivity of the vegetative nervous system by the data of variation pulsometry («REAN-POLY» RGPA-6/12, Taganrog in 60 patients with gonarthrosis at the age of 50-72 years and the disease duration — 9+1.5 years before and after surgical treatment: total tunnelization (Group I, tunnelization with osteotomy of leg bones for correction of limb biomechanical axis (Group II, treatment-and-diagnostic arthroscopy (Group III. Results. The reduction of the level of hypoxia tolerance and the decrease of the processes of general adaptation one month after surgery in Group I was registered in 40% of patients. As for patients of Group II, by the end of the period of fixation with the llizarov device — in 50%. As for those of Group III after arthroscopy — in 10% of patients. Among the patients whose 1С / 1С calculated parameter after surgical treatment was registered <1.0, its values were >10.0 before treatment in 70% of cases. At rest, marked vagotonia was registered with hypersympathicotonic reaction to orthotest, as well as with sharp decrease of the proportion of second-order slow waves while transition to standing position (VLF proportion <10.0%, thereby reflecting organism»s energy deficiency state. Conclusion. Preoperative examination. When VLF proportion after orthotest is registered <10.0%, such patients should be referred to risk group and prescribed in-depth examination. The index of centralization (1С dynamics for orthotest (1С test/1С rest is one of the criteria of functional recovery level for the particular patient: its increase points to the positive dynamics of restorative rehabilitative process, and the values <1.0 —to the negative one.

  19. Customized Assessment Group Initiative: A Complementary Approach to Students' Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akindayomi, Akinloye

    2015-01-01

    This study, conducted in a US setting, examines the importance of group dynamics that emphasize cooperative team building through the proposed grouping strategy called Customized Assessment Group Initiative (CAGI). CAGI is a student grouping strategy designed to operationalize the mutual accountability concept central to the definition of teams by…

  20. Pleural fluid drainage: Percutaneous catheter drainage versus surgical chest tube drainage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Illescas, F.F.; Reinhold, C.; Atri, M.; Bret, P.M.

    1987-01-01

    Over the past 4 years, 55 cases (one transudate, 28 exudates, and 26 empymas) were drained. Surgical chest tubes alone were used in 35 drainages, percutaneous catheters alone in five drainages, and both types in 15 drainages. Percutaneous catheter drainage was successful in 12 of 20 drainages (60%). Surgical tube drainage was successful in 18 of 50 drainages (36%). The success rate for the nonempyema group was 45% with both types of drainage. For the empyema group, the success rate for percutaneous catheter drainage was 66% vs 23% for surgical tube drainage. Seven major complications occurred with surgical tube drainage, but only one major complication occurred with percutaneous catheter drainage. Radiologically guided percutaneous catheter drainage should be the procedure of choice for pleural fluid drainage. It has a higher success rate for empyemas and is associated with less complications

  1. Identification of infectious microbiota from oral cavity environment of various population group patients as a preventive approach to human health risk factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawadzki, Paweł J; Perkowski, Konrad; Starościak, Bohdan; Baltaza, Wanda; Padzik, Marcin; Pionkowski, Krzysztof; Chomicz, Lidia

    2016-12-23

    This study presents the results of comparative investigations aimed to determine microbiota that can occur in the oral environment in different human populations. The objective of the research was to identify pathogenic oral microbiota, the potential cause of health complications in patients of different population groups. The study included 95 patients requiring dental or surgical treatment; their oral cavity environment microbiota as risk factors of local and general infections were assessed. In clinical assessment, differences occurred in oral cavity conditions between patients with malformations of the masticatory system, kidney allograft recipients and individuals without indications for surgical procedures. The presence of various pathogenic and opportunistic bacterial strains in oral cavities were revealed by direct microscopic and in vitro culture techniques. Colonization of oral cavities of patients requiring surgical treatment by the potentially pathogenic bacteria constitutes the threat of their spread, and development of general infections. Assessment of oral cavity infectious microbiota should be performed as a preventive measure against peri-surgical complications.

  2. Development of a tool for evaluating multimedia for surgical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coughlan, Jane; Morar, Sonali S

    2008-09-01

    Educational multimedia has been designed to provide surgical trainees with expert operative information outside of the operating theater. The effectiveness of multimedia (e.g., CD-ROMs) for learning has been a common research topic since the 1990s. To date, however, little discussion has taken place on the mechanisms to evaluate the quality of multimedia-driven teaching. This may be because of a lack of research into the development of appropriate tools for evaluating multimedia, especially for surgical education. This paper reports on a small-scale pilot and exploratory study (n = 12) that developed a tool for surgical multimedia evaluation. The validity of the developed tool was established through adaptation of an existing tool, which was reviewed using experts in surgery, usability, and education. The reliability of the developed tool was tested with surgical trainees who used it to assess a multimedia CD-ROM created for teaching basic surgical skills. The findings contribute to an understanding of surgical trainees' experience of using educational multimedia, in terms of characteristics of the learning material for interface design and content and the process of developing evaluation tools, in terms of inclusion of appropriate assessment criteria. The increasing use of multimedia in medical education necessitates the development of standardized tools for determining the quality of teaching and learning. Little research exists into the development of such tools and so the present work stimulates discussion on how to evaluate surgical training.

  3. An electronic portfolio for quantitative assessment of surgical skills in undergraduate medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez Gómez, Serafín; Ostos, Elisa María Cabot; Solano, Juan Manuel Maza; Salado, Tomás Francisco Herrero

    2013-05-06

    We evaluated a newly designed electronic portfolio (e-Portfolio) that provided quantitative evaluation of surgical skills. Medical students at the University of Seville used the e-Portfolio on a voluntary basis for evaluation of their performance in undergraduate surgical subjects. Our new web-based e-Portfolio was designed to evaluate surgical practical knowledge and skills targets. Students recorded each activity on a form, attached evidence, and added their reflections. Students self-assessed their practical knowledge using qualitative criteria (yes/no), and graded their skills according to complexity (basic/advanced) and participation (observer/assistant/independent). A numerical value was assigned to each activity, and the values of all activities were summated to obtain the total score. The application automatically displayed quantitative feedback. We performed qualitative evaluation of the perceived usefulness of the e-Portfolio and quantitative evaluation of the targets achieved. Thirty-seven of 112 students (33%) used the e-Portfolio, of which 87% reported that they understood the methodology of the portfolio. All students reported an improved understanding of their learning objectives resulting from the numerical visualization of progress, all students reported that the quantitative feedback encouraged their learning, and 79% of students felt that their teachers were more available because they were using the e-Portfolio. Only 51.3% of students reported that the reflective aspects of learning were useful. Individual students achieved a maximum of 65% of the total targets and 87% of the skills targets. The mean total score was 345 ± 38 points. For basic skills, 92% of students achieved the maximum score for participation as an independent operator, and all achieved the maximum scores for participation as an observer and assistant. For complex skills, 62% of students achieved the maximum score for participation as an independent operator, and 98% achieved

  4. OPTION OF USERS IN SURGICAL CONTRACEPTION FAMILY HEALTH UNIT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vagner Ferreira do Nascimento

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The study is a descriptive and quantitative approach, which aimed to meet customers the option of surgical contraception by a Family Health Unit in the municipality of Barra do Herons - Mato Grosso. Data were collected on 22 forms of reference that would be forwarded to the sector and family planning counseling. Data were collected and grouped by age, marital status, gender, children and quantitative choice of surgical method of contraception. The period of data collection occurred from March to December 2011. The age group with the highest participation was from 18 to 25 years. Predominantly single, female, with two sons and opting for sterilization. The variety of options to be used as contraceptive methods should be widely publicized and encouraged by health professionals, leaving the surgical methods of reversible or irreversible disruption as a last choice.

  5. Gradual approach to refinement of the nasal tip: surgical results

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    Thiago Bittencourt Ottoni de Carvalho

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The complexity of the nasal tip structures and the impact of surgical maneuvers make the prediction of the final outcome very difficult. Therefore, no single technique is enough to correct the several anatomical presentations, and adequate preoperative planning represents the basis of rhinoplasty. Objective: To present results of rhinoplasty, through the gradual surgical approach to nasal tip definition based on anatomical features, and to evaluate the degree of patient satisfaction after the surgical procedure. Methods: Longitudinal retrospective cohort study of the medical charts of 533 patients of both genders who underwent rhinoplasty from January of 2005 to January of 2012 was performed. Cases were allocated into seven groups: (1 no surgery on nasal tip; (2 interdomal breakup; (3 cephalic trim; (4 domal suture; (5 shield-shaped graft; (6 vertical dome division; (7 replacement of lower lateral cartilages. Results: Group 4 was the most prevalent. The satisfaction rate was 96% and revision surgery occurred in 4% of cases. Conclusion: The protocol used allowed the implementation of a gradual surgical approach to nasal tip definition with the nasal anatomical characteristics, high rate of patient satisfaction with the surgical outcome, and low rate of revision.

  6. The choice of surgical specialization by medical students and their syncopal history.

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    Jerzy Rudnicki

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess whether medical students' fainting outside the university or while witnessing surgical procedures and/or autopsies influenced their choice of a specialization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 605 medical students (from fourth to sixth year of study from five medical universities in Poland (325 women, 212 men and 8 responders of an unspecified gender. The median age of subjects studied was 23 years, and the interquartile range was 23-24 years. The students at each university were chosen randomly by the author who worked there and had contact with them. An anonymous questionnaire was developed to gather information regarding demographics, the specialization which each student wanted to choose, the syncope occurrence in the medical history, the syncope and presyncope occurrence during surgery and autopsy as well as the syncopal events' characteristics. RESULTS: The group of 15% of women and 30% of men declared to have pursued the surgical specialization (P<0.001, 29% of women and 56% of men declared the intention to pursue an invasive specialization (P<0.001. As many as 36.0% of women studied and 13.1% of men studied reported syncopal spells outside university (P<0.001. Only 41 students (6.8% reported that syncope or presyncope in any studied circumstances had an impact on their specialization choice. The multivariate analysis showed that the choice of surgical specialization is related to the male gender and the absence of syncopal spells outside the university. CONCLUSIONS: Syncopal and presyncopal spells may affect the professional choices of the medical students. The male gender and a lack of syncope occurrence outside operating room are related to the choice of surgical specialization.

  7. Surgical management of irradiation-induced small bowel damage

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    Smith, S.T.; Seski, J.C.; Copeland, L.J.; Gershenson, D.M.; Edwards, C.L.; Herson, J.

    1985-04-01

    Seventy-seven patients, presenting with radiation small bowel injuries at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston between 1962 and 1978, were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two categories: bowel bypass without resection, and resection of irradiated bowel. Each group was then analyzed for its short- and long-term complications. Ileocolectomy with end-to-end anastomosis was the surgical procedure of choice in those people undergoing resection. There was no difference in short-term complications noted between the two groups. The long-term complications of fistula formation and continued small bowel necrosis could be prevented by resection, as a primary procedure. The surgical details of ileocolectomy with end-to-end anastomosis are presented, along with an analysis of the complications encountered in both groups.

  8. Surgical management of irradiation-induced small bowel damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, S.T.; Seski, J.C.; Copeland, L.J.; Gershenson, D.M.; Edwards, C.L.; Herson, J.

    1985-01-01

    Seventy-seven patients, presenting with radiation small bowel injuries at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston between 1962 and 1978, were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two categories: bowel bypass without resection, and resection of irradiated bowel. Each group was then analyzed for its short- and long-term complications. Ileocolectomy with end-to-end anastomosis was the surgical procedure of choice in those people undergoing resection. There was no difference in short-term complications noted between the two groups. The long-term complications of fistula formation and continued small bowel necrosis could be prevented by resection, as a primary procedure. The surgical details of ileocolectomy with end-to-end anastomosis are presented, along with an analysis of the complications encountered in both groups

  9. Ergonomic analysis of primary and assistant surgical roles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zihni, Ahmed M; Cavallo, Jaime A; Ray, Shuddhadeb; Ohu, Ikechukwu; Cho, Sohyung; Awad, Michael M

    2016-06-15

    Laparoscopic surgery is associated with a high degree of ergonomic stress. However, the stress associated with surgical assisting is not known. In this study, we compare the ergonomic stress associated with primary and assistant surgical roles during laparoscopic surgery. We hypothesize that higher ergonomic stress will be detected in the primary operating surgeon when compared with the surgical assistant. One right-hand dominant attending surgeon performed 698 min of laparoscopic surgery over 13 procedures (222 min primary and 476 min assisting), whereas electromyography data were collected from bilateral biceps, triceps, deltoids, and trapezius muscles. Data were analyzed in 1-min segments. Average muscle activation as quantified by maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) was calculated for each muscle group during primary surgery and assisting. We compared mean %MVC values with unpaired t-tests. Activation of right (R) biceps and triceps muscle groups is significantly elevated while operating when compared with assisting (R biceps primary: 5.47 ± 0.21 %MVC, assistant: 3.93 ± 0.11, P ergonomic differences between operating and assisting. Surgical assisting was associated with similar and occasionally higher levels of muscle activation compared with primary operating. These findings suggest that surgical assistants face significant ergonomic stress, just as operating surgeons do. Steps must be taken to recognize and mitigate this stress in both operating surgeons and assistants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluation of Histopathological and Histomorphological Effects of Kombucha Extract (Camellia sinenesis on Stomach Surgical Wound Healing in Adult Male Rat

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    Fariborz Moayer

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Wounds healing especially as to surgical wounds is considered clinical problem. Kombucha is used as a food and adminstarted for wound healing. The aim of this study was to assess histopathological and histomorphometrical effect of Kombucha on surgical wound healing process in stomach of rat. Methods: Thirty adult male Wistar rats with 10-week-old and weighted between 200-250 g were randomly divided into two groups (Control and Experimenral. After anesthesia, rats’ stomach was removed and a gastrotomy incision with the length of 1 cm was made in greater curvature, thereafter, sutured in 2 layers. Experimental group received Kombucha extract (1 ml/100gbw and control group received normal saline (1 ml/100gbw daily for 14 days through the gavage. In 3, 7 and 14 days after operation, five rats of each group were euthanized and stomach tissue specimens were collected for histopatholocical study by H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. Histopathological and histomorphometrical studies of wound healing among the groups were carried out considering more effective agents on wound healing including proliferation of fibroblasts, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization and collagen organization in healing tissue. Results: The numbers of fibroblasts, capillary buds and organized collagen content in healing site of experimental group were significantly more than control group (p<0.05. The size of epithelial gap in experimental group was significantly lesser than control group (p<0.05. Conclusion: Based on the results, Kombucha extract possesses beneficial effects on healing of stomach surgical wounds in rats.

  11. Combined Orbital Fractures: Surgical Strategy of Sequential Repair

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    Su Won Hur

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundReconstruction of combined orbital floor and medial wall fractures with a comminuted inferomedial strut (IMS is challenging and requires careful practice. We present our surgical strategy and postoperative outcomes.MethodsWe divided 74 patients who underwent the reconstruction of the orbital floor and medial wall concomitantly into a comminuted IMS group (41 patients and non-comminuted IMS group (33 patients. In the comminuted IMS group, we first reconstructed the floor stably and then the medial wall by using separate implant pieces. In the non-comminuted IMS group, we reconstructed the floor and the medial wall with a single large implant.ResultsIn the follow-up of 6 to 65 months, most patients with diplopia improved in the first-week except one, who eventually improved at 1 year. All patients with an EOM limitation improved during the first month of follow-up. Enophthalmos (displacement, 2 mm was observed in two patients. The orbit volume measured on the CT scans was statistically significantly restored in both groups. No complications related to the surgery were observed.ConclusionsWe recommend the reconstruction of orbit walls in the comminuted IMS group by using the following surgical strategy: usage of multiple pieces of rigid implants instead of one large implant, sequential repair first of the floor and then of the medial wall, and a focus on the reconstruction of key areas. Our strategy of step-by-step reconstruction has the benefits of easy repair, less surgical trauma, and minimal stress to the surgeon.

  12. [Surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in premature neonates: Does the surgical technique affect the outcome?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila-Alvarez, Alejandro; Serantes Lourido, Marta; Barriga Bujan, Rebeca; Blanco Rodriguez, Carolina; Portela-Torron, Francisco; Bautista-Hernandez, Victor

    2017-05-01

    Surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in premature neonates is an aggressive technique and is not free of complications. A study was designed with the aim of describing our experience with a less invasive technique, the extra-pleural approach via a posterior minithoracotomy, and to compare the results with the classic transpleural approach. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on premature neonates on whom surgical closure of the ductus was performed during a ten-year period (March 2005 to March 2015). A comparison was made of the acute complications, the outcomes on discharge, and follow-up, between the extra-pleural approach and the classic transpleural approach. The study included 48 patients, 30 in the classical approach and 18 in the extra-pleural group. The demographic and pre-operative characteristics were similar in both groups. No differences were found between the 2 groups in the incidence of acute post-operative complications (56.6 vs. 44.4%), on the dependence on oxygen at 36 weeks (33.3 vs. 55.5%), or in hospital mortality (10 vs. 16.6%). As regards the short-term progress, the extra-pleural group required fewer days until the withdrawal of supplementary oxygen (36.3 vs. 28.9) and until hospital discharge (67.5 vs. 53.2), although only the time until extubation achieved a statistically significant difference (11.5 vs. 2.7, P=.03). The extra-plural approach by posterior minithoracotomy for the surgical closure of ductus in the premature infant is viable and could bring some clinical benefits in the short-term. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  13. Specificity, contexts, and reference groups matter when assessing autistic traits

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    Gernsbacher, Morton Ann; Stevenson, Jennifer L.; Dern, Sebastian

    2017-01-01

    Many of the personality and behavioral traits (e.g., social imperviousness, directness in conversation, lack of imagination, affinity for solitude, difficulty displaying emotions) that are known to be sensitive to context (with whom?) and reference group (according to whom?) also appear in questionnaire-based assessments of autistic traits. Therefore, two experiments investigated the effects of specifying contexts and reference groups when assessing autistic traits in autistic and non-autisti...

  14. Breast Cancer Surgery: Comparing Surgical Groups and Determining Individual Differences in Postoperative Sexuality and Body Change Stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yurek, Debora; Farrar, William; Andersen, Barbara L.

    2007-01-01

    Women diagnosed and surgically treated for regional breast cancer (N = 190) were studied to determine the sexual and body change sequelae for women receiving modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with breast reconstruction in comparison with the sequelae for women receiving breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or MRM without breast reconstruction. The sexuality pattern for women receiving reconstructive surgery was one that was significantly different—with lower rates of activity and fewer signs of sexual responsiveness—than that for women in either of the other groups. Significantly higher levels of traumatic stress and situational distress regarding the breast changes were reported by the women receiving an MRM in contrast to the women treated with BCT. Using a model to predict sexual morbidity, regression analyses revealed that individual differences in sexual self-schema were related to both sexual and body change stress outcomes. PMID:10965644

  15. Wrong-Site Surgery, Retained Surgical Items, and Surgical Fires : A Systematic Review of Surgical Never Events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hempel, Susanne; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda; Nguyen, David K; Dawes, Aaron J; Miake-Lye, Isomi; Beroes, Jessica M; Booth, Marika J; Miles, Jeremy N V; Shanman, Roberta; Shekelle, Paul G

    2015-08-01

    Serious, preventable surgical events, termed never events, continue to occur despite considerable patient safety efforts. To examine the incidence and root causes of and interventions to prevent wrong-site surgery, retained surgical items, and surgical fires in the era after the implementation of the Universal Protocol in 2004. We searched 9 electronic databases for entries from 2004 through June 30, 2014, screened references, and consulted experts. Two independent reviewers identified relevant publications in June 2014. One reviewer used a standardized form to extract data and a second reviewer checked the data. Strength of evidence was established by the review team. Data extraction was completed in January 2015. Incidence of wrong-site surgery, retained surgical items, and surgical fires. We found 138 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. Incidence estimates for wrong-site surgery in US settings varied by data source and procedure (median estimate, 0.09 events per 10,000 surgical procedures). The median estimate for retained surgical items was 1.32 events per 10,000 procedures, but estimates varied by item and procedure. The per-procedure surgical fire incidence is unknown. A frequently reported root cause was inadequate communication. Methodologic challenges associated with investigating changes in rare events limit the conclusions of 78 intervention evaluations. Limited evidence supported the Universal Protocol (5 studies), education (4 studies), and team training (4 studies) interventions to prevent wrong-site surgery. Limited evidence exists to prevent retained surgical items by using data-matrix-coded sponge-counting systems (5 pertinent studies). Evidence for preventing surgical fires was insufficient, and intervention effects were not estimable. Current estimates for wrong-site surgery and retained surgical items are 1 event per 100,000 and 1 event per 10,000 procedures, respectively, but the precision is uncertain, and the per

  16. Local antimicrobial administration for prophylaxis of surgical site infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huiras, Paul; Logan, Jill K; Papadopoulos, Stella; Whitney, Dana

    2012-11-01

    Despite a lack of consensus guidelines, local antibiotic administration for prophylaxis of surgical site infections is used during many surgical procedures. The rationale behind this practice is to provide high antibiotic concentrations at the site of surgery while minimizing systemic exposure and adverse effects. Local antibiotic administration for surgical site prophylaxis has inherent limitations in that antibiotics are applied after the incision is made, rather than the current standard for surgical site prophylaxis that recommends providing adequate antibiotic concentrations at the site before the incision. The efficacy and safety of local application of antibiotics for surgical site prophylaxis have been assessed in different types of surgery with a variety of antibiotic agents and methods of application. We identified 22 prospective, randomized, controlled trials that evaluated local application of antibiotics for surgical site prophylaxis. These trials were subsequently divided and analyzed based on the type of surgical procedure: dermatologic, orthopedic, abdominal, colorectal, and cardiothoracic. Methods of local application analyzed included irrigations, powders, ointments, pastes, beads, sponges, and fleeces. Overall, there is a significant lack of level I evidence supporting this practice for any of the surgical genres evaluated. In addition, the literature spans several decades, and changes in surgical procedures, systemic antibiotic prophylaxis, and microbial flora make conclusions difficult to determine. Based on available data, the efficacy of local antibiotic administration for the prophylaxis of surgical site infections remains uncertain, and recommendations supporting this practice for surgical site prophylaxis cannot be made. © 2012 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  17. Cataract surgical coverage rate among adults aged 40 years and older

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lusianawaty Tana

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Cataract is a leading cause of curable blindness. Hence, in its global declaration of ‘Vision 2020 Right to Sight’, the World Health Organization (WHO encouraged its member countries to address the problem of incident cataract. Many factors are related to the cataract surgical coverage rate, such as gender and diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to determine the cataract surgical coverage rate and investigate the determinants factors of cataract surgical coverage rate among adults 40 years old and above with cataract. A cross sectional study was conducted using National Basic Health Research (Riskesdas 2007 data. Cataract surgery was defined as surgery conducted within the last 12 months before the survey was performed. There were 6939 subjects (3105 male, 3834 female who fulfilled the study criteria. The cataract surgical coverage rate was 19.3%. The cataract surgical coverage rate was lower in subjects with low education, in the group of farmers/fishermen/laborers, in the 40-49 years age group, in rural areas, and in subjects of low socioeconomic status (p0.05. Determinants that were related to cataract surgical coverage rate were age, type of area of residence, socioeconomic status, and region of residence (p<0.001. The implementation of educational programs and reforms to local ophthalmic health services may improve the cataract surgical coverage rate.

  18. The Group-Based Assessment Approach in Nursing Education: The Perspective of Nursing Students on Group-Based Assessment Process at a Namibian University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuuyoma, Vistolina

    2017-01-01

    Group-based assessments used in the Bachelor of Nursing Science (clinical) Honours programme at a public university in Namibia are usually in the form of assignments and projects. Completing tasks in groups helps students to develop important skills like critical thinking and debating. In addition, it prepares them to work in the health-care…

  19. Comparison of two approaches to the surgical management of cochlear implantation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postelmans, Job T. F.; Grolman, Wilko; Tange, Rinze A.; Stokroos, Robert J.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Our study was designed to compare two surgical approaches that are currently employed in cochlear implantation. METHODS: There were 315 patients who were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique used for implantation. The suprameatal approach (SMA) was

  20. Preoperative embolization in surgical treatment of spinal metastases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Caroline; Dahl, Benny; Frevert, Susanne Christiansen

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE: To assess whether preoperative transcatheter arterial embolization of spinal metastases reduces blood loss, the need for transfusion with allogeneic red blood cells (RBCs), and surgery time in the surgical treatment of patients with symptomatic metastatic spinal cord compression. MATERIALS......L) versus 902 mL (SD, 416 mL). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative embolization in patients with symptomatic spinal metastasis independent of primary tumor diagnosis did not reduce intraoperative blood loss and allogeneic RBC transfusion significantly but did reduce the surgery time. A small reduction...... instrumentation and randomly assigned to either preoperative embolization (n = 23) or a control group (n = 22). The primary outcome was intraoperative blood loss. Secondary outcomes were perioperative blood loss, allogeneic RBC transfusion, and surgery time. Analyses were performed by intention-to-treat. RESULTS...

  1. Dressings and topical agents for surgical wounds healing by secondary intention

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeulen, H.; Ubbink, D.; Goossens, A.; de Vos, R.; Legemate, D.

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Many different wound dressings and topical applications are used to cover surgical wounds healing by secondary intention. It is not known whether these dressings heal wounds at different rates. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of dressings and topical agents on surgical wounds

  2. The effects of local nitroglycerin on the surgical delay procedure in prefabricated flaps by vascular implant in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sá, Jairo Zacchê de; Aguiar, José Lamartine de Andrade; Cruz, Adriana Ferreira; Schuler, Alexandre Ricardo Pereira; Lima, José Ricardo Alves de; Marques, Olga Martins

    2012-12-01

    To evaluate the effect of local nitroglycerin on the viable area of a prefabricated flap for vascular implant in rats, and to investigate the surgical delay procedure. A femoral pedicle was implanted under the skin of the abdominal wall in forty Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups of ten: group 1 - without surgical delay procedure and local nitroglycerin; group 2 - with surgical delay procedure, but without local nitroglycerin; group 3 - without surgical delay procedure, but with local nitroglycerin; and group 4 - with simultaneous surgical delay procedure and local nitroglycerin. The percentages of the viable areas, in relation to the total flap, were calculated using AutoCAD R 14. The mean percentage value of the viable area was 8.9% in the group 1. 49.4% in the group 2; 8.4% in the group 3 and 1.1% in the group 4. There was significant difference between groups 1 and 2 (p=0.005), 1 and 4 (p=0.024), 2 and 3 (p=0.003), 2 and 4 (p=0.001). These results support the hypothesis that the closure of the arterial venous channels is responsible for the phenomenon of surgical delay procedure. Local nitroglycerin did not cause an increase in the prefabricated viable flap area by vascular implantation and decreased the viable flap area that underwent delay procedures.

  3. Coblation versus other surgical techniques for tonsillectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pynnonen, Melissa; Brinkmeier, Jennifer V; Thorne, Marc C; Chong, Lee Yee; Burton, Martin J

    2017-08-22

    detection and measurement bias for intraoperative blood loss, and primary and secondary bleeding. In contrast most studies (20) were at low risk of bias for pain assessment. Most studies did not report data in a manner permitting meta-analysis.Most studies did not clearly report the participant characteristics, surgical indications or whether patients underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy. Most studies reported that tonsillitis (infection) and/or tonsillar hypertrophy (obstruction) were the indication for surgery. Seven studies included only adults, 16 studies included only children and six studies included both. Pain At postoperative day 1 there is very low quality evidence that patients in the coblation group had less pain, with a standardised mean difference (SMD) of -0.79 (95% confidence interval (CI) -1.38 to -0.19; 538 participants; six studies). This effect is reduced a SMD of -0.44 (95% CI -0.97 to 0.09; 401 participants; five studies; very low-quality evidence) at day 3, and at day 7 there is low quality evidence of little or no difference in pain (SMD -0.01, 95% CI -0.22 to 0.19; 420 participants; five studies). Although this suggests that pain may be slightly less in the coblation group between days 1 and 3, the clinical significance is unclear. Intraoperative blood loss Methodological differences between studies in the measurement of intraoperative blood loss precluded meta-analysis. Primary and secondary bleeding The risk of primary bleeding was similar (risk ratio (RR) 0.99, 95% CI 0.48 to 2.05; 2055 participants; 25 studies; low-quality evidence). The risk of secondary bleeding was greater in the coblation group with a risk ratio of 1.36 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.95; 2118 participants; 25 studies; low-quality evidence). Using the median of the control group as the baseline risk, the absolute risk in the coblation group was 5% versus 3.6% in the control group. The difference of 1.3% has a 95% CI of 0.2% lower in the coblation group to 3.5% higher. Secondary

  4. Surgical Instrument Sets for Special Operations Expeditionary Surgical Teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hale, Diane F; Sexton, Justin C; Benavides, Linda C; Benavides, Jerry M; Lundy, Jonathan B

    The deployment of surgical assets has been driven by mission demands throughout years of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The transition to the highly expeditious Golden Hour Offset Surgical Transport Team (GHOST- T) now offers highly mobile surgical assets in nontraditional operating rooms; the content of the surgical instrument sets has also transformed to accommodate this change. The 102nd Forward Surgical Team (FST) was attached to Special Operations assigned to southern Afghanistan from June 2015 to March 2016. The focus was to decrease overall size and weight of FST instrument sets without decreasing surgical capability of the GHOST-T. Each instrument set was evaluated and modified to include essential instruments to perform damage control surgery. The overall number of main instrument sets was decreased from eight to four; simplified augmentation sets have been added, which expand the capabilities of any main set. The overall size was decreased by 40% and overall weight decreased by 58%. The cardiothoracic, thoracotomy, and emergency thoracotomy trays were condensed to thoracic set. The orthopedic and amputation sets were replaced with an augmentation set of a prepackaged orthopedic external fixator set). An augmentation set to the major or minor basic sets, specifically for vascular injuries, was created. Through the reorganization of conventional FST surgical instrument sets to maintain damage control capabilities and mobility, the 102nd GHOST-T reduced surgical equipment volume and weight, providing a lesson learned for future surgical teams operating in austere environments. 2017.

  5. Structured assessment of the consequences of composite resection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ackerstaff, A. H.; Lindeboom, J. A.; Balm, A. J.; Kroon, F. H.; Tan, I. B.; Hilgers, F. J.

    1998-01-01

    A structured quality of life questionnaire was developed as an instrument for the assessment of the functional, physical, psychosocial, and counselling problems in patients treated surgically for an oropharyngeal cancer. The questionnaire was tested in a pilot study in a relatively homogeneous group

  6. Surgical stabilization of internal pneumatic stabilization? A prospective randomized study of management of severe flail chest patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Hideharu; Yukioka, Tetsuo; Yamaguti, Yoshihiro; Shimizu, Syoichiro; Goto, Hideaki; Matsuda, Hiroharu; Shimazaki, Syuji

    2002-04-01

    We compared the clinical efficacy of surgical stabilization and internal pneumatic stabilization in severe flail chest patients who required prolonged ventilatory support. Thirty-seven consecutive severe flail chest patients who required mechanical ventilation were enrolled in this study. All the patients received identical respiratory management, including end-tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, continuous epidural anesthesia, analgesia, bronchoscopic aspiration, postural drainage, and pulmonary hygiene. At 5 days after injury, surgical stabilization with Judet struts (S group, n = 18) or internal pneumatic stabilization (I group, n = 19) was randomly assigned. Most respiratory management was identical between the two groups except the surgical procedure. Statistical analysis using two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test was used to compare the groups. Age, sex, Injury Severity Score, chest Abbreviated Injury Score, number of rib fractures, severity of lung contusion, and Pao2/Fio2 ratio at admission were all equivalent in the two groups. The S group showed a shorter ventilatory period (10.8 +/- 3.4 days) than the I group (18.3 +/- 7.4 days) (p < 0.05), shorter intensive care unit stay (S group, 16.5 +/- 7.4 days; I group, 26.8 +/- 13.2 days; p < 0.05), and lower incidence of pneumonia (S group, 24%; I group, 77%; p < 0.05). Percent forced vital capacity was higher in the S group at 1 month and thereafter (p < 0.05). The percentage of patients who had returned to full-time employment at 6 months was significantly higher in the S group (11 of 18) than in the I group (1 of 19). This study proved that in severe flail chest patients, surgical stabilization using Judet struts has beneficial effects with respect to less ventilatory support, lower incidence of pneumonia, shorter trauma intensive care unit stay, and reduced medical cost than internal fixation. Moreover, surgical stabilization with Judet struts improved percent forced vital capacity from the

  7. Treatment experience of surgical repair for long-term skull defect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shou-cheng FAN

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Retrospective analysis was performed on 30 patients of skull defect who underwent surgical repair. Intraoperative and postoperative curative effect was evaluated on those patients, and the results showed that the incidence rate of intraoperative dura mater defect (P = 0.001, early postoperative complications [new epilepsy (P = 0.035 and effusion (P = 0.021] and late postoperative complications [foreign body sensation (P = 0.035 and dizziness and headache (P = 0.050] in long-term skull defect group were all higher than those in control group. In conclusion, surgical repair of long-term skull defect incurring high risk and various complications will not be an ideal management. Therefore, early surgical treatment for skull defect is suggested. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2015.12.016

  8. The modern surgeon and competency assessment: are the workplace-based assessments evidence-based?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torsney, K M; Cocker, D M; Slesser, A A P

    2015-03-01

    The assessment of higher surgical training has changed in the last decade or two, with a greater emphasis on work-based assessments (WBAs) to prove competency. The aim of this study was to determine the evidence underpinning the use and number of WBAs in surgical training. In July 2013, a systematic electronic literature review was undertaken using PubMed (Medline), Embase, Google Scholar and the Cochrane library. A total of 27 studies met the inclusion criteria of which 25 were observational studies and only five assessed WBAs in a surgical setting. Validity and feasibility in surgical training were assessed in two studies, respectively, with the results suggesting that WBAs maybe neither feasible nor valid in surgical training. The number required to achieve reliability in surgical training was demonstrated to be three in two separate studies. The evidence for the reliability, feasibility and validity of WBAs in other non-surgical fields was conflicting. There is a paucity of evidence supporting the use of WBAs as a tool to determine competency in surgical training, and as such, they should only have a limited role in training until more evidence is available. There appears to be no justification or evidence underpinning the use of a specific number of WBAs to determine surgical competency.

  9. Surgical orthodontics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strohl, Alexis M; Vitkus, Lauren

    2017-08-01

    The article reviews some commonly used orthodontic treatments as well as new strategies to assist in the correction of malocclusion. Many techniques are used in conjunction with surgical intervention and are a necessary compliment to orthognathic surgery. Basic knowledge of these practices will aid in the surgeon's ability to adequately treat the patient. Many orthodontists and surgeons are eliminating presurgical orthodontics to adopt a strategy of 'surgery first' orthodontics in orthognathic surgery. This has the benefit of immediate improvement in facial aesthetics and shorter treatment times. The advent of virtual surgical planning has helped facilitate the development of this new paradigm by making surgical planning faster and easier. Furthermore, using intraoperative surgical navigation is improving overall precision and outcomes. A variety of surgical and nonsurgical treatments may be employed in the treatment of malocclusion. It is important to be familiar with all options available and tailor the patient's treatment plan accordingly. Surgery-first orthodontics, intraoperative surgical navigation, virtual surgical planning, and 3D printing are evolving new techniques that are producing shorter treatment times and subsequently improving patient satisfaction without sacrificing long-term stability.

  10. Systematic Review of Pain assessment scales in newborns under maxillofacial surgery Admitted to the surgical ward

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shapour Yaripoor

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Having standard tools for measuring pain in infants is essential. The aim of this study is to review the scale of pain in newborns under maxillofacial surgery Admitted to the surgical ward. Integrative review study of articles published from 2000 to 2015, carried out in the following databases: Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Cochrane, medscape and google scholar. The sample consisted of 17 articles. MeSH headings searched included pain measurement, pain scale, newborn pain, infant pain scale, maxillofacial surgery and pain perception. 16 neonatal pain assessment tools were found. Of the 232 original articles, 17 review articles in the field of pain assessment tools in infant under maxillofacial surgery who had inclusion criteria were selected. The most studied was the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP, The CRIES and the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS. Infant pain assessment is not universally standardized. Practitioners may assess pain; however, they may not consistently use the same criteria to do so. The use of Neonatal Facial Coding System, the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale and the Premature Infant Pain Profile Can accurately show the amount of pain in newborns.

  11. How do you tell whether a change in surgical technique leads to a change in outcome?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vickers, Andrew J; Cronin, Angel M; Masterson, Timothy A; Eastham, James A

    2010-04-01

    Surgeons routinely evaluate and modify their surgical technique to improve patient outcome. It is also common for surgeons to analyze results before and after a change in technique to determine whether the change led to better results. Simple comparison of results before and after surgical modification may be confounded by the surgical learning curve. We developed a statistical method applicable to analyzing before/after surgical studies. We used simulation studies to compare different statistical analyses of before/after studies. We evaluated a simple 2-group comparison of results before and after the modification by the chi-square test and a novel bootstrap method that adjusts for the surgical learning curve. In the presence of the learning curve a simple 2-group comparison almost always showed an ineffective surgical modification to be of benefit. When the surgical modification was harmful, leading to a 10% decrease in the success rate, 2-group comparison nonetheless showed a statistically significant improvement in outcome about 80% of the time. The bootstrap method had only moderate power but did not show that ineffective surgical modifications were beneficial more than would be expected by chance. Simplistic approaches to the analysis of before/after surgical studies may lead to grossly erroneous results under the surgical learning curve. A straightforward alternative statistical method allows investigators to separate the effects of the learning curve from those of the surgical modification. Copyright (c) 2010 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Surgical correction of scoliosis in children with spastic quadriplegia: benefits, adverse effects, and patient selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legg, Julian; Davies, Evan; Raich, Annie L; Dettori, Joseph R; Sherry, Ned

    2014-04-01

    Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of nonprogressive syndromes of posture and motor impairment associated with lesions of the immature brain. Spastic quadriplegia is the most severe form with a high incidence of scoliosis, back pain, respiratory compromise, pelvic obliquity, and poor sitting balance. Surgical stabilization of the spine is an effective technique for correcting deformity and restoring sitting posture. The decision to operate in this group of patients is challenging. The aim of this study is to determine the benefits of surgical correction of scoliosis in children with spastic quadriplegia, the adverse effects of this treatment, and what preoperative factors affect patient outcome after surgical correction. A systematic review was undertaken to identify studies describing benefits and adverse effects of surgery in spastic quadriplegia. Factors affecting patient outcome following surgical correction of scoliosis were assessed. Studies involving adults and nonspastic quadriplegia were excluded. A total of 10 case series and 1 prospective and 3 retrospective cohort studies met inclusion criteria. There was significant variation in the overall risk of complications (range, 10.9-70.9%), mortality (range, 2.8-19%), respiratory/pulmonary complications (range, 26.9-57.1%), and infection (range, 2.5-56.8%). Factors associated with a worse outcome were a significant degree of thoracic kyphosis, days in the intensive care unit, and poor nutritional status. Caregivers report a high degree of satisfaction with scoliosis surgery for children with spastic quadriplegia. There is limited evidence of preoperative factors that can predict patient outcome after scoliosis. There is a need for well-designed prospective studies of scoliosis surgery in spastic quadriplegia.

  13. Augmented surgical amounts for intermittent exotropia to prevent recurrence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hatice Arda

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the results of bilateral lateral rectus (BLR recession which is based on augmented surgical amounts of classical surgical table of Parks′ for basic and pseudo-divergence excess type intermittent exotropia [X(T]. Materials and Methods: Patients with X(T operated by the same surgeon and followed-up for at least 6 months were included. Patients with prior surgery, neurobehavioral and musculoskeletal conditions, strabismus different from that mentioned above X(T were excluded. All the patients received BLR only. The amount of the recession was increased by the amount needed to correct 5 prism diopters (PD more X(T than what was measured. After the operation, 1 st week, 2 nd and 6 months measurements were recorded. The patients were grouped according to their 1 st week (3-7 days postoperative examination as: >10 PD esotropia (Group 1, ≤10 PD esotropia (Group 2, exotropia (Group 3, and orthotropic (Group 4, respectively. Final surgical outcomes were classified as "good" (≤10 PD exotropia and ≤5 PD esotropia, "recurrence" (>10 PD exotropia and "overcorrected" (>5 esotropia. Results: Thirty-seven patients were included. The mean age was 6.78 ± 2.87 years (range: 2-12 years. Mean preoperative deviation was 29.72 ± 8.07 PD (range: 15-45 PD at distance and 20.94 ± 11.65 PD (range: 10-45 PD at near (P < 0.0001. There were 21 (56.8% patients in Group 1, 9 (24.3% patients in Group 2, 1 (2.7% patient in Group 3 and 6 (16.2% patients in Group 4. Initial esotropia was achieved in 30 (30/37 of the patients. Twenty-eight of them had good results at the end of the 6 months. Overall "motor surgical" success rate was found to be 89.2% (33/37 patients, with 1 (2.7% overcorrection and 3 (8.1% recurrences at the end of the 6 months. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that early overcorrection of 10-20 PD after X(T surgery can achieve acceptable motor outcomes in the first 6 months postoperative period.

  14. Surgical treatment analysis of idiopathic esophageal achalasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquino, José Luis Braga de; Said, Marcelo Manzano; Pereira, Douglas Rizzanti; Amaral, Paula Casals do; Lima, Juliana Carolina Alves; Leandro-Merhi, Vânia Aparecida

    2015-01-01

    Idiopathic esophageal achalasia is an inflammatory disease of unknown origin, characterized by aperistalsis of the esophageal body and failure of the lower esophageal sphincter in response to swallowing, with consequent dysphagia. To demonstrate the results of surgical therapy in these patients, evaluating the occurred local and systemic complications. Were studied retrospectively 32 patients, 22 of whom presented non-advanced stage of the disease (Stage I/II) and 10 with advanced disease (Stage III/IV). All of them had the clinical conditions to be submitted to surgery. The diagnoses were done by clinical, endoscopic, cardiological, radiological and esophageal manometry analysis. Pre-surgical evaluation was done with a questionnaire based on the most predisposing factors in the development of the disease and the surgical indication was based on the stage of the disease. The patients with non-advanced stages were submitted to cardiomyotomy with fundoplication, wherein in the post-surgical early assessment, only one (4,4%) presented pulmonary infection, but had a good outcome. In patients with advanced disease, seven were submitted to esophageal mucosectomy preserving the muscular layer, wherein one patient (14,2%) presented dehiscence of gastric cervical esophagus anastomosis as well as pulmonary infection; all of these complications were resolved with proper specific treatment; the other three patients with advanced stage were submitted to transmediastinal esophagectomy; two of them presented hydropneumothorax with good evolution, and one of them also presented fistula of the cervical esophagogastric anastomosis, but with spontaneous healing after conservative treatment and nutritional support. The two patients with fistula of the cervical anastomosis progressed to stenosis, with good results after endoscopic dilations. In the medium and long term assessment done in 23 patients, all of them reported improvement in life quality, with return to swallowing. The

  15. [Class III surgical patients facilitated by accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jia-qi; Xu, Li; Liang, Cheng; Zou, Wei; Bai, Yun-yang; Jiang, Jiu-hui

    2013-10-01

    To evaluate the treatment time and the anterior and posterior teeth movement pattern as closing extraction space for the Class III surgical patients facilitated by accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatment. There were 10 skeletal Class III patients in accelerated osteogenic orthodontic group (AOO) and 10 patients in control group. Upper first premolars were extracted in all patients. After leveling and alignment (T2), corticotomy was performed in the area of maxillary anterior teeth to accelerate space closing.Study models of upper dentition were taken before orthodontic treatment (T1) and after space closing (T3). All the casts were laser scanned, and the distances of the movement of incisors and molars were digitally measured. The distances of tooth movement in two groups were recorded and analyzed. The alignment time between two groups was not statistically significant. The treatment time in AOO group from T2 to T3 was less than that in the control group (less than 9.1 ± 4.1 months). The treatment time in AOO group from T1 to T3 was less than that in the control group (less than 6.3 ± 4.8 months), and the differences were significant (P 0.05). Accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatment could accelerate space closing in Class III surgical patients and shorten preoperative orthodontic time. There were no influence on the movement pattern of anterior and posterior teeth during pre-surgical orthodontic treatment.

  16. Medical versus surgical treatment for refractory or recurrent peptic ulcer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Pallari, Elena

    2016-03-29

    Refractory peptic ulcers are ulcers in the stomach or duodenum that do not heal after eight to 12 weeks of medical treatment or those that are associated with complications despite medical treatment. Recurrent peptic ulcers are peptic ulcers that recur after healing of the ulcer. Given the number of deaths due to peptic ulcer-related complications and the long-term complications of medical treatment (increased incidence of fracture), it is unclear whether medical or surgical intervention is the better treatment option in people with recurrent or refractory peptic ulcers. To assess the benefits and harms of medical versus surgical treatment for people with recurrent or refractory peptic ulcer. We searched the specialised register of the Cochrane Upper GI and Pancreatic Diseases group, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, and trials registers until September 2015 to identify randomised trials and non-randomised studies, using search strategies. We also searched the references of included studies to identify further studies. We considered randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies comparing medical treatment with surgical treatment in people with refractory or recurrent peptic ulcer, irrespective of language, blinding, or publication status for inclusion in the review. Two review authors independently identified trials and extracted data. We planned to calculate the risk ratio, mean difference, standardised mean difference, or hazard ratio with 95% confidence intervals using both fixed-effect and random-effects models with Review Manager 5 based on intention-to-treat analysis. We included only one non-randomised study published 30 years ago in the review. This study included 77 participants who had gastric ulcer and in whom medical therapy (histamine H2 receptor blockers, antacids, and diet) had failed after an average duration of treatment of 29 months. The

  17. Supportive psychotherapy or client education alongside surgical procedures to correct complications of female genital mutilation: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abayomi, Olukayode; Chibuzor, Moriam T; Okusanya, Babasola O; Esu, Ekpereonne; Odey, Edward; Meremikwu, Martin M

    2017-02-01

    Supportive psychotherapy, in individual or group settings, may help improve surgical outcomes for women and girls living with female genital mutilation (FGM). To assess whether supportive psychotherapy given alongside surgical procedures to correct complications of FGM improves clinical outcomes. We searched major databases including CENTRAL, Medline, African Index Medicus, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, and others. There were no language restrictions. We checked the reference lists of retrieved studies for additional reports of relevant studies. We included studies of girls and women living with any type of FGM who received supportive psychotherapy or client education sessions alongside any surgical procedure to correct health complications from FGM. Two team members independently screened studies for eligibility. There were no eligible studies identified. There is no direct evidence for the benefits or harms of supportive psychotherapy alongside surgical procedures for women and girls living with FGM. Research evidence is urgently needed to guide clinical practice. 42015024639. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The World Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.

  18. The Application of Surgical Navigation in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Guowen; Lu, Mingxing; Hu, Qingang

    2015-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and the accuracy of surgical navigation technology in the resection of severe ankylosis of the mandibular condyle with the middle cranial fossa. The computed tomography scan data were transferred to a Windows-based computer workstation, and the patient's individual anatomy was assessed in multiplanar views at the workstation. In the operation, the patient and the virtual image were matched by individual registration with the reference points which were set on the skull bone surface and the teeth. Then, the real-time navigation can be performed. The acquisition of the data sets was uncomplicated, and image quality was sufficient to assess the operative result in 2 cases. Both of the operations were performed successfully with the guidance of real-time navigation. The application of surgical navigation has enhanced the safety and the accuracy of the surgery for bony ankylosis of temporomandibular joint. The use of surgical navigation resulted in the promotion of accurate and safe surgical excision of the ankylosed skull base tissue.

  19. A comparative evaluation: Oral leukoplakia surgical management using diode laser, CO2 laser, and cryosurgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natekar, Madhukar; Raghuveer, Hosahallli-Puttaiah; Rayapati, Dilip-Kumar; Shobha, Eshwara-Singh; Prashanth, Nagesh-Tavane; Rangan, Vinod; Panicker, Archana G

    2017-06-01

    The comparatively evaluate the three surgical treatment modalities namely cryosurgery, diode and CO2 laser surgery in terms of healing outcomes on the day of surgery, first and second week post operatively and recurrence at the end of 18 months was assessed. Thirty selected patients were divided randomly into three groups. Each group comprising of ten patients were subjected to one of the three modalities of treatment namely cryosurgery, diode laser or CO2 laser surgery for ablation of OL. Obtained data was analyzed using mainly using Chi-square and Anova tests. Study showed statistical significant differences (p > 0.05) for evaluation parameters like pain, edema and scar. The parameters like infection, recurrence, bleeding showed no statistical significance. Pain was significantly higher in CO2 laser surgery group as compared with diode laser group. There was no recurrence observed at the end of the 6 months follow up period in all the three study groups. Observations from the study highlights that all three surgical modalities used in this study were effective for treatment of OL, and the overall summation of the results of the study showed that laser therapy (CO2 and Diode) seems to offer better clinically significant results than cryotherapy. Key words: Oral premalignant lesion, leukoplakia, cryosurgery, CO2 laser surgery, diode laser surgery.

  20. Assessing the Internal Dynamics of Mathematical Problem Solving in Small Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artzt, Alice F.; Armour-Thomas, Eleanor

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the problem-solving behaviors and perceptions of (n=27) seventh-grade students as they worked on solving a mathematical problem within a small-group setting. An assessment system was developed that allowed for this analysis. To assess problem-solving behaviors within a small group a Group…

  1. Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome: clinical findings, surgical treatment, and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Carlos; Khaikin, Marat; Bracho, Jorge; Luo, Cheng Hua; Weiss, Eric G; Sands, Dana R; Cera, Susan; Nogueras, Juan J; Wexner, Steven D

    2007-11-01

    Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is a rare disorder often misdiagnosed as a malignant ulcer. Histopathological features of SRUS are characteristic and pathognomonic; nevertheless, the endoscopic and clinical presentations may be confusing. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical findings, surgical treatment, and outcomes in patients who suffer from SRUS. A retrospective chart review was undertaken, from January 1989 to May 2005 for all patients who were diagnosed with SRUS. Data recorded included: patient's age, gender, clinical presentation, past surgical history, diagnostic and preoperative workup, operative procedure, complications, and outcomes. During the study period, 23 patients were diagnosed with SRUS. Seven patients received only medical treatment, and in three patients, the ulcer healed after medical treatment. Sixteen patients underwent surgical treatment. In four patients, the symptoms persisted after surgery. Two patients presented with postoperative rectal bleeding requiring surgical intervention. Three patients developed late postoperative sexual dysfunction. One patient continued suffering from rectal pain after a colostomy was constructed. Median follow-up was 14 (range 2-84) months. The results of this study show clearly that every patient with SRUS must be assessed individually. Initial treatment should include conservative measures. In patients with refractory symptoms, surgical treatment should be considered. Results of anterior resection and protocolectomy are satisfactory for solitary rectal ulcer.

  2. Virtual Reality Simulation as a Tool to Monitor Surgical Performance Indicators: VIRESI Observational Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muralha, Nuno; Oliveira, Manuel; Ferreira, Maria Amélia; Costa-Maia, José

    2017-05-31

    Virtual reality simulation is a topic of discussion as a complementary tool to traditional laparoscopic surgical training in the operating room. However, it is unclear whether virtual reality training can have an impact on the surgical performance of advanced laparoscopic procedures. Our objective was to assess the ability of the virtual reality simulator LAP Mentor to identify and quantify changes in surgical performance indicators, after LAP Mentor training for digestive anastomosis. Twelve surgeons from Centro Hospitalar de São João in Porto (Portugal) performed two sessions of advanced task 5: anastomosis in LAP Mentor, before and after completing the tutorial, and were evaluated on 34 surgical performance indicators. The results show that six surgical performance indicators significantly changed after LAP Mentor training. The surgeons performed the task significantly faster as the median 'total time' significantly reduced (p virtual reality training simulation as a benchmark tool to assess the surgical performance of Portuguese surgeons. LAP Mentor is able to identify variations in surgical performance indicators of digestive anastomosis.

  3. Thermal comfort assessment of a surgical room through computational fluid dynamics using local PMV index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Nelson J O; Oliveira, Ricardo F; Teixeira, Senhorinha F C F; Miguel, Alberto Sérgio; Teixeira, José Carlos; Baptista, João S

    2015-01-01

    Studies concerning indoor thermal conditions are very important in defining the satisfactory comfort range in health care facilities. This study focuses on the evaluation of the thermal comfort sensation felt by surgeons and nurses, in an orthopaedic surgical room of a Portuguese hospital. Two cases are assessed, with and without the presence of a person. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) tools were applied for evaluating the predicted mean vote (PMV) index locally. Using average ventilation values to calculate the PMV index does not provide a correct and enough descriptive evaluation of the surgical room thermal environment. As studied for both cases, surgeons feel the environment slightly hotter than nurses. The nurses feel a slightly cold sensation under the air supply diffuser and their neutral comfort zone is located in the air stagnation zones close to the walls, while the surgeons feel the opposite. It was observed that the presence of a person in the room leads to an increase of the PMV index for surgeons and nurses. That goes in line with the empirical knowledge that more persons in a room lead to an increased heat sensation. The clothing used by both classes, as well as the ventilation conditions, should be revised accordingly to the amount of persons in the room and the type of activity performed.

  4. Effects of surgical side and site on psychological symptoms following epilepsy surgery in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prayson, Brigid E; Floden, Darlene P; Ferguson, Lisa; Kim, Kevin H; Jehi, Lara; Busch, Robyn M

    2017-03-01

    This retrospective study examined the potential role of side and site of surgery in psychological symptom change after epilepsy surgery and determined the base rate of psychological change at the individual level. Two-hundred twenty-eight adults completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) before and after temporal (TLR; n=190) or frontal lobe resection (FLR; n=38). Repeated measures ANOVAs with bootstrapping examined differences in psychological outcome as a function of surgical site separately in patients who underwent left- versus right-sided resections. Individual's PAI score changes were then used to determine the prevalence of clinically meaningful postoperative symptom change. Following left-sided resections, there were significant group-by-time interactions on Somatic Complaints, Anxiety, and Anxiety Related Disorders. There was also a trend in this direction on the Depression scale. TLR patients endorsed greater preoperative symptoms than FLR patients on all of these scales, except the Somatic Complaints scale. After surgery, TLR patients reported symptom improvement on all four scales, while scores of FLR patients remained relatively stable over time. Endorsement of Mania-related symptoms increased in both TLR and FLR groups from pre-to post-surgical testing. Following right-sided resections, both groups endorsed symptom improvements on Somatic Complaints, Anxiety, and Depression scales following surgery. In addition, the TLR group endorsed more Mania-related symptoms than the FLR group regardless of time. Patterns of meaningful change in individual patients were generally consistent with group findings, with the most frequent improvements observed following TLR. However, there were a small subset of patients who reported symptom exacerbation after surgery. Our results suggest that surgical lateralization and localization are important factors in postoperative psychological outcome and highlight the importance of considering psychological change

  5. Surgical robotics beyond enhanced dexterity instrumentation: a survey of machine learning techniques and their role in intelligent and autonomous surgical actions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassahun, Yohannes; Yu, Bingbin; Tibebu, Abraham Temesgen; Stoyanov, Danail; Giannarou, Stamatia; Metzen, Jan Hendrik; Vander Poorten, Emmanuel

    2016-04-01

    Advances in technology and computing play an increasingly important role in the evolution of modern surgical techniques and paradigms. This article reviews the current role of machine learning (ML) techniques in the context of surgery with a focus on surgical robotics (SR). Also, we provide a perspective on the future possibilities for enhancing the effectiveness of procedures by integrating ML in the operating room. The review is focused on ML techniques directly applied to surgery, surgical robotics, surgical training and assessment. The widespread use of ML methods in diagnosis and medical image computing is beyond the scope of the review. Searches were performed on PubMed and IEEE Explore using combinations of keywords: ML, surgery, robotics, surgical and medical robotics, skill learning, skill analysis and learning to perceive. Studies making use of ML methods in the context of surgery are increasingly being reported. In particular, there is an increasing interest in using ML for developing tools to understand and model surgical skill and competence or to extract surgical workflow. Many researchers begin to integrate this understanding into the control of recent surgical robots and devices. ML is an expanding field. It is popular as it allows efficient processing of vast amounts of data for interpreting and real-time decision making. Already widely used in imaging and diagnosis, it is believed that ML will also play an important role in surgery and interventional treatments. In particular, ML could become a game changer into the conception of cognitive surgical robots. Such robots endowed with cognitive skills would assist the surgical team also on a cognitive level, such as possibly lowering the mental load of the team. For example, ML could help extracting surgical skill, learned through demonstration by human experts, and could transfer this to robotic skills. Such intelligent surgical assistance would significantly surpass the state of the art in surgical

  6. Cluster randomized trial to evaluate the impact of team training on surgical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duclos, A; Peix, J L; Piriou, V; Occelli, P; Denis, A; Bourdy, S; Carty, M J; Gawande, A A; Debouck, F; Vacca, C; Lifante, J C; Colin, C

    2016-12-01

    The application of safety principles from the aviation industry to the operating room has offered hope in reducing surgical complications. This study aimed to assess the impact on major surgical complications of adding an aviation-based team training programme after checklist implementation. A prospective parallel-group cluster trial was undertaken between September 2011 and March 2013. Operating room teams from 31 hospitals were assigned randomly to participate in a team training programme focused on major concepts of crew resource management and checklist utilization. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of any major adverse event, including death, during the hospital stay within the first 30 days after surgery. Using a difference-in-difference approach, the ratio of the odds ratios (ROR) was estimated to compare changes in surgical outcomes between intervention and control hospitals. Some 22 779 patients were enrolled, including 5934 before and 16 845 after team training implementation. The risk of major adverse events fell from 8·8 to 5·5 per cent in 16 intervention hospitals (adjusted odds ratio 0·57, 95 per cent c.i. 0·48 to 0·68; P trends revealed significant improvements among ten institutions, equally distributed across intervention and control hospitals. Surgical outcomes improved substantially, with no difference between trial arms. Successful implementation of an aviation-based team training programme appears to require modification and adaptation of its principles in the context of the the surgical milieu. Registration number: NCT01384474 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov). © 2016 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Surgical treatment of gynecomastia: mastectomy compared to liposuction technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yan-Ni; Wang, Yan-Bo; Huang, Rui; He, Xiao-Guang; Zhang, Jin-Feng; Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Ren, Yan-Lv; Pang, Jian-Hua; Pang, Da

    2014-09-01

    Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast. Yet enlarged breasts cause anxiety, embarrassment, psychosocial discomfort, and fear of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the experience of gynecomastia patients undergoing mastectomy and liposuction surgery. Seven hundred thirty-three patients were analyzed for age, chief complaint, position, grade, operation approach, biopsy, and complication between mastectomy group and liposuction group, from 1990 to 2010. Four hundred two patients (436 breasts) were treated with mastectomy and 331 patients (386 breasts) were treated with liposuction techniques. Three hundred thirty (82%) patients complained of breast lump and lump with pain in mastectomy group, and 204 (61%) patients complained of enlargement breast and enlargement with pain in liposuction group (P liposuction acquired pathologic diagnosis through fine needle aspiration and/or core biopsy (P liposuction group were 1.4% and 0.5%, respectively. There were no nipple/areola necrosis and scars in liposuction group. The surgical treatment of gynecomastia required an individual approach, depending on symptoms (lump or enlargement) and requirements of patients. Patients who chose mastectomy were looking for reassurance that their pathologic diagnosis was benign. The increase in the number of liposuction patients was reflected in our study because it was associated with superior esthetic results and few complications.

  8. Current Capabilities and Development Potential in Surgical Robotics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathias Hoeckelmann

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Commercial surgical robots have been in clinical use since the mid-1990s, supporting surgeons in various tasks. In the past decades, many systems emerged as research platforms, and a few entered the global market. This paper summarizes the currently available surgical systems and research directions in the broader field of surgical robotics. The widely deployed teleoperated manipulators aim to enhance human cognitive and physical skills and provide smart tools for surgeons, while image-guided robotics focus on surpassing human limitations by introducing automated targeting and treatment delivery methods. Both concepts are discussed based on prototypes and commercial systems. Through concrete examples the possible future development paths of surgical robots are illustrated. While research efforts are taking different approaches to improve the capacity of such systems, the aim of this survey is to assess their maturity from the commercialization point of view.

  9. Can a teaching assistant experience in a surgical anatomy course influence the learning curve for nontechnical skill development for surgical residents?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidenreich, Mark J; Musonza, Tashinga; Pawlina, Wojciech; Lachman, Nirusha

    2016-01-01

    The foundation upon which surgical residents are trained to work comprises more than just critical cognitive, clinical, and technical skill. In an environment where the synchronous application of expertise is vital to patient outcomes, the expectation for optimal functioning within a multidisciplinary team is extremely high. Studies have shown that for most residents, one of the most difficult milestones in the path to achieving professional expertise in a surgical career is overcoming the learning curve. This view point commentary provides a reflection from the two senior medical students who have participated in the Student-as-Teacher program developed by the Department of Anatomy at Mayo Clinic, designed to prepare students for their teaching assistant (TA) role in anatomy courses. Both students participated as TAs in a six week surgical anatomy course for surgical first assistant students offered by the School of Health Sciences at Mayo Clinic. Development of teaching skills, nontechnical leadership, communication, and assessment skills, are discussed in relation to their benefits in preparing senior medical students for surgical residency. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

  10. A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN SURGICAL OUTCOME OF PATIENT’S OWN BLOOD VS. 10-0 NYLON FOR CONJUNCTIVAL AUTOGRAFTING IN PTERYGIUM EXCISION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayush Mahendra

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXT (BACKGROUND Pterygium is a frequently occurring progressive ocular surface disorder which is a fleshy triangular wing shaped growth, encroaching from conjunctiva on cornea. Pterygium is frequent in hot, dry, dusty environment and prevalence is 0.3% to 29%. Surgical removal is main treatment for pterygium. The recurrence rate after pterygium surgery varies according to type of surgery. Various surgical modalities tried like simple excision, bare sclera technique, amniotic membrane transplantation and conjunctival autografting. AIM To compare surgical outcome of patient’s own blood Vs 10-0 Nylon for conjunctival autografting in pterygium excision. SETTINGS AND DESIGN It is a prospective randomised interventional control trial, with a sample size of minimum 30 patients in each group studied in a tertiary care hospital from Oct. 2013 to Dec. 2015. METHODS AND MATERIAL Out of 63 patients who underwent pterygium excision, patient’s own blood was used in 32 patients (Group A and 10-0 Nylon suture was used in 31 patients (Group B for conjunctival autografting. All patients were followed up regularly on postoperative day 1, 8, 30, 90 and 180. Variables for postoperative assessment were pain, watering, irritation, redness, graft displacement, graft loss and recurrence. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 (SPSS, Chicago. Outcome variables between the two groups were compared using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U Test. RESULTS The mean surgical time of group B (31.48±6.15 min is significantly high as compared to group A (19.71±5.13 min with p<0.001. The regression analysis revealed that except surgery type, no other variable had significant impact on the duration of surgery. Postoperative symptoms are less in group A as compared to group B. Group B showed two recurrences whereas no recurrence was seen in group A. CONCLUSIONS Conjunctival autografting by patient’s own blood is better than 10-0 Nylon

  11. Healing incisional surgical wounds using Rose Hip oil in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lainy Carollyne da Costa Cavalcante

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To evaluate incisional surgical wound healing in rats by using Rose Hip (Rosa rubiginosa L. oil. Methods: Twenty-one days after the oophorectomy procedure, twenty-seven female, adult, Wistar rats were distributed into three groups: Control group (wound treatment with distilled water; Collagenase group (treatment with collagenase ointment; and Rose Hip group (wound treatment with Rose Hip oil. Each group was distributed according to the date of euthanasia: 7, 14 and 21 days. The wound was evaluated considering the macroscopic and microscopic parameters. Results: The results indicated differences in the healing of incisional wounds between treatments when compared to control group. Accelerated wound healing was observed in the group treated with Rose Hip oil in comparison to the control and collagenase, especially after the 14th day. Morphometric data confirmed the structural findings. Conclusion: There was significant effect in topical application of Rose Hip oil on incisional surgical wound healing.

  12. Surgical Treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis: Past, Present, and Future

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie Plagemann

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The pancreas was one of the last explored organs in the human body. The first surgical experiences were made before fully understanding the function of the gland. Surgical procedures remained less successful until the discovery of insulin, blood groups, and finally the possibility of blood donation. Throughout the centuries, the surgical approach went from radical resections to minimal resections or only drainage of the gland in comparison to an adequate resection combined with drainage procedures. Today, the well-known and standardized procedures are considered as safe due to the high experience of operating surgeons, the centering of pancreatic surgery in specialized centers, and optimized perioperative treatment. Although surgical procedures have become safer and more efficient than ever, the overall perioperative morbidity after pancreatic surgery remains high and management of postoperative complications stagnates. Current research focuses on the prevention of complications, optimizing the patient’s general condition preoperatively and finding the appropriate timing for surgical treatment.

  13. Measuring the Burden of Surgical Disease Averted by Emergency and Essential Surgical Care in a District Hospital in Papua New Guinea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stokes, Matthew A R; Guest, Glenn D; Mamadi, Perista; Seta, Westin; Yaubihi, Noel; Karawiga, Grace; Naidi, Billy; Watters, David A K

    2017-03-01

    Timely access to emergency and essential surgical care (EESC) and anaesthesia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) prevents premature death, minimises lifelong disability and reduces their economic impact on families and communities. Papua New Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the Pacific region, and provides much of its surgical care at a district hospital level. We aimed to evaluate the surgical capacity of a district hospital in PNG and estimate the effectiveness of surgical interventions provided. We performed a prospective study to calculate the number of DALYs averted for 465 patients treated with surgical care over a 3-month period (Sep-Nov 2013) in Alotau Hospital, Milne Bay Province, PNG (pop 210,000). Data were also collected on infrastructure, workforce, interventions provided and equipment available using the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care Toolkit, a survey to assess EESC and surgical capacity. We also performed a retrospective one-year audit of surgical, obstetric and anaesthetic care to provide context with regards to annual disease burden treated and surgical activity. EESC was provided by 11 Surgeons/Anaesthetists/Obstetricians (SAO) providers, equating to 5.7 per 100,000 population (including 4 nurse anaesthetists). They performed 783/100,000 procedures annually. Over the 3-month prospective study period, 4954 DALYs were averted by 465 surgical interventions, 52 % of which were elective. This equates to 18,330 DALYs averted annually or, approximately 18 % of the published but estimated disease burden in the Province in the 2013 Global Burden of Disease Study. The overall peri-operative mortality rate was 1.29 %, with 0.41 % for elective procedures and 2.25 % for emergencies. Much of the burden of surgical disease in Papua New Guinea presenting to Alotau General Hospital serving Milne Bay Province can be effectively treated by a small team providing emergency and

  14. Pollutant Assessments Group procedures manual: Volume 2, Technical procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-03-01

    This is volume 2 of the manuals that describes the technical procedures currently in use by the Pollution Assessments Group. This manual incorporates new developments in hazardous waste assessment technology and administrative policy. Descriptions of the equipment, procedures and operations of such things as radiation detection, soil sampling, radionuclide monitoring, and equipment decontamination are included in this manual. (MB)

  15. Infective endocarditis following Melody valve implantation: comparison with a surgical cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Clare; Holloway, Rhonda; Tilton, Elizabeth; Stirling, John; Finucane, Kirsten; Wilson, Nigel

    2017-03-01

    Infective endocarditis has been reported post Melody percutaneous pulmonary valve implant; the incidence and risk factors, however, remain poorly defined. We identified four cases of endocarditis from our first 25 Melody implants. Our aim was to examine these cases in the context of postulated risk factors and directly compare endocarditis rates with local surgical valves. We conducted a retrospective review of patients post Melody percutaneous pulmonary valve implant in New Zealand (October, 2009-May, 2015) and also reviewed the incidence of endocarditis in New Zealand among patients who have undergone surgical pulmonary valve implants. In total, 25 patients underwent Melody implantation at a median age of 18 years. At a median follow-up of 2.9 years, most were well with low valve gradient (median 27 mmHg) and only mild regurgitation. Two patients presented with life-threatening endocarditis and obstructive vegetations at 14 and 26 months post implant, respectively. Two additional patients presented with subacute endocarditis at 5.5 years post implant. From 2009 to May, 2015, 178 surgical pulmonic bioprostheses, largely Hancock valves and homografts, were used at our institution. At a median follow-up of 2.9 years, four patients (2%) had developed endocarditis in this group compared with 4/25 (16%) in the Melody group (p=0.0089). Three surgical valves have been replaced. The Melody valve offers a good alternative to surgical conduit replacement in selected patients. Many patients have excellent outcomes in the medium term. Endocarditis, however, can occur and if associated with obstruction can be life threatening. The risk for endocarditis in the Melody group was higher in comparison with that in a contemporaneous surgical pulmonary implant cohort.

  16. The Prevalence of Malnutrition and Effectiveness of STRONGkids Tool in the Identification of Malnutrition Risks among Pediatric Surgical Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Çiğdem Ulukaya Durakbaşa

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: High prevalence of malnutrition along with the risk for the development of malnutrition in hospitalised children has been reported. However, this problem remains largely unrecognised by healthcare workers. Aims: To determine the prevalence of malnutrition and effectiveness of STRONGkids nutritional risk screening (NRS tool in the identification of malnutrition risk among pediatric surgical patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 494 pediatric surgical patients (median age 59 months, 75.8% males were included in this prospective study conducted over 3 months. SD-scores 60 months (13.4 vs. 6.6%, p=0.012. Chronic malnutrition was identified in 23 (4.6% of patients with no significant difference between age groups. There were 7 (1.4% children with coexistent acute and chronic malnutrition. The STRONGkids tool revealed that 35.7% of patients were either in the moderate or high risk group for malnutrition. Malnutrition, as revealed by anthropometric measurements, was more likely in the presence of gastrointestinal (26.9%, p=0.004 and inguinoscrotal/penile surgery (4.0%, p=0.031, co-morbidities affecting nutritional status (p<0.001 and inpatient admissions (p=0.014. Among patients categorized as low risk for malnutrition, there were more outpatients than inpatients (89.3 vs. 10.7%, p<0.001 and more elective surgery cases than emergency surgery cases (93.4 vs. 6.6%, p<0.001. Conclusion: Providing data on the prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition in a prospectively recruited group of hospitalised pediatric surgical patients, the data acquired in the present study emphasise the need to raise clinician’s awareness about the importance of nutritional status assessment among hospitalised pediatric patients and the benefits of identifying patients at the risk of nutritional depletion before malnutrition occurs. Our findings support the use of the STRONGkids tool among pediatric surgical patients to

  17. Surgical treatment of colorectal cancer complicated with acute intestinal obstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. N. Schaeva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The main reason for urgent complications of colon cancer is an acute intestinal obstruction (AIO. This is complex pathological condition in 90 % of cases caused by colorectal cancer (CRC.Objective – to evaluate radicality of the performed operations in complicated colorectal cancer in general surgical hospitals. Dependence of the severity of intestinal obstruction by tumor localization, its morphological characteristics, determine dependence of the type of the surgical operation performed on the severity of intestinal obstruction.Materials and methods. We have studied the data on 667 patients with colorectal cancer complicated by acute intestinal obstruction. These patients were treated in the period from 2001 to 2013 in general surgical hospital in the territory of Smolensk and Smolensk region. For the processing of the obtained results we have used software Statistica 6.1. Differences were considered statistically at p ≤ 0.05.Results. All the patients were divided into 3 groups by the expression of intestinal obstruction. Group 1 (n = 279 consisted of patients with the presence of decompensated intestinal obstruction (DIO, group 2 (n = 313 consisted of patients with subcompensated intestinal obstruction (SIO, group 3 (n = 75 included patients with compensated intestinal obstruction (CIO. In case of tumor localization in right halfof the colon we most commonly observed clinical picture of acute development of decompensated intestinal obstruction (p = 0.041. Subcompensated intestinal obstruction prevailed in case of tumor localization in left half of the colon and rectal localization. In general surgical hospitals it is not always possible to speak about radicality of surgical treatment, as in a large number of cases (62.5 % the number of examined lymph nodes was less than 4. When DIO patients are admitted in the clinic, the percentage of singlestage operations is equal to 7.5 % (n = 21. In case of DIO and SIO there was a high

  18. Is anemia associated with cognitive impairment and delirium among older acute surgical patients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myint, Phyo Kyaw; Owen, Stephanie; McCarthy, Kathryn; Pearce, Lyndsay; Moug, Susan J; Stechman, Michael J; Hewitt, Jonathan; Carter, Ben

    2018-03-01

    The determinants of cognitive impairment and delirium during acute illness are poorly understood, despite being common among older people. Anemia is common in older people, and there is ongoing debate regarding the association between anemia, cognitive impairment and delirium, primarily in non-surgical patients. Using data from the Older Persons Surgical Outcomes Collaboration 2013 and 2014 audit cycles, we examined the association between anemia and cognitive outcomes in patients aged ≥65 years admitted to five UK acute surgical units. On admission, the Confusion Assessment Method was carried out to detect delirium. Cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and two levels of impairment were defined as Montreal Cognitive Assessment cognitive impairment or delirium. The adjusted odds ratios of cognitive impairment were 0.95 (95% CI 0.56-1.61) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.61-1.64) for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment cognitive outcomes among older people in this acute surgical setting. Considering the retrospective nature of the study and possible lack of power, findings should be taken with caution. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; ••: ••-••. © 2018 The Authors Geriatrics & Gerontology International published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Geriatrics Society.

  19. [The assessment of surgical treatment of patients with malignant pleural effusion].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazarev, S M; Reshetov, A V; Kakysheva, O E; Nikolaev, G V; Kirillov, Iu V; Volgin, G N

    2013-01-01

    An analysis of results of 498 patients with malignant pleural effusion was made. All patients were divided into three groups depending on methods of treatment: in the first group of patients the puncture of pleural cavity and the evacuation of liquid were made against the background of complex treatment; in the second group of patients the thoracocentesis and suspension induction were performed; in the third group the video thoracoscopy was carried out. In an assessment of each method of treatment, the researchers came to the conclusion that in case when the patient had the sufficient functional capabilities, the doctors should give preference to the thoracoscopy operations and in case of severe somatic status the doctors should give preference to the drainage of pleural cavity with release from exudates and with subsequent introduction of talc as the most effective sclerosing agent.

  20. Comparison of hydrocolloid with conventional gauze dressing in prevention of wound infection after clean surgical procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalique, M.S.; Shukr, I.; Khalique, A.B.

    2014-01-01

    To compare hydrocolloid with conventional gauze dressing in prevention of infections after clean surgical procedures. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery, CMH Rawalpindi from 22 Jan 2010 to 22 Aug 2010. Patients and Methods: A total of 400 patients undergoing clean surgical procedures were randomly allocated in two equal groups, A and B by lottery method. In group A. simple gauze dressing was applied after clean surgical procedures while in group B hydrocolloid dressing was used. On 7th post operative day, patients were observed for presence of infection. Results: Mean age of sample was 42.08 +-11.112 years. In group A out of 200 Patients, 14 (7.0%) while in group B 10 (5%) developed infection postoperatively (p=0.709). Conclusion: There is no difference in the rate of infection when using a gauze dressing or a hydrocolloid dressing after clean surgical procedure. (author)

  1. Design, development, and validation of a take-home simulator for fundamental laparoscopic skills: using Nintendo Wii for surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bokhari, Ravia; Bollman-McGregor, Jyoti; Kahoi, Kanav; Smith, Marshall; Feinstein, Ara; Ferrara, John

    2010-06-01

    Assuring quality surgical trainees within the confines of reduced work hours mandates reassessment of educational paradigms. Surgical simulators have been shown to be effective in teaching surgical residents, but their use is limited by cost and time constraints. The Nintendo Wii gaming console is inexpensive and allows natural hand movements similar to those performed in laparoscopy to guide game play. We hypothesize that surgical skills can be improved through take-home simulators adapted from affordable off-the-shelf gaming consoles. A total of 21 surgical residents participated in a prospective, controlled study. An experimental group of 14 surgical residents was assigned to play Marble Mania on the Nintendo Wii using a unique physical controller that interfaces with the WiiMote controller followed by a simulated electrocautery task. Seven residents assigned to the control group performed the electrocautery task without playing the game first. When compared with the control group, the experimental group performed the task with fewer errors and superior movement proficiency (P Nintendo Wii gaming device along with Marble Mania serves as an effective take-home surgical simulator.

  2. Pregnancy and Motherhood During Surgical Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rangel, Erika L; Smink, Douglas S; Castillo-Angeles, Manuel; Kwakye, Gifty; Changala, Marguerite; Haider, Adil H; Doherty, Gerard M

    2018-03-21

    Although family priorities influence specialty selection and resident attrition, few studies describe resident perspectives on pregnancy during surgical training. To directly assess the resident experience of childbearing during training. A self-administered 74-question survey was electronically distributed in January 2017 to members of the Association of Women Surgeons, to members of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery listserv, and through targeted social media platforms. Surgeons who had 1 or more pregnancies during an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited US general surgery residency program and completed training in 2007 or later were included. Important themes were identified using focus groups of surgeons who had undergone pregnancy during training in the past 7 years. Additional topics were identified through MEDLINE searches performed from January 2000 to July 2016 combining the keywords pregnancy, resident, attrition, and parenting in any specialty. Descriptive data on perceptions of work schedule during pregnancy, maternity leave policies, lactation and childcare support, and career satisfaction after childbirth. This study included 347 female surgeons (mean [SD] age, 30.5 [2.7] years) with 452 pregnancies. A total of 297 women (85.6%) worked an unmodified schedule until birth, and 220 (63.6%) were concerned that their work schedule adversely affected their health or the health of their unborn child. Residency program maternity leave policies were reported by 121 participants (34.9%). A total of 251 women (78.4%) received maternity leave of 6 weeks or less, and 250 (72.0%) perceived the duration of leave to be inadequate. The American Board of Surgery leave policy was cited as a major barrier to the desired length of leave by 268 of 326 respondents (82.2%). Breastfeeding was important to 329 (95.6%), but 200 (58.1%) stopped earlier than they wished because of poor access to lactation facilities and challenges leaving

  3. Protocol for the ProFHER (PROximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation trial: a pragmatic multi-centre randomised controlled trial of surgical versus non-surgical treatment for proximal fracture of the humerus in adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maffulli Nicola

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Proximal humeral fractures, which occur mainly in older adults, account for approximately 4 to 5% of all fractures. Approximately 40% of these fractures are displaced fractures involving the surgical neck. Management of this group of fractures is often challenging and the outcome is frequently unsatisfactory. In particular it is not clear whether surgery gives better outcomes than non-surgical management. Currently there is much variation in the use of surgery and a lack of good quality evidence to inform this decision. Methods/Design We aim to undertake a pragmatic UK-based multi-centre randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgical versus standard non-surgical treatment for adults with an acute closed displaced fracture of the proximal humerus with involvement of the surgical neck. The choice of surgical intervention is left to the surgeon, who must use techniques that they are fully experienced with. This will avoid 'learning curve' problems. We will promote good standards of non-surgical care, similarly insisting on care-provider competence, and emphasize the need for comparable provision of rehabilitation for both groups of patients. We aim to recruit 250 patients from a minimum of 18 NHS trauma centres throughout the UK. These patients will be followed-up for 2 years. The primary outcome is the Oxford Shoulder Score, which will be collected via questionnaires completed by the trial participants at 6, 12 and 24 months. This is a 12-item condition-specific questionnaire providing a total score based on the person's subjective assessment of pain and activities of daily living impairment. We will also collect data for other outcomes, including general health measures and complications, and for an economic evaluation. Additionally, we plan a systematic collection of reasons for non-inclusion of eligible patients who were not recruited into the trial, and their baseline

  4. Micro-surgical endodontics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eliyas, S; Vere, J; Ali, Z; Harris, I

    2014-02-01

    Non-surgical endodontic retreatment is the treatment of choice for endodontically treated teeth with recurrent or residual disease in the majority of cases. In some cases, surgical endodontic treatment is indicated. Successful micro-surgical endodontic treatment depends on the accuracy of diagnosis, appropriate case selection, the quality of the surgical skills, and the application of the most appropriate haemostatic agents and biomaterials. This article describes the armamentarium and technical procedures involved in performing micro-surgical endodontics to a high standard.

  5. Intracranial aneurysms: reproduction of the surgical view using 3D-CT angiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siablis, Dimitrios [Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece)]. E-mail: siablis@med.upatras.gr; Kagadis, George C. [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece); Karamessini, Maria T. [Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece); Konstantinou, Dimitrios [Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece); Karnabatidis, Dimitrios [Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece); Petsas, Theodore [Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece); Nikiforidis, George C. [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion GR 26500 (Greece)

    2005-07-01

    Our purpose was to describe a technique for simulating the surgical view of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, using volume-rendering techniques in spiral computed tomography (CT) angiography data. The 3D (three-dimensional) rendered images were assessed by a team consisted of four radiologists, one neurosurgeon and one medical physicist. The resultant 'surgical view' image was standardized in space using a three-dimensional coordinate system, which allowed for its reproduction in the operating theatre. The surgical views are a potentially useful tool for the surgical planning of intracranial aneurysms.

  6. Intracranial aneurysms: reproduction of the surgical view using 3D-CT angiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siablis, Dimitrios; Kagadis, George C.; Karamessini, Maria T.; Konstantinou, Dimitrios; Karnabatidis, Dimitrios; Petsas, Theodore; Nikiforidis, George C.

    2005-01-01

    Our purpose was to describe a technique for simulating the surgical view of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, using volume-rendering techniques in spiral computed tomography (CT) angiography data. The 3D (three-dimensional) rendered images were assessed by a team consisted of four radiologists, one neurosurgeon and one medical physicist. The resultant 'surgical view' image was standardized in space using a three-dimensional coordinate system, which allowed for its reproduction in the operating theatre. The surgical views are a potentially useful tool for the surgical planning of intracranial aneurysms

  7. Longitudinal Assessments of Quality of Life in Endometrial Cancer Patients: Effect of Surgical Approach and Adjuvant Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le, Tien; Menard, Chantal; Samant, Rajiv; Choan, E.; Hopkins, Laura; Faught, Wylam; Fung-Kee-Fung, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: Adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is often considered for endometrial cancer. We studied the effect of RT and surgical treatment on patients' quality of life (QOL). Methods and Materials: All patients referred to the gynecologic oncology clinics with biopsy findings showing endometrial cancer were recruited. QOL assessments were performed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QOL questionnaire-C30, version 3. Assessments were obtained at study entry and at regular 3-month intervals for a maximum of 2 years. Open-ended telephone interviews were done every 6 months. Linear mixed regression models were built using QOL domain scores as dependent variables, with the predictors of surgical treatment and adjuvant RT type. Results: A total of 40 patients were recruited; 80% of the surgeries were performed by laparotomy. Significant improvements were seen in most QOL domains with increased time from treatment. Adjuvant RT resulted in significantly more severe bowel symptoms and improvement in insomnia compared with conservative follow-up. No significant adverse effect from adjuvant RT was seen on the overall QOL. Bowel symptoms were significantly increased in patients treated with laparotomy compared with laparoscopy in the patients treated with whole pelvic RT. Qualitatively, about one-half of the patients noted improvements in their overall QOL during follow-up, with easy fatigability the most prevalent. Conclusion: No significant adverse effect was seen on patients' overall QOL with adjuvant pelvic RT after the recovery period. The acute adverse effects on patients' QOL significantly improved with an increasing interval from diagnosis.

  8. Cost analysis of surgically treated pressure sores stage III and IV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filius, A; Damen, T H C; Schuijer-Maaskant, K P; Polinder, S; Hovius, S E R; Walbeehm, E T

    2013-11-01

    Health-care costs associated with pressure sores are significant and their financial burden is likely to increase even further. The aim of this study was to analyse the direct medical costs of hospital care for surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III and IV. We performed a retrospective chart study of patients who were surgically treated for stage III and IV pressure sores between 2007 and 2010. Volumes of health-care use were obtained for all patients and direct medical costs were subsequently calculated. In addition, we evaluated the effect of location and number of pressure sores on total costs. A total of 52 cases were identified. Average direct medical costs in hospital were €20,957 for the surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III or IV; average direct medical costs for patients with one pressure sore on an extremity (group 1, n = 5) were €30,286, €10,113 for patients with one pressure sore on the trunk (group 2, n = 32) and €40,882 for patients with multiple pressure sores (group 3, n = 15). The additional costs for patients in group 1 and group 3 compared to group 2 were primarily due to longer hospitalisation. The average direct medical costs for surgical treatment of pressure sores stage III and IV were high. Large differences in costs were related to the location and number of pressure sores. Insight into the distribution of these costs allows identification of high-risk patients and enables the development of specific cost-reducing measures. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Surgical treatment of polymicrogyria-related epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cossu, Massimo; Pelliccia, Veronica; Gozzo, Francesca; Casaceli, Giuseppe; Francione, Stefano; Nobili, Lino; Mai, Roberto; Castana, Laura; Sartori, Ivana; Cardinale, Francesco; Lo Russo, Giorgio; Tassi, Laura

    2016-12-01

    The role of resective surgery in the treatment of polymicrogyria (PMG)-related focal epilepsy is uncertain. Our aim was to retrospectively evaluate the seizure outcome in a consecutive series of patients with PMG-related epilepsy who received, or did not receive, surgical treatment, and to outline the clinical characteristics of patients who underwent surgery. We evaluated 64 patients with epilepsy associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-documented PMG. After presurgical evaluation, 32 patients were excluded from surgical treatment and 32 were offered surgery, which was declined by 8 patients. Seizure outcome was assessed in the 40 nonsurgical and 24 surgical patients. Of 40 nonsurgical patients, 8 (20%) were seizure-free after a mean follow-up of 91.7 ± (standard deviation) 59.5 months. None of the eight patients who declined surgical treatment was seizure-free (mean follow-up: 74.3 ± 60.6 months). These seizure outcomes differ significantly (p = 0.000005 and p = 0.0003, respectively) from that of the 24 surgical patients, 18 of whom (66.7%) were Engel's class I postoperatively (mean follow-up: 66.5 ± 54.0 months). Of the eight patients excluded from surgery for seizure control at first visit, two had seizure recurrence at last contact. At last contact, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) had been withdrawn in 6 of 24 surgical and in one of 40 nonsurgical cases (p = 0.0092). The present study indicates that, at least in a subset of adequately selected patients with PMG-related epilepsy, surgery may provide excellent seizure outcomes. Furthermore, it suggests that surgery is superior to AEDs for achieving seizure freedom in these cases. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

  10. Assessing cataract surgical competency

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lee, Andrew G.; Greenlee, Emily; Oetting, Thomas A.; Beaver, Hilary A.; Johnson, A. Tim; Boldt, H. Culver; Abramoff, Michael; Olson, Richard; Carter, Keith

    2007-01-01

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has mandated that all residency training programs teach and assess 6 general competencies.1 A.G. Lee and K.D. Carter, Managing the new mandate in resident education: A blueprint for translating a national mandate into local compliance,

  11. The role of diabetes mellitus and BMI in the surgical treatment of ankle fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanzetti, Riccardo Maria; Lupariello, Domenico; Venditto, Teresa; Guzzini, Matteo; Ponzo, Antonio; De Carli, Angelo; Ferretti, Andrea

    2018-02-01

    Open reduction and internal fixation is the standard treatment for displaced ankle fractures. However, the presence of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus and body mass index (BMI) are associated with poor bone quality, and these factors may predict the development of postoperative complications. The study aim was to assess the role of diabetes mellitus and BMI in wound healing in patients younger than 65 years who were surgically treated for malleoli fractures. Ninety patients, aged from 18 to 65 years old, with surgically treated ankle fracture, were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were classified in two groups: patient with diabetes and patients without diabetes (insulin-dependent and noninsulin dependent). All patients were assessed for wound complications, Visual Analogue Scale and Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI) were assessed for all patients. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk of wound complications after surgery using the following factors as explanatory variables: age, gender, duration of surgery, BMI, hypercholesterolemia, smoking history, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure. In total, 38.9% of patients showed wound complications. Of them, 17.1% were nondiabetics and 82.9% were diabetics. We observed a significant association between DM and wound complications after surgery (P = .005). Logistic regression analysis revealed that DM (P BMI (P = .03) were associated with wound complications. The odds of having a postoperative wound complication were increased 0.16 times in the presence of diabetes and 1.14 times for increasing BMI. This study showed that diabetes mellitus and higher BMI delay the wound healing and increase the complication rate in young adult patients with surgically treated bimalleolar fractures. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Quantifying surgical access in eyebrow craniotomy with and without orbital bar removal: cadaver and surgical phantom studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zador, Zsolt; Coope, David J; Gnanalingham, Kanna; Lawton, Michael T

    2014-04-01

    Eyebrow craniotomy is a recently described minimally invasive approach for tackling primarily pathology of the anterior skull base. The removal of the orbital bar may further expand the surgical corridor of this exposure, but the extent of benefit is poorly quantified. We assessed the effect of orbital bar removal with regards to surgical access in the eyebrow craniotomy using classic morphometric measurements in cadaver heads. Using surgical phantoms and neuronavigation, we also measured the 'working volume', a new parameter for characterising the volume of surgical access in these approaches. Silicon injected cadaver heads (n = 5) were used for morphometric analysis of the eyebrow craniotomy with and without orbital bar removal. Working depths and 'working areas' of surgical access were measured as defined by key anatomical landmarks. The eyebrow craniotomy with or without orbital bar removal was also simulated using surgical phantoms (n = 3, 90-120 points per trial), calibrated against a frameless neuronavigation system. Working volume was derived from reference coordinates recorded along the anatomical borders of the eyebrow craniotomy using the "α-shape algorithm" in R statistics. In cadaver heads, eyebrow craniotomy with removal of the orbital bar reduced the working depth to the ipsilateral anterior clinoid process (42 ± 2 versus 33 ± 3 mm; p < 0.05), but the working areas as defined by deep neurovascular and bony landmarks was statistically unchanged (total working areas of 418 ± 80 cm(2) versus 334 ± 48 cm(2); p = 0.4). In surgical phantom studies, however, working-volume for the simulated eyebrow craniotomies was increased with orbital bar removal (16 ± 1 cm(3) versus 21 ± 1 cm(3); p < 0.01). In laboratory studies, orbital bar removal in eyebrow craniotomy provides a modest reduction in working depth and increase in the working volume. But this must be weighed up against the added morbidity of the

  13. Medical versus surgical termination of the first trimester missed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    0.967), hemorrhage was recorded in 7.7% vs. 5.4% of the medical and surgical group respectively (p=0.928). Only one patient of the medical group required readmission for blood transfusion. The mean induction abortion time was 20.4 ± 8.3 h.

  14. A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY OF RISK FACTORS AND ROLE OF PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTICS IN PREVENTION OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avijeet Mukherjee, Naveen N

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Surgical site infection (SSI is the most common nosocomial infection encountered in post operative surgical wards. The use of prophylactic antibiotic in clean elective surgical cases is still a subject of controversy to surgeons. The objective of the study is to identify the need for using prophylactic antibiotics in clean surgeries, prevalence of organisms in patients who are not given prophylactic antibiotics and to study whether the presence of risk factors increase the incidence of surgical site infection. Methodology: The comparative study consists of 100 cases admitted under two groups of 50 each: Group A was given prophylactic antibiotic and Group B didn’t receive any. All surgeries other than clean surgical cases were excluded from the study. Results: Out of 50 patients in group B who were not given prophylactic antibiotic, 2 patients had more than one risk factor for development of SSI and both of them developed SSI. Of the 50 patients who received prophylactic antibiotic, none developed SSI. The rate of infection in group A was nil and in Group B was 4%. Conclusion: Prophylactic antibiotics are not recommended for clean elective surgical cases as there is no statistically significant change in the infection rate seen in patients not receiving prophylactic antibiotic(P=0.4952. Meticulous surgical technique and correcting risk factors prior to surgery is a must for reducing incidence of SSI.

  15. The Factors Associated with Outcomes in Surgically Managed Ruptured Cerebral Aneurysm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chee, Lai Chuang; Siregar, Johari Adnan; Ghani, Abdul Rahman Izani; Idris, Zamzuri; Rahman Mohd, Noor Azman A

    2018-02-01

    Ruptured cerebral aneurysm is a life-threatening condition that requires urgent medical attention. In Malaysia, a prospective study by the Umum Sarawak Hospital, Neurosurgical Center, in the year 2000-2002 revealed an average of two cases of intracranial aneurysms per month with an operative mortality of 20% and management mortality of 25%. Failure to diagnose, delay in admission to a neurosurgical centre, and lack of facilities could have led to the poor surgical outcome in these patients. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that significantly predict the outcome of patients undergoing a surgical clipping of ruptured aneurysm in the local population. A single center retrospective study with a review of medical records was performed involving 105 patients, who were surgically treated for ruptured intracranial aneurysms in the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, in Johor Bahru, from July 2011 to January 2016. Information collected was the patient demographic data, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) prior to surgery, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Scale (WFNS), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) grading system, and timing between SAH ictus and surgery. A good clinical grade was defined as WFNS grade I-III, whereas, WFNS grades IV and V were considered to be poor grades. The outcomes at discharge and six months post surgery were assessed using the modified Rankin's Scale (mRS). The mRS scores of 0 to 2 were grouped into the "favourable" category and mRS scores of 3 to 6 were grouped into the "unfavourable" category. Only cases of proven ruptured aneurysmal SAH involving anterior circulation that underwent surgical clipping were included in the study. The data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed and a P -value of < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. A total of 105 patients were included. The group was comprised of 42.9% male and 57.1% female patients

  16. Hands-On Surgical Training Workshop: an Active Role-Playing Patient Education for Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wongkietkachorn, Apinut; Boonyawong, Pangpoom; Rhunsiri, Peera; Tantiphlachiva, Kasaya

    2017-09-01

    Most patient education involves passive learning. To improve patient education regarding surgery, an active learning workshop-based teaching method is proposed. The objective of this study was to assess level of patient surgical knowledge, achievement of workshop learning objectives, patient apprehension about future surgery, and participant workshop satisfaction after completing a surgical training workshop. A four-station workshop (surgical scrub, surgical suture, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery) was developed to teach four important components of the surgical process. Healthy, surgery-naive adolescents were enrolled to attend this 1-h workshop-based training program. Training received by participants was technically and procedurally identical to training received by actual surgeons. Pre- and post-workshop questionnaires were used to assess learning outcomes. There were 1312 participants, with a mean age 15.9 ± 1.1 years and a gender breakdown of 303 males and 1009 females. For surgical knowledge, mean pre-workshop and post-workshop scores were 6.1 ± 1.5 and 7.5 ± 1.5 (out of 10 points), respectively (p education is an effective way to improve understanding of surgery-related processes. This teaching method may also decrease apprehension that patients or potential patients harbor regarding a future surgical procedure.

  17. Spectrum of peripheral neuropathies associated with surgical interventions; A neurophysiological assessment.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Saidha, Shiv

    2010-01-01

    We hypothesized that a wide range of surgical procedures may be complicated by neuropathies, not just in close proximity but also remote from procedural sites. The aim of this study was to classify post-operative neuropathies and the procedures associated with them.

  18. An analysis of OSHA inspections assessing contaminant exposures in general medical and surgical hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Jordan L; Sleeth, Darrah K; Larson, Rodney R; Pahler, Leon F

    2013-04-01

    This study analyzed data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Chemical Exposure Health Database to assess contaminant exposures in general medical and surgical hospitals. Seventy-five inspections conducted in these hospitals from 2005 through 2009 were identified. Five categories of inspections were conducted, the three most common being complaint-based, planned, and referral-based inspections. Complaint-based inspections comprised the majority of inspections-55 (73%) of the 75 conducted. The overall violation rate for all inspection types was 68%. This finding was compared to the violation rates of planned inspections (100%), referral-based inspections (83%), and complaint-based inspections (62%). Asbestos was the hazardous substance most commonly sampled and cited by OSHA in hospitals, with 127 samples collected during 24 inspections; 31% of the total 75 inspections resulting in one or more violations were due to asbestos. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  19. Influence of deep neuromuscular block on the surgeonś assessment of surgical conditions during laparotomy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, M V; Scheppan, S; Mørk, E

    2017-01-01

    Background: During laparotomy, surgeons may experience difficult surgical conditions if the patient's abdominal wall or diaphragm is tense. Deep neuromuscular block (NMB), defined as a post-tetanic-count (PTC) between 0-1, paralyses the abdominal wall muscles and the diaphragm. We hypothesized th...... time, occurrence of wound infection, and wound dehiscence were found. Conclusions: Deep NMB compared with standard NMB resulted in better subjective ratings of surgical conditions during laparotomy.......Background: During laparotomy, surgeons may experience difficult surgical conditions if the patient's abdominal wall or diaphragm is tense. Deep neuromuscular block (NMB), defined as a post-tetanic-count (PTC) between 0-1, paralyses the abdominal wall muscles and the diaphragm. We hypothesized...... that deep NMB (PTC 0-1) would improve subjective ratings of surgical conditions during upper laparotomy as compared with standard NMB. Methods: This was a double blinded, randomized study. A total of 128 patients undergoing elective upper laparotomy were randomized to either continuous deep NMB (infusion...

  20. Effect of modified surgical method on subcutaneous hydrops of patients with breast cancer after modified radical mastectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Through prospective randomized clinical study,to observe the preventive effect of improved surgical method to subcutaneous hydrops after modified radical mastec tomy. Method: A total of 80 cases of patients who have done modified radical mastectomy were selected, and randomly divided them into study group (40 cases and control group (40 cases, then adopted different surgical methods as followed respectively, to observe the daily drainage volume at the first 3 d after surgery; when the drainage volume ≤ 20 mL, 24 h after surgery, removed the drainage tubes, to record the drainage days, total cases who occured subcutaneous hydrops and all adverse events after surgery. Results: Study group: the first 3 d of daily drainage volume declined quickly, and were accordingly less than that in control group; and ≤ 50 mL/24 h on the third day. Drainage total days median (4 d were less than that in control group (7 d; subcutaneous hydrops occurrence rate was only 2%, which wasgreatly lower than that in control group (14%, statistics difference had significance. Through the comparison between study group and control group, this surgical method improvement will not bring any surgical safety problems, such as hematoma, wound infection, skin flap necrosis and upper limb LOM etc. Only extended the surgical time slightly. While in control group, drainage tubes fell into the dead space or were blocked frequently, then induced hydrops; but in study group, due to the suture of latissimus dorsi leading edge and chestwall, dead space disappeared at this spot, drainage tube were not blocked any more. Conclusion: In mastectomy and axillary lymph dissection, due to axillary dissection, ligation might lead to open lymphatic tissue, added that suture fixed latissimus dorsi leading edge and skin flap leading to disappeared dead space, compared with traditional surgical method, this improved surgical method could obviously reduce the occurrence rate of hydrops

  1. An assessment of the new generation three-dimensional high definition laparoscopic vision system on surgical skills: a randomized prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Usta, Taner A; Ozkaynak, Aysel; Kovalak, Ebru; Ergul, Erdinc; Naki, M Murat; Kaya, Erdal

    2015-08-01

    Two-dimensional (2D) view is known to cause practical difficulties for surgeons in conventional laparoscopy. Our goal was to evaluate whether the new-generation, Three-Dimensional Laparoscopic Vision System (3D LVS) provides greater benefit in terms of execution time and error number during the performance of surgical tasks. This study tests the hypothesis that the use of the new generation 3D LVS can significantly improve technical ability on complex laparoscopic tasks in an experimental model. Twenty-four participants (8 experienced, 8 minimally experienced, and 8 inexperienced) were evaluated for 10 different tasks in terms of total execution time and error number. The 4-point lickert scale was used for subjective assessment of the two imaging modalities. All tasks were completed by all participants. Statistically significant difference was determined between 3D and 2D systems in the tasks of bead transfer and drop, suturing, and pick-and-place in the inexperienced group; in the task of passing through two circles with the needle in the minimally experienced group; and in the tasks of bead transfer and drop, suturing and passing through two circles with the needle in the experienced group. Three-dimensional imaging was preferred over 2D in 6 of the 10 subjective criteria questions on 4-point lickert scale. The majority of the tasks were completed in a shorter time using 3D LVS compared to 2D LVS. The subjective Likert-scale ratings from each group also demonstrated a clear preference for 3D LVS. New 3D LVS has the potential to improve the learning curve, and reduce the operating time and error rate during the performances of laparoscopic surgeons. Our results suggest that the new-generation 3D HD LVS will be helpful for surgeons in laparoscopy (Clinical Trial ID: NCT01799577, Protocol ID: BEHGynobs-4).

  2. Surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with systemic sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Jingliang; Strong, Andrew T; Sharma, Gautam; Gabbard, Scott; Thota, Prashanti; Rodriguez, John; Kroh, Matthew

    2018-02-12

    Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) is frequently associated with both gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and simultaneous esophageal dysmotility. Anti-reflux procedures in this patient population must account for the existing physiology of each patient and likely disease progression. We aim to compare perioperative and intermediate outcomes of fundoplication versus gastric bypass for the treatment of GERD. After IRB approval, patients with systemic sclerosis undergoing fundoplication or gastric bypass for the treatment of GERD from 2004 to 2016 were identified. Demographics, perioperative data, immediate complications, and symptom improvement were retrieved and analyzed. Fourteen patients with systemic sclerosis underwent surgical treatment of GERD during the defined study period. Average body mass index was 26 kg/m 2 . Seven fundoplications (2 Nissens, 4 Toupets, and 1 Dor) and 7 Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses (RYGB) were performed. No 30-day mortality was observed in either group. Median follow-up was 97 months for the fundoplication group (range 28-204 months), and 19 months for the RYGB group (range 1-164 months). Preoperatively, dysphagia, heartburn, and regurgitation were present in 71% (n = 10), 86% (n = 12), and 64% (n = 9) of patients, respectively. Eleven patients had pH study prior to surgical intervention, and 91% of them had abnormal acid exposure. Esophagitis was evident in 85% (n = 11) of patients during preoperative upper endoscopy, and two patients had Barrett's esophagus. Impaired esophageal motility was present in all RYGB patients and 71% of fundoplication patients. Of the patients who had assessment of their GERD symptoms at follow-up, all five patients in the RYGB group and only 3 (50%) patients in the fundoplication group reported symptom improvement or resolution. Laparoscopic RYGB as an anti-reflux procedure is safe and may provide an alternative to fundoplication in the treatment of GERD for systemic sclerosis patients

  3. Cultural adaptation and the Clavien-Dindo surgical complications classification translated to Brazilian Portuguese.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LUIS FERNANDO MOREIRA

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to generate a translated and validated version of the Clavien-Dindo Classification of Surgical Complications (CDC to Brazilian Portuguese (CDC-BR. Methods: the process of translation and adaptation followed the guideline of Beaton et al., 2000. We divided 76 participating surgeons, in different levels of experience, from the Department Surgery of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, into two groups: Group I applied the original version (CDC, n=36;r Group II used the modified version (CDC-BR, n=40. Each group classified 15 clinical cases of surgical complications. We compared performance between the groups (Mann-Whitney test relating to the level of experience of the surgeon (Kruskal-Wallis test, considering p value <0.05 as significant. Results: the performance of the Group II (CDC-BR was higher, with 85% accuracy, compared with 79% of Group I (CDC, p-value =0.012. The performance of the groups as for surgeons experience displayed p=0.171 for Group I, p=0.528 for Group II, and p=0.135 for overall performance. Conclusion: we produced a translated and validated version of the CDC for Brazilian Portuguese. The instrument will be a useful tool in the production of evidence on surgical outcomes.

  4. Surgical training in your hands: organising a skills course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnand, Henry; Mutimer, Jon

    2012-12-01

    The advent of simulated surgical skills courses has brought dynamic changes to the traditional approach to acquiring practical skills in surgery. Teaching is a core part of the surgical profession, and any trainee can be involved in the organisation of skills training courses. This paper outlines the importance of organising surgical skills courses for trainees, and provides a practical guide on how to do so within busy clinical environments. The paper examines how to plan a course, how to design the programme, and provides tips on faculty staff requirements, venue, finance and participants, with additional suggestions for assessment and evaluation. We recommend the organisation of skills courses to any trainee. By following key ground rules, the surgical trainee can enable the acquisition of advanced learning opportunities and the ability to demonstrate valuable organisational skills. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

  5. Surgical interventions for gastric cancer: a review of systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Weiling; Tu, Jian; Huo, Zijun; Li, Yuhuang; Peng, Jintao; Qiu, Zhenwen; Luo, Dandong; Ke, Zunfu; Chen, Xinlin

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate methodological quality and the extent of concordance among meta-analysis and/or systematic reviews on surgical interventions for gastric cancer (GC). A comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and the DARE database was conducted to identify the reviews comparing different surgical interventions for GC prior to April 2014. After applying included criteria, available data were summarized and appraised by the Oxman and Guyatt scale. Fifty six reviews were included. Forty five reviews (80.4%) were well conducted, with scores of adapted Oxman and Guyatt scale ≥ 14. The reviews differed in criteria for avoiding bias and assessing the validity of the primary studies. Many primary studies displayed major methodological flaws, such as randomization, allocation concealment, and dropouts and withdrawals. According to the concordance assessment, laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) was superior to open gastrectomy, and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy was superior to open distal gastrectomy in short-term outcomes. However, the concordance regarding other surgical interventions, such as D1 vs. D2 lymphadenectomy, and robotic gastrectomy vs. LAG were absent. Systematic reviews on surgical interventions for GC displayed relatively high methodological quality. The improvement of methodological quality and reporting was necessary for primary studies. The superiority of laparoscopic over open surgery was demonstrated. But concordance on other surgical interventions was rare, which needed more well-designed RCTs and systematic reviews.

  6. A framework for the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical initiatives in low- and middle-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, George M; Cadotte, David W; Bernstein, Mark

    2015-01-01

    An estimated two billion people worldwide lack adequate access to surgical care. To address this humanitarian emergency, an increasing number of international surgical partnerships are emerging between developed and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). At present, there are no clear indicators that may be used to assess the effectiveness of such initiatives. We conducted an international qualitative study of 31 surgeons from developed and LMICs involved in international partnerships across a variety of subspecialties. Thematic analysis and grounded theory were applied in order to develop a practical framework that may be applied to monitor and evaluate global surgical initiatives. Several themes emerged from the study: (i) there is a large unmet need to establish and maintain prospective databases in LMICs to inform the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical partnerships; (ii) assessment of initiatives must occur longitudinally over the span of several years; (ii) the domains of assessment are contextual and encompass cultural, institutional and regional factors; and (iv) evaluation strategies should explore broader impact within the community and country. Based on thematic analysis within the domains of inputs, outputs and outcomes, a framework for the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical initiatives, the Framework for the Assessment of InteRNational Surgical Success (FAIRNeSS) is proposed. In response to the increasing number of surgical partnerships between developed and LMICs, we propose a framework to monitor and evaluate international surgical initiatives.

  7. Assessment in multicultural groups: The South African case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. J. R. Van De Vijver

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available It is argued that the 1998 Employment Equity Act, in which the onus of the proof to demonstrate the adequacy of psychometric instruments is on psychology as a profession, creates daunting tasks, but also creates unique opportunities. Recent developments in the assessment of multicultural groups are described, with an emphasis on procedures to enhance the validity of measures for all groups involved and on procedures to examine validity. Bias and equivalence are treated as key concepts in multicultural assessment. Four kinds of procedures for dealing with multicultural assessment (namely, establishing equivalence of existing instruments, defining new norms, developing new instruments, and studying validity-threatening factors in multicultural assessment are described and illustrated. Opsomming Daar word geredeneer dat die Wet op Billike Indiensneming, 1998, waarvolgens die onus om die geskiktheid van psigometriese instrumente te bewys na psigologie as professie verskuif, nie net oorweldigende take nie maar ook unieke geleenthede skep. Onlangse ontwikkelings rakende die evaluering van multikulturele groepe word beskryf, met die klem op prosedures om die geldigheid van metings vir alle groepe te verhoog en op prosedures om hierdie geldigheid te ondersoek. Sydigheid en ekwivalensie word as sleutelkonsepte in multikulturele evaluering behandel. Vier soorte prosedures om multikulturele evaluering te hanteer (te wete bepaling van die ekwivalensie van bestaande instrumente, definiëring van nuwe norme, ontwikkeling van nuwe instrumente en ‘n studie van faktore wat die geldigheid van multikulturele evaluering bedreig word beskryf en geïllustreer.

  8. Surgical management and clinical prognosis of adrenocortical carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Dexin; Li, Hanzhong; Yan, Weigang; Ji, Zhigang; Mao, Quanzong

    2012-01-01

    To study the relationship between surgical management and prognosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in order to guide the surgical management of ACC. Clinical data of 45 cases of ACC treated in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The 45 cases included 3 cases in stage I, 12 cases in stage II, 7 cases in stage III, and 23 cases in stage IV. 17 cases underwent complete excision, 14 cases underwent palliative excision, 8 cases had non-operative treatment and 6 cases gave up treatment. All patients were followed up from 2 to 141 months. The average survival time of 31 patients with surgery was 32.46 months, and the average survival time of 14 patients without surgery was 4.75 months. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (p 0.05). Surgery is considered to be the only method to cure ACC. For ACC in stage I and II, tumor resection is the most effective treatment, and second surgical operation is recommended for local recurrence. For ACC in stage III, extensive surgical operation is recommended, and for ACC in stage IV, surgical operation has no effect on the prognosis. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Surgical Procedures for BPH/LUTS: Impact on Male Sexual Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becher, Edgardo F; McVary, Kevin T

    2014-01-01

    Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) because of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are a highly prevalent condition in men over 50 years old, and their incidence increases with age. The relationship between LUTS and erectile dysfunction (ED) has received increased attention recently because both diseases are highly prevalent, frequently co-associated in the same aging male group, and contribute significantly to the overall quality of life. In this review, we will examine the literature to assess the impact of surgical and minimally invasive treatments for LUTS/BPH on the male's sexual health. The impact of the various surgical and minimally invasive treatments for LUTS/BPH was reviewed to ascertain the impact on erectile and ejaculatory function. Sexual side effects of treatment for LUTS/BPH are underappreciated by urologists but likely play a prominent role in patient decision making, creating a disparity between provider and patient. Almost all accepted therapies for LUTS (surgical or medical) can affect some aspect of sexual health, making it imperative that health-care professionals understand their patients' concerns and motivations in these two linked diseases. The incidence of newly diagnosed postoperative ED in patients treated with monopolar transurethral resection (TURP) is around 14%, with reported values in various studies ranging from 0-32.5%, 7.7%, 6.5%, 17%, to 14%. Importantly, there is no significant difference reported between bipolar and monopolar TURP on sexual function. The risk of sexual side effects is an important one to consider in discussing the implications for any LUTS intervention as they play a prominent role in patient motivation, acceptance of bother and decision making concerning surgical intervention, thus creating a potential disparity between provider and patient. Becher EF and McVary KT. Surgical procedures for BPH/LUTS: Impact on male sexual health. Sex Med Rev 2014;2:47-55. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Sexual

  10. Mobile surgical skills education unit: a new concept in surgical training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikh, Faisal M; Hseino, Hazem; Hill, Arnold D K; Kavanagh, Eamon; Traynor, Oscar

    2011-08-01

    Basic surgical skills are an integral part of surgical training. Simulation-based surgical training offers an opportunity both to trainees and trainers to learn and teach surgical skills outside the operating room in a nonpatient, nonstressed environment. However, widespread adoption of simulation technology especially in medical education is prohibited by its inherent higher cost, limited space, and interruptions to clinical duties. Mobile skills laboratory has been proposed as a means to address some of these limitations. A new program is designed by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), in an approach to teach its postgraduate basic surgical trainees the necessary surgical skills, by making the use of mobile innovative simulation technology in their own hospital settings. In this article, authors describe the program and students response to the mobile surgical skills being delivered in the region of their training hospitals and by their own regional consultant trainers.

  11. Metabolic intervention in surgical patients. An assessment of the effect of somatostatin, ranitidine, naloxone, diclophenac, dipyridamole, or salbutamol infusion on energy and protein kinetics in surgical patients using stable and radioisotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaw, J.H.; Wolfe, R.R.

    1988-01-01

    We have assessed the effect of a variety of forms of metabolic intervention on both energy and protein metabolism in 44 severely ill surgical patients. The patients were studied either in the basal state or while receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and the metabolic effects were assessed using the primed-constant infusion of a combination of stable isotopes and radioisotopes. Somatostatin infusion, either in the basal state or in the TPN, did not change glucose kinetics, but there was a significant decrease in the rate of net protein catabolism (NPC). In the basal studies the rate of NPC decreased from 3.4 +/- 0.7 g/kg/d to 2.9 +/- 0.7 g/kg/d (p less than 0.002), while in the TPN patients the corresponding values were 1.48 +/- 0.61 g/kg/d and 1.10 +/- 0.50 g/kg/d, respectively (p less than 0.005). Histamine type 2 blockade with ranitidine did not significantly alter glucose kinetics, but in both the TPN patients and in the basal state ranitidine was associated with a significant decrease in the rate of NPC. In the basal state rate of NPC was 2.44 +/- 0.53 g/kg/d and during ranitidine infusion the value was 2.08 +/- 0.42 g/kg/d (p less than 0.04). Naloxone infusion did not alter glucose kinetics, but there was a significant decrease in the rate of NPC from a basal value of 2.6 +/- 0.6 g/kg/d to 2.3 +/- 0.5 g/kg/d (p less than 0.04). The infusion of the prostaglandin antagonists diclofenac or dipyridamole resulted in increases in the plasma insulin level, and as a result glucose turnover decreased in both groups. In the diclofenac group the rate of glucose turnover decreased from 14.4 +/- 1.7 mumol/kg/min to 12.6 +/- 1.3 mumol/kg/min (p less than 0.02). Neither prostaglandin antagonist resulted in any significant change in the rate of NPC

  12. A Novel Clinical-Simulated Suture Education for Basic Surgical Skill: Suture on the Biological Tissue Fixed on Standardized Patient Evaluated with Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) Tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Zhanlong; Yang, Fan; Gao, Pengji; Zeng, Li; Jiang, Guanchao; Wang, Shan; Ye, Yingjiang; Zhu, Fengxue

    2017-06-21

    Clinical-simulated training has shown benefit in the education of medical students. However, the role of clinical simulation for surgical basic skill training such as suturing techniques remains unclear. Forty-two medical students were asked to perform specific suturing tasks at three stations with the different settings within four minutes (Station 1: Synthetic suture pad fixed on the bench, Station 2: Synthetic suture pad fixed on the standardized patient, Station 3: Pig skin fixed on the standardized patient); the OSATS (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill) tool was used to evaluate the performance of students. A questionnaire was distributed to the students following the examination. Mean performance score of Station 3 was significant lower than that of Station 1 and 2 in the general performance including tissue handling, time, and motion. The suturing techniques of students at Station 2 and 3 were not as accurate as that at Station 1. Inappropriate tension was applied to the knot at Station 2 compared with Station 1 and 3. On the questionnaire, 93% of students considered clinical-simulated training of basic surgical skills was necessary and may increase their confidence in future clinical work as surgeons; 98% of students thought the assessment was more objective when OSATS tool was used for evaluation. Clinical simulation examination assessed with OSATS might throw a novel light on the education of basic surgical skills and may be worthy of wider adoption in the surgical education of medical students.

  13. SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR BONE METASTASES OF KIDNEY CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. Semkov

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The data of 67 kidney cancer (KC patients with bone metastases, who had been treated at Moscow City Cancer Hospital Sixty-Two in 2002 to 2009 and had undergone skeletal bone surgery, were retrospectively analyzed. The role of surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was assessed and the factors influencing the patients survival were determined. Surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was ascertained to yield satisfactory results in improving the quality of life and increasing survival rates in the patients.

  14. SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR BONE METASTASES OF KIDNEY CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. Semkov

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The data of 67 kidney cancer (KC patients with bone metastases, who had been treated at Moscow City Cancer Hospital Sixty-Two in 2002 to 2009 and had undergone skeletal bone surgery, were retrospectively analyzed. The role of surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was assessed and the factors influencing the patients survival were determined. Surgical treatment for bone metastases from KC was ascertained to yield satisfactory results in improving the quality of life and increasing survival rates in the patients.

  15. Non-surgical periodontal therapy improves serum levels of C-reactive protein and edematous states in female patients with idiopathic edema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Rosamma; Narayan, Vivek; Krishnan, Rajaratnam; Melemadathil, Sreelatha

    2011-02-01

    The relationship between periodontal disease and systemic disease is revealing new and exciting associations. Idiopathic edema presents a clinical syndrome with obscure pathophysiology. The present study investigates whether non-surgical periodontal therapy is beneficial in patients who are not responding to conventional treatment of idiopathic edema. Thirty patients with idiopathic edema were allocated to intervention and control groups. All the subjects were assessed for systemic (body weight, body mass index, visual scale of edema, serum C-reactive protein, and serum albumin) and periodontal (plaque index, calculus index, and gingival index) parameters. Non-surgical periodontal therapy, including oral hygiene instructions, scaling and root planing, and systemic antibiotic therapy, was provided in the intervention group. Both groups were reevaluated after 4 weeks. Both groups were comparable at baseline. All parameters, except serum albumin, showed significant improvement after periodontal therapy. The control group showed further worsening of these parameters. This study shows that sources for systemic inflammation, such as periodontal disease, could affect the pathogenesis of idiopathic edema. Successful elimination of such covert sources of inflammation leads to a clinical benefit in patients who are distressed by this condition.

  16. Joint preserving surgery versus arthrodesis in operative treatment of patients with neuromuscular polyneuropathy: questionnaire assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napiontek, Marek; Pietrzak, Krzysztof

    2015-02-01

    The purpose of the paper was to present the results of surgical treatment of foot deformities in peripheral neuropathies using bone procedures: both joint preserving and with joint arthrodesis. The study included 26 patients, 14 males and 12 females (43 feet). The age of the patients at surgery ranged from 5 to 55 years (average 23 years). The follow-up ranged from 0.5 to 15 years (average 4.3 years). Seventeen patients presented Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, three Friedreich's ataxia and six peripheral motor and sensory neuropathies of undetermined nature. Sixteen patients had bilateral procedures. Four patients had to be re-operated during the follow-up. The patients were divided into four groups depending on the age and the surgical technique applied. The groups I and II (9 children, 17 feet) included patients with growth plate still present in the foot just before surgery. In the groups III and IV (17 adults, 26 feet), bone growth was completed. The assessment of all patients based on a modified AOFAS scale ranged from 44 to 105 points (mean 83.7; SD 17.5). The assessment on the subjective scale ranged from 3 to 10 points (mean 7.4; SD 2.1). The assessment of quality of life on the WOMAC scale ranged from 0 to 41 points (mean 15.7; SD 13.2). All patients stated that they would decide to undergo the treatment again. For groups I and II, joint preserving surgeries gave better results; however, the results could not be statistically confirmed. The results for the groups III and IV were inconclusive as to which surgical techniques should be preferred, arthrodesis or joint preserving. The results show that none of the surgical techniques used for correction of foot deformities in motor-sensory polyneuropathies seems to be preferable.

  17. Surgical management of breast cancer in China: A 15-year single-center retrospective study of 18,502 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Nai-Si; Liu, Meng-Ying; Chen, Jia-Jian; Yang, Ben-Long; Xue, Jing-Yan; Quan, Chen-Lian; Mo, Miao; Liu, Guang-Yu; Shen, Zhen-Zhou; Shao, Zhi-Min; Wu, Jiong

    2016-11-01

    The aim of the study was to review the surgical trends in breast cancer treatment in China over the past 15 years and to explore the possible factors related to the choice of surgical modality.The medical records of 18,502 patients with unilateral early stage breast cancer who underwent surgery from January 1999 to December 2013 at our institute were retrospectively reviewed. The utilization of different surgical modalities and the associated clinicopathological factors were analyzed. Furthermore, the prognostic role of surgical modality was also evaluated.The median patient age was 50.0 years. According to the pTNM staging system, 12.5% of the patients were classified as stage 0; 30.2% as stage I; 40.0% as stage II; and 17.3% as stage III. In total, 9.3% of the patients could not be staged. Overall, 67.1% of the breast cancer cases were estrogen receptor (ER) positive. The pattern of breast cancer surgery has changed tremendously over the past 15 years (P Age, TNM staging, and pathological characteristics greatly affected the choice of surgical modality. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates for the mastectomy, BCS, and reconstruction groups were 87.6%, 93.2%, and 91.7%, respectively (P time, stratified by surgical modality and tumor stage. Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed that time of treatment, tumor stage, tumor grade, LVI status, and ER status were independent prognostic factors for RFS in our cohort, whereas surgical modality was not.Mastectomy remains the most prevalent surgical modality used to manage early stage breast cancer in China, although the utilization of BCS has increased in the past decade. However, surgical management was not a prognostic factor for RFS. The selection of appropriate patients depended on the assessment of multiple clinicopathological factors, which is essential for making surgical decisions.

  18. Surgical site infection in lumbar surgeries, pre and postoperative antibiotics and length of stay: a case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, I.U.; Janjua, M.B.; Hasan, S.; Shah, S.

    2009-01-01

    Postoperative wound infection also called as surgical site infection (SSI), is a trouble some complication of lumbar spine surgeries and they can be associated with serious morbidities, mortalities and increase resource utilization. With the improvement in diagnostic modalities, proper surgical techniques, antibiotic therapy and postoperative care, infectious complications can result in various compromises afterwards. The objective was to study the relation of surgical site infection in clean lumbar surgeries with the doses of antibiotics. This Retrospective study was conducted at Shifa International Hospital, from January 2006 to March 2008. Methods: Hundred post operated cases of lumber disc prolapse, lumbar stenosis or both studied retrospectively by tracing their operated data from hospital record section for the development of surgical site infection (SSI). The patients were divided into three groups depending upon whether they received single, three or more than three doses of antibiotics respectively. Complete data analyses and cross tabulation done with SPSS version 16. Result: Of 100 cases, only 6% had superficial surgical site infection; only 1 case with co morbidity of hypertension was detected. Twenty-one cases had single dose of antibiotic (Group-I), 59 cases had 3 doses (Group-II) and 20 cases received multiple doses (Group-III). There was no infection in Group-I. Only one patient in Group-II and 5 patients in Group-III developed superficial SSI. While 4 in Group-II, 3 in Group-III, and none of Group-I had >6 days length of stay (LOS). Conclusion The dose of antibiotic directly correlates with the surgical site infection in clean lumbar surgeries. When compared with multiple doses of antibiotics a single preoperative shot of antibiotic is equally effective for patients with SSI. (author)

  19. Clinical features and surgical outcomes of complete transposition of the great arteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suk Jin Hong

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available &lt;B&gt;Purpose:&lt;/B&gt; This single-center study aimed to assess the clinical features and surgical approaches and outcomes of complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA. &lt;B&gt;Methods:&lt;/B&gt; TGA patients who had undergone surgical correction at the Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 2000 to December 2010, were retrospectively evaluated for patient characteristics, clinical manifestation, preoperative management, intraoperative findings, postoperative progress, and follow-up status. &lt;B&gt;Results:&lt;/B&gt; Twenty-eight patients (17 boys and 11 girls, mean age= 10.6±21.5 days were included and were categorized as follows: group I, TGA with intact ventricular septum (n=13; group II, TGA with ventricular septal defect (VSD, n=12; and group III, TGA/VSD with pulmonary stenosis (n=3. Group I underwent the most intensive preoperative management (balloon atrial septostomy and prostaglandin E1 medication. Group II showed the highest incidence of heart failure (P&lt;0.05. Usual and unusual coronary anatomy patterns were observed in 20 (71% and 8 patients, respectively. Arterial and half-turned truncal switch operations were performed in 25 and 3 patients (Group III, respectively. Postoperative complications included cardiac arrhythmias (8 patients, central nervous system complications (3 patients, acute renal failure (1 patient, infections (3 patients, and cardiac tamponade (1 patient, and no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. Group II showed the mildest aortic regurgitation on follow-up echocardiograms (P&lt;0.05. One patient underwent reoperation, and 1 died. The overall mortality rate was 4%. &lt;B&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/B&gt; Our study showed favorable results in all the groups and no significant difference in postoperative complication, reoperation, and mortality among the groups. However, our results were

  20. Surgical correction of postoperative astigmatism

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    Lindstrom Richard

    1990-01-01

    Full Text Available The photokeratoscope has increased the understanding of the aspheric nature of the cornea as well as a better understanding of normal corneal topography. This has significantly affected the development of newer and more predictable models of surgical astigmatic correction. Relaxing incisions effectively flatten the steeper meridian an equivalent amount as they steepen the flatter meridian. The net change in spherical equivalent is, therefore, negligible. Poor predictability is the major limitation of relaxing incisions. Wedge resection can correct large degrees of postkeratoplasty astigmatism, Resection of 0.10 mm of tissue results in approximately 2 diopters of astigmatic correction. Prolonged postoperative rehabilitation and induced irregular astigmatism are limitations of the procedure. Transverse incisions flatten the steeper meridian an equivalent amount as they steepen the flatter meridian. Semiradial incisions result in two times the amount of flattening in the meridian of the incision compared to the meridian 90 degrees away. Combination of transverse incisions with semiradial incisions describes the trapezoidal astigmatic keratotomy. This procedure may correct from 5.5 to 11.0 diopters dependent upon the age of the patient. The use of the surgical keratometer is helpful in assessing a proper endpoint during surgical correction of astigmatism.