Pediatric Surgery from the Roads Less Traveled: Challenges,Communication, and Collaboration from a Community Nonteaching Hospital

Unique challenges face pediatric surgeons at community-based nonteaching hospitals. Communication and collaboration among and between healthcare providers, hospital administrators, and quaternary referral programs is crucial for the success of these smaller hospitals as they care for children.     

Pediatric patient selection and provider issues

In this article some factors that influence the safety of anesthesia care for infants and children are reviewed. In particular elements of training and ongoing experience necessary for the safe provision of pediatric anesthesia care are identified and also the necessary support needed in terms of personnel and facilities. Several guidelines relating to the provision of pediatric anesthesia care are reviewed. Finally, those infants and children who are at increased anesthetic risk are identified. It is essential that the needs of these at risk patients and the capabilities of the provider and facility are matched.     

Pediatric surgery fellowship compliance to the 80-hour work week

Objective

The goal of this study was to determine the compliance of pediatric surgery fellowships with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour restrictions while confronting a reduced resident workforce.

Materials and Methods

An evaluation of training programs was performed by surveying pediatric surgery fellows on aspects of work hours, ACGME guideline compliance, operative case volume, employment of physician extenders, and didactic education.

Results

A 74% survey response rate was achieved. Of the respondents, 95% felt fully aware of ACGME guidelines. Although 95% of programs had mechanisms for compliance in place, only 45% of fellows felt compliant. Median work hours were 80 to 90 hours per week. Although subordinate residents were felt to obtain better compliance (>86%), only 69% of fellows perceived greater service commitment as a result. No impact on volume of operative cases was perceived. Of the programs, 89% employed physician extenders and 55% used additional fellows, but no overall effect on fellow work hours was evident. Fellows did not identify an improvement in the quality of clinical fellowships with guideline implementation.

Conclusions

A minority of fellows comply with ACGME guidelines. Vigilance of duty hour tracking correlates to better compliance. A shift of patient care to fellows is perceived. Use of support personnel did not significantly aid compliance.     

Training surgeons in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Background General surgeons commonly perform upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in practice, but few perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), partly because of limited training opportunities. This report focuses on the value of an ERCP fellowship training program to a broad-based, mature residency in surgery and our observations on the experience required for surgeons to be trained in advanced interventional ERCP. Methods Since the program was initiated in 1992, 13 ERCP fellows have been trained for individual periods of 6 to 14 months. This study investigated all procedures with fellow involvement (2,008 cases) from among a total experience of 3,641 ERCPs. Data collected included type of ERCP (diagnostic/therapeutic), fellow success in cannulating the duct of interest, and faculty success in cases of fellows who failed. Of the 13 fellows, 9 had previous endoscopy experience, but none had training in ERCP. Results An 85% cannulation rate was accepted as successful, and cannulation rates for each fellow were calculated for each 3-month period. The 85% mark was reached by 4 (31%) of 13 fellows in the first period, 2 of 13 fellows (15%) in the second period, 5 of 11 fellows (45%) in the third period, 7 of 10 fellows (70%) in the fourth period, and 1 of 1 fellow (100%) in the fifth period of training. On the average, it took 7.1 months and 102 ERCPs for trainees to reach desired success levels. Success came more promptly with prior exposure to endoscopy. Fellows without prior endoscopic experience required 148 cases to reach 85% success. Resident surgical experience with major pancreatic resections increased threefold after establishment of the fellowship. Conclusions Training in ERCP is possible within the scope of a surgical fellowship in a reasonable length of time and experience. Complication rates remain low even with fellow involvement. Establishment of an ERCP program increases the focus and experience of pancreas surgery in a surgical residency for chief residents. Presented at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) meeting, Hollywood, FL, USA, 15 April 2005     

Education and the pediatric surgeon

There have been many changes in the domain of clinical surgery over the last 2 decades, but probably none more so than in education. The British Association of Pediatric Surgeons recognizes the importance of this topic and has commissioned a special session on this subject jointly with the International Pediatric Endosurgery Group. Free papers presented on a number of educational subjects and specific topics of recruitment and simulation were covered in invited lectures. The session was completed with a keynote lecture from the renowned educationalist Professor Roger Kneebone.

小儿腹腔镜技术短期强化培训模式的初探

目的探讨强化小儿腹腔镜训练技术的培训方法。方法 2001~2008年,来自全国63家儿童医院和综合医院小儿外科的352名外科医生在小儿微创外科中心接受腹腔镜技术强化培训,每期强化训练44学时,培训内容包括理论学习（4学时）、训练仪操作（28学时）、动物手术训练（8学时）和临床实践（4学时）,培训结合国内外专家讲课、实践操作指导、动物模拟手术、观摩手术录像和现场手术演示等方式,使学员熟悉和掌握小儿腹腔镜手术操作技能。本文通过回顾8年培训资料和经历,总结和探讨小儿腹腔镜手术的培训经验。结果全部学员均通过理论考核,实践操作和动物模拟手术成绩合格,学员返回原单位后陆续开展小儿腹腔镜手术,从常规手术到复杂手术,目前已有74.6%（47/63）的医院能独立开展小儿腹腔镜手术,微创手术进展顺利。结论腹腔镜短期强化培训班的形式是理论联系实际、行之有效并符合我国国情的培训方式,是迅速培养我国小儿腹腔镜医生的有效途径。     

Pediatric surgery in Nigeria

Background

Pediatric surgery is a well-established specialty in many developed countries, but little is known about the status of the specialty in most developing countries.

Method

The status of pediatric surgery in Nigeria was reviewed.

Result

Nigeria currently has an estimated population of 126 million people with a growth rate of 2.8%, one half of whom are children. Pediatric surgery is a well-recognized specialty in the country. At the moment, there are 35 trained pediatric surgeons but only 26 are fully functional (1 pediatric surgeon:2.2 million children). Most of the available pediatric surgeons are in tertiary hospitals in major cities and towns. There is a well-established formal training program and certification run by the West African College of Surgeons; it takes an average of 4.5 to 6 years to train in pediatric surgery, 2 years of which must be spent in general surgery. Only 1 to 2 trainees graduate every year, and there are less than 10 trainees in the 5 accredited training centers at the moment. Funding for training is poor, and pediatric surgical research receives little or no funding.

Conclusion

There is a need for more pediatric surgeons in Nigeria. More trainees need to be mentored and encouraged to take up the specialty. Collaboration with centers in developed countries and other parts of Africa and improved funding are necessary to improve the profile of the specialty.     

Training of residents in peripheral nerve blocks during anesthesiology residency

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To survey American anesthesiology residency program directors to determine the availability and extent of training in peripheral nerve block techniques. DESIGN: Survey questionnaire was mailed and faxed to 132 American anesthesiology residency program directors and followed up 4 weeks later with another mailing to nonresponders. SETTING: University medical center. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 132 American anesthesiology residency program directors surveyed, 69 (52%) responded. Of the responders, 40 (58%) offered a specific peripheral nerve block rotation. The rotation was of 1 month's duration in 61% of these programs. Formal instruction was administered during the rotation in 69%. The regional instruction approach consisted of a nerve stimulator (98%), paresthesia (75%), and transarterial (85%). Multimedia, mannequins, and cadaver dissection were used infrequently (13-25%). During the rotation, residents performed a variety of blocks, but the number of each block varied from 2 (supraclavicular) to 10 (axillary). These blocks were performed in the operating room in 48% of programs. Finally, in the programs with a specific peripheral nerve block rotation, residents were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Specific peripheral nerve block rotations are not always included in anesthesiology residents' curriculum. In addition, residents in programs with a specific nerve block rotation are exposed to a greater number of peripheral nerve block techniques than those who do not have such a rotation included in their curriculum.     

Evaluation of relevance of the components of Pediatric Surgery residency training in West Africa

Purpose

The aim of the study was to determine if pediatric surgery residency training program in West Africa addresses the realities of posttraining practice.

Methods

The study used a cross-sectional survey of 36 pediatric surgeons trained in West Africa using self-administered questionnaires.

Results

Overall, 26 (72%) responded. Although 21 (81%) had adequate exposures in most surgical components of training, 18 (69%) were exposed to most of the nonsurgical components. The least in exposure and use were prenatal management, microvascular and laparoscopic surgeries, hospital administration, and finance management. Pediatric urology, gastroenterology, oncology, trauma, neonatal surgery, burn management, and hepatobiliary surgery were rated as useful and relevant to practice by 22 (85%) of the respondents. Many nonsurgical areas that receive less emphasis in training were regarded as useful in practice by all respondents including ethical decision making, accessing scientific literature, communication skills with colleagues and patient's guardian, and medical research. Significant challenges to training were lack of tertiary children's hospital, dearth of facilities, and inadequate mentoring.

Conclusion

The components of pediatric surgery training program in West Africa are relevant to the practice of the specialty in our setting. Areas that may enhance training outcome include improving exposure to all components through multi-institutional and international collaboration and improving existing facilities.     

Education in obstetric anesthesiology: an international approach

Competency-based training and active teaching methods are increasingly becoming accepted and utilized in medical schools and hospitals, and obstetric anesthesiology training is expected to follow this process. This article summarizes current modalities of obstetric anesthesiology training in five countries from various parts of the world.Analysis of these curricula shows that implementation of new educational methods is variable, incomplete, and lacking in data related to patient outcomes. Research in assessments and practical applications are required to avoid wide ranges of educational strategies.     

Current status of simulation-based training in pediatric surgery: A systematic review

BackgroundSimulation based training enables pediatric surgical trainees to attain proficiency in surgical skills. This study aims to identify the currently available simulators for pediatric surgery, assess their validation and strength of evidence supporting each model.MethodsBoth Medline and EMBASE were searched for English language articles either describing or validating simulation models for pediatric surgery. A level of evidence (LoE) followed by a level of recommendation (LoR) was assigned to each validation study and simulator, based on a modified Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine classification for educational studies.ResultsForty-nine articles were identified describing 44 training models and courses. Of these articles, 44 were validation studies. Face validity was evaluated by 20 studies, 28 for content, 24 demonstrated construct validity and 1 showed predictive validity. Of the validated models, 3 were given an LoR of 2, 21 an LoR of 3 and 12 an LoR of 4. None reached the highest LoR.ConclusionsThere are a growing number of simulators specific to pediatric surgery. However, these simulators have limited LoE and LoR in current studies. The lack of NoTSS training is also apparent. We advocate more randomized trials to validate these models, and attempts to determine predictive validity.Type of studyOriginal / systematic review.Level of evidence1.