title: Training the trainees: an evaluation exercise using the TLH and BSO model.
abstract: Our aim was to evaluate surgical training in gynaecological oncology by assessing the time required by a trainee to complete a single laparoscopic gynaecologic-oncological operation. A total of 135 patients with a BMI < 40 kg/m2, diagnosed with endometrial cancer, underwent a total laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TLH and BSO). Patients in Group I (n = 78) were operated on by a consultant gynaecological oncology surgeon and in Group II (n = 57) by sub-specialist trainees (SSTs). The mean patient age and BMI was 63.5 years and 29.6 kg/m2, respectively, in Group I and 64.5 years and 29.9 kg/m2, respectively, in Group II. Median operating times for Groups I and II were 58 and 90 min, respectively (p < 0.05). Furthermore, significant improvement was noted when comparing the average operating time between the first and second half of SST training. Even experienced gynaecological trainees take significantly longer to perform a reproducible laparoscopic operation. At the completion of training, an SST demonstrates improvement with respect to operation duration but is still not as fast as the trainer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Cancer, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, UK. srdjan.saso@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saso
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farthing
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghaem-Maghami
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology