title: Resident participation in laparoscopic hysterectomy: impact of trainee involvement on operative times and surgical outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of resident involvement on morbidity after total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of a National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database of total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign disease that was performed with resident involvement vs attending alone between Jan. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2011. Surgical operative times and morbidity and mortality rates were compared. Binary logistic regression was used to control for covariates that were significant on univariate analysis (P < .05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3441 patients were identified as having undergone a total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign disease. The mean age of patients was 47.4 ± 11.1 years; the mean body mass index was 30.6 ± 7.9 kg/m(2). A resident participated in 1591 of cases (46.2%); 1850 of the procedures (53.8%) were done by an attending physician alone. Cases with resident involvement had higher mean age, Charlson morbidity scoring, and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification and were more likely to be inpatient cases. With resident involvement, the mean operative time was increased (179.29 vs 135.46 minutes; P < .0001). There were no differences in the rates of experiencing at least 1 complication (6.8% for resident involvement vs 5.4% for attending alone; P = .5), composite severe morbidity (1.3% resident vs 1.0% attending alone), or 30-day mortality rate (0% resident vs 0.1% attending alone). Additionally, there were no differences between groups in the infectious, wound, neurorenal, thromboembolic, septic, and cardiopulmonary complications. Cases with resident involvement had significantly increased rates of postoperative transfusion of packed red blood cells (2% vs 0.4%; P < .0001), reoperation (2.2% vs 1.3%; P = .048), and a 30-day readmission (5.5% vs 2.9%; P = .015). In models that were adjusted for factors that differed between the 2 groups, cases with resident involvement had increased odds of receiving postoperative blood transfusion (odds ratio [OR], 4.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.18-11.33), reoperation (OR, 1.7, 95% CI, 1.01-2.89) and readmission (OR, 1.93, 95% CI, 1.09-3.42).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resident involvement in total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign disease was associated with clinically appreciable longer surgical time and small differences in the rates of postoperative transfusions, reoperation, and readmission. However, the rates of overall complications, severe complications, and 30-day mortality rate remain comparable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Igwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Electronic address: emailuppal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shitanshu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uppal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: NSQIP; laparoscopic hysterectomy; resident involvement; surgical outcome