Changes in the general surgical workload, 1991-1999

HYPOTHESIS: The volume and types of procedures performed by general surgeons have changed from 1991 to 1999.Data Source Medicare data from 1991 through 1999. METHODS: Procedures from the Medicare database were defined as "general surgical" if the yearly volume performed by general surgeons exceeded 1000 cases. These procedures were divided into major and minor procedures. The total volume performed by all surgeons and the volume of cases performed by general surgeons were tabulated for each procedure. Procedures were also grouped into families. For major surgery, representative procedures with the highest volumes were selected for each family. For minor surgery, multiple high-volume procedures within families were selected and analyzed. RESULTS: The volumes for each major surgical family were totaled. Although the volume of representative major general surgical procedures performed by all surgeons rose by 17 544 cases, the volume performed by general surgeons decreased by 8846 cases (1.8%). The total and general surgical volumes for cholecystectomy and appendectomy increased, but the volumes for breast surgery, hernia repair, splenectomy, and colon resection decreased. The total volume increased but the general surgical volume decreased for vascular surgery, pulmonary surgery, and major amputations. CONCLUSIONS: From 1991 to 1999, there has been a decrease in the volume of major procedures performed by general surgeons. Part of this loss relates to reduced general surgical involvement in subspecialty surgery, but there were also reductions in colon surgery, breast surgery, hernia repairs, and splenectomy. The volume of appendectomies and cholecystectomies increased. The volume of minor procedures performed by general surgeons increased slightly, with gains in vascular and endoscopic surgery.     

Day surgery: where do our efforts need to be focused?: Results of a review and simulation on administrative data

Study objective: First, to appraise the utilisation of day surgery in an advanced Italian region. Second, to identify which surgical procedures, among those rarely performed in day surgery, can be effectively performed without ordinary hospitalisation. Design: Retrospective analysis of hospital discharge records related to all the 683,615 surgical interventions performed in Lombardy in 1998. Review of the last 10 years literature supporting or undermining the practicability of day surgery for the 262 procedures that, although performed at least once in day surgery, overall rarely performed in such a way. Main results: While as many as 1189 procedures out of 2140 (56%) were performed at least once in day surgery, the overall percentage of surgical interventions performed in this regimen was only 15.6%. The review of the literature yielded 41 procedures regarded as effectively performable in day surgery. We calculated that an absolute increment of day surgery of 20% in only these procedures would produce an increment of 5% in the overall prevalence of day surgery. Conclusion: Health policies aimed at reducing the length of hospitalisation after surgery can be effective even by focusing on a tiny set of procedures. Analysis of administrative data could provide useful steering hints for policy makers.     

General surgery resident experience with anorectal surgery

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested that general surgery residents graduate with suboptimal anorectal experience. However, competence in anorectal procedures is an important part of general surgery training.MethodsACGME general surgery resident case logs from 1999 to 2017 were reviewed. Mean number of anorectal procedures were evaluated, comparing Period 1 (1999–2008) and Period 2 (2009–2017).ResultsBetween 1999 and 2017, the mean number of all anorectal procedures performed by each general surgery resident has increased from 25.9 to 32.4 (by 25%). Between Period 1 and 2, mean numbers of total anorectal procedures, abscess drainage, fistula repair, hemorrhoidectomy, prolapse repair, other anorectal procedures all increased (p ≤ 0.01). Mean numbers of sphincterotomy/sphincteroplasty and other procedures for fecal incontinence significantly decreased (p ≤ 0.01).ConclusionsGeneral surgery residents have gained more experience in some anorectal procedures over time. The required number of procedures to establish competence is not well defined and should be formally evaluated.     

Use of the prolene hernia system for inguinal hernia repair: retrospective, comparative time analysis versus other inguinal hernia repair systems

No data are available for the duration of surgery for the various procedures currently used in hernia repair. This retrospective study was undertaken to determine the time required for the surgical repair of unilateral primary inguinal hernias using currently available procedures and to show specifically that the duration of surgery using the PROLENE Hernia System (PHS) was equal to or less than the duration of surgery using a plug-and-patch device. Data were collected from 1032 sequential hernia procedures performed by 16 surgeons at a community hospital between 1997 and 1999. To gain more accurate information to compare the PHS and plug-and-patch procedures data from four surgeons who had performed at least five of each procedure were used as the primary analysis database. The two most frequently used devices were the PHS (35.9%) and plug and patch (41.0%). The average times of surgery for these procedures were not significantly different (25.4 vs 27.2 minutes, respectively; P = 0.236). A significant variability was observed between surgeons in the duration of surgery and there was evidence for an inverse relationship between the duration of surgery and the number of procedures a surgeon had performed. Both procedures take approximately the same time to perform.     

Inpatient hospital admission and death after outpatient surgery in elderly patients: importance of patient and system characteristics and location of care

HYPOTHESIS: Surgery at different outpatient care locations in the higher-risk elderly (age >65 years) population is associated with similar rates of inpatient hospital admission and death. DESIGN: Claims analysis of patients undergoing 16 different surgical procedures in a nationally representative (5%) sample of Medicare beneficiaries for the years 1994 through 1999. SETTING: Hospital-based outpatient centers, freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and physicians' office facilities. PATIENTS: Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rate of death, emergency department risk, and admission to an inpatient hospital within 7 days of outpatient surgery. RESULTS: We studied 564,267 outpatient surgical procedures: 360,780 at an outpatient hospital, 175,288 at an ASC, and 28,199 at a physician's office. There were no deaths the day of surgery at a physician's office, 4 deaths the day of surgery at an ASC (2.3 per 100,000 outpatient procedures), and 9 deaths the day of surgery at an outpatient hospital (2.5 per 100,000 outpatient procedures). The 7-day mortality rate was 35 per 100,000 outpatient procedures at a physician's office, 25 per 100,000 outpatient procedures at an ASC, and 50 per 100,000 outpatient procedures at an outpatient hospital. The rate of admission to an inpatient hospital within 7 days of outpatient surgery was 9.08 per 1000 outpatient procedures at a physician's office, 8.41 per 1000 outpatient procedures at an ASC, and 21 per 1000 outpatient procedures at an outpatient hospital. In multivariate models, more advanced age, prior inpatient hospital admission within 6 months, surgical performance at a physician's office or outpatient hospital, and invasiveness of surgery identified those patients who were at increased risk of inpatient hospital admission or death within 7 days of surgery at an outpatient facility. CONCLUSION: This study represents an initial effort to demonstrate the risk associated with outpatient surgery in a large, diverse population of elderly individuals.     

Comparative outcomes analysis of procedures performed in physician offices and ambulatory surgery centers

HYPOTHESIS: This study compared outcomes to determine whether patient safety is similar in Florida ambulatory surgery centers and offices. DATA SOURCES: All adverse incident reports to the Florida Board of Medicine for procedure dates April 1, 2000, to April 1, 2002 were reviewed. The numbers of office procedures performed during a 4-month period were used to estimate the total number of procedures. Ambulatory surgery death summaries, adverse incident data, and volumes of procedures for 2000 were procured from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION: Adverse incident reports were reviewed by multiple parties; only reports that involved an office surgical procedure and resulted in injury or death were included in the outcomes calculation. Reports were extracted independently by multiple reviewers. DATA SYNTHESIS: Adverse incidents occurred at a rate of 66 and 5.3 per 100,00 procedures in offices and ambulatory surgery centers, respectively. The death rate per 100,000 procedures performed was 9.2 in offices and 0.78 in ambulatory surgery centers. The relative risks for injuries and deaths for office procedures vs ambulatory surgery centers were 12.4 (95% confidence interval, 9.5-16.2) and 11.8 (95% confidence interval, 5.8-24.1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this review of surgical procedures performed in offices and ambulatory surgery centers in Florida during a recent 2-year period, there was an approximately 10-fold increased risk of adverse incidents and death in the office setting. If all office procedures had been performed in ambulatory surgery centers, approximately 43 injuries and 6 deaths per year could have been prevented.     

Evolution of operative procedures for the management of morbid obesity 1950-2000

Background: At the turn of the 21st century, obesity is the epidemic with the greatest prevalence in the United States. Fifteen million people, 1 out of 20, in this country have a body mass index (BMI) ≥35 kgm². Obesity is not only a medical problem, but also a social, psychological, and economic problem. At present, the morbidly obese are refractory to diet and drug therapy, but have a substantial, sustained weight loss after bariatric surgery. Methods: This chronology of the landmark operations in bariatric surgery is based on a review of the medical literature. Results: Bariatric surgery can be classified into 4 categories: malabsorptive procedures, malabsorptive/restrictive procedures, restrictive procedures, and other, experimental procedures. The prototype of malabsorptive procedures and the first operation performed specifically to induce weight loss was the jejunoileal bypass. The problems associated with this operation caused its demise. Today's popular malabsorptive procedures are the biliopancreatic diversion and the duodenal switch. Malabsorptive /restrictive surgery currently is predicated on the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, both the traditional short-limb, and the long-limb for the super obese. Restrictive procedures are represented by the banded and ringed vertical gastroplasty, as well as gastric banding. Experimental procedures include gastric pacing. All of these operations can be performed by open surgery and laparoscopically. Conclusions: Since bariatric surgery is the only broadly successful treatment for morbid obesity,it is incumbent on all physicians to be familiar with current bariatric operations, and to understand the evolution of bariatric surgery.     

Surgical endoscopy training is integral to general surgery residency and should be integrated into residency and fellowships abandoned

It is a basic premise that laparoscopic procedures are an integral part of the practice of general surgery. Currently, general surgery training programs as a whole are failing to provide residents with significant surgical experience in advanced laparoscopic procedures. The teaching of advanced laparoscopic procedures can and should be incorporated into the 5-year surgical residency. The challenge for Program Directors is that it is time to restructure general surgery training so that additional fellowship training is not required to provide an adequate experience in this fundamental part of general surgery.     

Current concepts in aesthetic orthognathic surgery

While orthognathic surgery provides a significant improvement in masticatory, dentofacial, and airway function, proper and considered preoperative planning can significantly enhance facial harmony and balance as well. Also, orthognathic procedures to correct underlying skeletal discrepancies in concert with, or prior to, other cosmetic procedures can greatly enhance the patient's final result. This paper reviews the use of the occlusal plane angle as a guide for improved aesthetic results with bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. It also provides several examples of facial cosmetic procedures performed as an adjunct to dentofacial surgery. A rationale of timing of these procedures is offered.     

Day surgery guidelines

Day surgery has made major strides in keeping with advances in surgical and anaesthetic techniques. Patient and financial benefits of early ambulation and enhanced recovery programmes are well recognized. The NHS Modernisation Agency recommends that 75% of all surgical procedures performed in a Trust should be done as day case procedures. National and international interest in day case surgery guidelines and pathways on: patient care, facilitating admission and discharge, and logistical aspects of running a day case unit have helped tremendously in the growth of day case surgery. Patient groups and surgical procedures that can be done as day case procedures are ever evolving. Patient safety has been paramount in all these ventures. Selected urgent and emergent surgical procedures are also increasingly considered safe to be delivered as day case procedures.     

Contribution of ambulatory digestive surgery

In France, ambulatory surgery is controlled by specific regulations which outline the organization of the facilities. It is practiced less in France than in other countries, but specific governmental incentive policies have been instituted. The characteristic feature of digestive surgery is the high occurrence of post-operative nausea and vomiting due to the peritoneal incision. New surgical procedures and anesthetic regimens allow ambulatory care in children and adults. But the choice of ambulatory care is based on the patient's characteristics more than on surgical procedure and follows well-known selection criteria. The procedures concerned in general surgery are groin hernia repair, proctologic surgery, and subcutaneous tissue surgery. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and neck surgery in increasing numbers of patients on an ambulatory basis is the first step before expanding ambulatory surgical procedures toward major surgery. Physicians must have a thorough knowledge of ambulatory surgery as an organizational concept.     

Koinzidenz eines Bauchaortenaneurysmas mit Pathologien viszeraler Hohlorgane

The management of patients suffering from abdominal aortic aneurysms with concomitant intestinal disease is demanding. Surgical procedures have to be evaluated meticulously with regard to morbidity and priority. We retrospectively investigated early and late results of nine patients (eight males, one female) with coincidental aortic and intestinal surgery during the last 9.5 years. The average age was 77 years (range 67-85). One-stage procedures were undertaken twice with implantation of aortic grafts to replace abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). During these emergency procedures, an aortoduodenal fistula was repaired in one case and resection of an ischemic segment of the sigmoid colon was resected in another. Seven two-stage procedures were performed as elective surgery. Five AAA were excluded before the intestinal repair. In two cases of urgent visceral pathologies, colon resection was done first, followed by elimination of the AAA. In case of elective surgery, two-stage procedures seem to be safe and effective. However, in certain emergent cases, one-stage procedures with implantation of vascular grafts in combination with colon or bowel surgery might also be justified.     

Qualit?tssicherung bei andrologischen Operationen

Total quality management in andrology does exist for different lab diagnostics and endocrinology, not however for andrological surgery. Scientific investigations and comparisons to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of certain procedures as well as advanced training courses held by professional societies are commendable, but do not reach the level of modern high-class total quality management. Case-related procedures based on routine data or case-covering, on routine data of the health insurance schemes based procedures are also conceivable for andrological surgery, but since andrological surgery accounts for about 1.5% of all urological surgery this is not the main point of interest.     

减肥手术治疗2型糖尿病近况

减肥有助于治疗肥胖伴发2型糖尿病,但目前尚无有效的药物治疗肥胖症.减肥外科手术能达到明显有效且持续的减重效果.约30%接受减肥手术的患者伴发2型糖尿病,减肥手术后多数患者的2型糖尿病得到缓解(胃肠Bypass手术的有效率为84%～98%,限制食物摄人型手术的有效率为55%～84%).本综述重点讨论各种类型的减肥手术治疗2型糖尿病的疗效及其可能的发生机制.     

Anaesthesia for minimally invasive cardiac surgery

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery is used for both extracardiac and intracardiac procedures. Extracardiac procedures, such as coronary artery bypass grafting, are often performed on a beating heart. Intracardiac procedures are done with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass. The surgery is performed via a minithoracotomy or a ministernotomy. Thoracoscopic video-assisted surgery, often with robotic assistance, necessitates prolonged one-lung ventilation to optimize exposure. Port-access surgery will require appropriate positioning of various catheters to establish cardiopulmonary bypass. Adequate flow during cardiopulmonary bypass may require suction augmentation of venous return and may increase the risk of air emboli. Limited exposure of the heart during surgery poses challenges with management of arrhythmia, haemostasis, myocardial protection and de-airing at the end of surgery. Patient selection is important to avoid intra-operative and post-operative complications. Prolonged single-lung ventilation, incomplete revascularization in hybrid procedures, and limited access for rapid intervention pose challenges with patient management. Conversion to sternotomy that may be required occasionally and extension of portals over several dermatomal segments mandate a versatile analgesic technique.     

Vascular surgery training in general surgery residency programs: the Canadian experience

OBJECTIVES: Vascular surgery is traditionally considered a component of general surgery. There is growing evidence of improved patient outcome related to surgeon volume and vascular certification status. The American Board of Surgery in the United States, as well as until recently the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada, requires that vascular surgery be considered an essential content area of general surgery training. This requirement is controversial. The purpose of this study was to describe experience and perceived competence in common vascular surgery procedures during general surgery residency training in Canada. METHODS: This web-based survey was conducted between January and June 2002. General surgery program directors (GSPDs), vascular surgeons involved in general surgery training programs (VSs), and senior general surgery residents (SRs) from the 13 English-speaking general surgery programs in Canada were surveyed. Questions were asked regarding which vascular surgery procedures are appropriate for general surgeons to perform, which procedures SRs are trained to perform, and which procedures SR intend to perform. RESULTS: The response rate was 62% for GSPDs, 57% for VSs, and 45% for SRs. Overall, 49% of SRs did not intend to perform any vascular procedures after training. GSPDs, VSs, and SRs indicated that most SRs should be and are trained to perform varicose vein surgery, leg amputation, and femoral embolectomy (P >.05). In addition, GSPDs, VSs, and SRs indicated that SRs should not be and are not trained to perform infrainguinal bypass grafting, carotid endarterectomy, or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (P >.05). There were significant differences with respect to ruptured AAA repair: 49% of SRs, 25% of PDs, and only 12% of VSs believe that general surgeons should be trained to perform ruptured AAA repair (P <.05). Overall, 76% of VSs believe SRs receive too little vascular training. CONCLUSION: There is similarity between GSPDs, VSs, and SRs with respect to vascular surgery training in Canadian general surgery programs. Vascular surgery training cannot be considered a component of general surgery. More rotations or fellowship training is required to become competent in management of common vascular surgery procedures. Perhaps this level of competence should not be an objective of general surgery training.     

Outpatient surgery in pediatric urology

Indications for ambulatory pediatric urological surgery have been broadened to include most inguinal and scrotal surgery, many endoscopic procedures and distal hypospadias repairs with or without chordee or urethroplasty. We have reviewed a 1-year experience with the 440 outpatient urological procedures performed at Children's Hospital of Michigan in 1984, and found a low (3.4 per cent) incidence of postoperative hospitalization and only a single complication. We conclude that outpatient surgery in well selected patients and procedures is safe, timely and economical.     

Endoscopic plastic surgery

This article discusses three of the most popular endoscopic procedures in plastic surgery. Brow lift, transaxillary breast augmentation, and abdominoplasty are all cosmetic procedures with a high demand on inconspicuous scars; however, many investigators are working on reconstructive endoscopically assisted procedures. The treatment of many facial fractures involving the upper third of the facial skeleton usually requires long bicoronal incisions similar to the incisions used in the traditional brow lift. Attempts are under way to use endoscopically assisted minimal-access techniques to reduce and fixate these fractures. Many flaps used in plastic surgery require long scars for harvest, as in the case of the latissimus dorsi muscle flap. A relatively long incision on the back is needed to gain access to the muscle so that it can be elevated from structures superficial and deep to it. Although it is unpopular, investigators have reported harvesting latissimus dorsi muscle flaps through fairly small incisions with the assistance of balloon dissectors and endoscopes. In the field of hand surgery, carpal tunnel release surgery has had more than one method proposed to transect the carpal ligament using endoscopes and special instrumentation. Although some reported series claim excellent results, many hand surgeons are reluctant to use endoscopes because of associated complications and a high recurrence rate of carpal tunnel syndrome. Plastic surgery has special demands that emphasize aesthetics in cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Although the lack of natural optical cavities has slowed the incorporation of endoscopic surgery in the specialty, surgically created cavities are used to allow for minimal access incisions. The future of plastic surgery will include an ever-increasing number of endoscopically assisted procedures. Cosmetic and reconstructive procedures will benefit from this new technology.