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PubMed1996

Ethics and the police surgeon: compromise or conflict?

Police surgeons play an important role in the British criminal justice system. Professionally located between the two worlds of medicine and the law, they face ethical dilemmas which derive from the dual nature of their role. The development of the police surgeon service has seen the emergence of three further dualisms within the police surgeon role. These are the forensic-therapeutic divide, the specialist-generalist division, and the issue of dependence or independence with regard to the police. These internal dualisms are discussed and their implications explored. Attention then turns to a consideration of three issues which demonstrate the nature of the ethical dilemmas facing the British police surgeon: the particular articulation of the (police) doctor-patient relationship, the matter of consent, and the subject of confidentiality. Both these ethical issues and the nature of the police surgeon role are explored through the primary analysis of survey and interview data collected from a national sample of police surgeons and police services, and the secondary analysis of key documents on the police surgeon, the paper concludes that specific ethical guidance is needed to address the forensic aspects of the police surgeon role.

Confidentiality↗
PubMed2006

Trauma management outcomes associated with nonsurgeon versus surgeon trauma team leaders.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We compare the effectiveness of surgeon and nonsurgeon trauma team leaders. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted using data from a Canadian trauma registry database. Data from April 1, 1998, to March 31, 2005, from blunt and penetrating trauma patients aged 16 years or older and with trauma team activation (and without major burns) were included. Patient age, sex, trauma team leader (surgeon or nonsurgeon), mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score, survival to 3 hours and to discharge, length of stay in the hospital, and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) z scores were tabulated. RESULTS: Data from 807 patients were included. Because of the limited number of penetrating trauma cases, analyses focused on blunt trauma. Surgeon and nonsurgeon trauma team leader groups did not differ on injury severity, age, or sex. No difference was noted in survival to discharge (nonsurgeon 84.8%-surgeon 81.8%=3%; 95% confidence interval [CI] -3.5% to 9.5%), survival to 3 hours (nonsurgeon 96.8%-surgeon 96%=0.8%; 95% CI -2.2% to 3.8%), length of stay (median 13 days for nonsurgeon and 12 days for surgeon groups), or difference between actual and predicted survival (TRISS z scores nonsurgeon 0.64; surgeon 0.99). No trend toward group differences on any outcome variable was observed in penetrating trauma cases. CONCLUSION: No differences were found in the outcome of trauma patients treated by nonsurgeon versus surgeon trauma team leaders. These findings support a more collaborative approach to resuscitative trauma management with involvement of nonsurgeons as trauma team leaders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Evaluating individual surgeons based on total hospital costs: evidence for variation in both total costs and volatility of costs.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in evaluating quality in health care, extending to the assessment of outcomes, including costs, for individual surgeons. STUDY DESIGN: Surgical patients entered in the private sector National Surgical Quality Improvement Program at the University of Michigan Medical Center between September 2003 and September 2004 were included. Patient level characteristics and outcomes measures were combined with internal hospital cost data. Analysis was performed at the individual surgeon level using hospital costs as the outcomes variable, controlling for patient case-mix variables and procedural complexity. We used an econometric statistical model combining ordinary least squares and quantile regression methods, which allowed us to examine the effect of individual surgeons on costs. RESULTS: Considerable variation in costs across surgeons is demonstrated, holding patient case mix and procedural complexity constant. This is shown for mean estimates (p<0.001) and estimates of 10th (p=0.001), 50th (p<0.001), and 90th (p=0.013) percentiles. Examining the 10th to 90th interquantile range also demonstrates substantial variation in the ranges of costs for surgeons (p=0.005), implying volatility in costs across providers, again holding patient case mix and procedural complexity constant. In dollar terms, 6 of 28 surgeons differ from a reference surgeon by 39% or more. CONCLUSIONS: Individual surgeons appear to have statistically and clinically significant differences in their costs and volatility of costs when holding patient factors and procedural complexity constant. Implications for quality improvement and incentive programs are discussed.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed2006

Attitudes of hand surgeons, hand surgery patients, and the general public regarding psychologic influences on illness.

PURPOSE: Psychologic influences on illness are well recognized but infrequently addressed in the interactions of hand surgeons and patients. This study assessed the attitudes of hand surgery patients and hand surgeons regarding psychologic influences on illness and compared their attitudes with those of the general population. METHODS: An 8-question survey regarding participant's attitudes toward psychologic influences on illness was given to the general public (people waiting in an airport), patients presenting to a hand surgery practice, and members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. RESULTS: A total of 474 surgeons, 85 patients, and 42 public participants completed the survey. There were no notable differences between patients and the general public, but the surgeons' attitudes were markedly different from both patients and the general public with respect to 4 items: the surgeons underestimated the openness of patients and the general public to discussing psychologic influences and willingness to see a psychologist or psychiatrist; and they were more supportive than the general public or patients regarding the opinion that the placebo effect reflects the strong influence of psychologic factors in healing and that psychologic stress often is expressed as a physical complaint. The distribution of patient responses showed 2 subgroups with respect to the idea that psychologic stress often is expressed as a physical complaint and with regard to willingness to see a mental heath professional, reflecting that a subset of patients with a hand illness may be resistant to these concepts. CONCLUSIONS: Hand surgery patients and the general public are not as aware of the psychologic influences on illness as are hand surgeons, but they are more willing to consider and discuss psychologic factors-and even psychologic treatment-than their surgeons realize. Surgeons' views may be colored by a few negative interactions with challenging patients, but a dialogue with our patients regarding the influence of psychologic issues on illness will be well received by most patients and may facilitate recovery.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Survival after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: effect of patient, surgeon, and hospital factors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of patient, surgeon, and hospital factors on survival after repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and to compare them with risk factors for survival after elective AAA repair. It was hypothesized that patients operated on by high-volume surgeons with subspecialty training would have better outcomes, which might argue for regionalization of AAA surgery. METHODS: In this population-based retrospective cohort study, surgeon billing and administrative data were used to identify all patients who had undergone AAA repair between April 1, 1992, and March 31, 2001, in Ontario, Canada. Demographic information was collected for each patient, as well as numerous variables related to the surgeons and hospitals. RESULTS: There were 2601 patients with ruptured AAA repair, with an average 30-day mortality rate of 40.8%. Significant independent predictors of lower survival were older age, female gender, lower patient income quintile, performance of surgery at night or on weekends, repair in larger cities, surgeons with lower annual volume of ruptured AAA operations, and surgeons without vascular or cardiothoracic fellowship training. There were 13,701 patients with elective AAA repair, with an average 30-day mortality rate of 4.5%. Significant independent predictors of lower survival were similar, except gender was not significant, but the Charlson Comorbidity Index was. When the hazard ratios associated with predictive factors were compared, surgeon factors appeared to be more important in ruptured AAA repair, and patient factors appeared more important in elective AAA repair. CONCLUSION: For elective AAA repair, and even more so for ruptured AAA repair, high-volume surgeons with subspecialty training conferred a significant survival benefit for patients. Although this would seem to argue in favor of regionalization, decisions should await a more complete understanding of the relationship between transfer time, delay in treatment, and outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Current guidelines produce competent endovascular surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the safety of percutaneous endovascular procedures (PEPs) during integration of endovascular skills into an urban academic vascular surgery practice and assess the hypothesis that currently accepted guidelines are a valid benchmark for endovascular competency. METHODS: From 2000 through 2004, an endovascular training paradigm was instituted to integrate endovascular procedures into an academic endovascular practice. The paradigm involved individual mentoring of vascular surgery faculty by a partner with mature endovascular skills. Mentoring continued until each surgeon achieved a procedural experience of 100 diagnostic angiograms and 50 percutaneous endovascular interventions. Once achieved, privileges were granted for independent endovascular practice. To assess the effectiveness of the training process and competency of the newly trained endovascular practitioner, the surgeon-specific 30-day incidence of major complications and deaths for all PEPs performed during and after the mentoring process was determined. Complications and deaths were assigned to the mentor during the training process and to the individual surgeon once endovascular privileges were granted. Complications were classified as local vascular, local nonvascular, or systemic/remote. RESULTS: From 2000 through 2004, 1208 PEPs were performed. During this time, three faculty surgeons achieved sufficient endovascular procedural experience and were granted endovascular privileges. Major complications consisted of 17 local vascular, three local nonvascular, and four systemic/remote. Three deaths occurred. Renal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty/stent procedures had the highest complication and death rate at 9%. The major complication and death rate per year was 1.8% to 4.9% (P = .32) and did not significantly vary. The major complication and death rate for all 1208 PEPs was 2.2%. The surgeon-specific complication and death rate was 1.9% to 3.6% (P = .14) and did not vary between surgeons. CONCLUSION: Endovascular skills can be safely transferred using a vascular surgeon-based training paradigm. When the training paradigm is directed at satisfying currently recommended guidelines for endovascular privileging, competent endovascular surgeons are the result.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Who are today's bariatric surgeons and which ones join the ASBS?

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to describe bariatric surgeons in the United States today and to determine whether those who are members of a major bariatric surgery specialty society differ from nonmembers. METHODS: We performed a national survey of a 50% cross-sectional random sample of all general surgeons in the United States to determine how many performed bariatric procedures. Through record linkage, we identified which surgeons were members of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS). We used bivariate tests of association (Pearson's chi2, Fisher's exact test, and the Student t-test) to compare demographic, training, and surgical practice characteristics of ASBS members and nonmembers. RESULTS: Of the 2906 survey respondents, 359 (12%) were bariatric surgeons. We estimated response rates of 55% among bariatric surgeons and 27% among others; 46% (n = 163) of those performing bariatric procedures were ASBS members. Members were more likely to be board-certified in general surgery, to perform newer surgical techniques, and to have a higher procedural volume. The years of bariatric experience were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Continuing medical education opportunities afforded by specialty society membership allow surgeons to remain abreast of the most recent advances in bariatric surgery technique and effectively address the complex health and psychosocial issues associated with morbid obesity. However, we found that only about half of all surgeons performing bariatric procedures in the United States are ASBS members. Standardization in the form of mandatory involvement in education and training activities or even specialty board certification in bariatric surgery might be necessary to ensure bariatric surgery skills and qualifications across the United States.

Bariatric Surgery↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The related outcome and complication rate in primary lumbar microscopic disc surgery depending on the surgeon's experience: comparative studies.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Studies concerning intraoperative complications and their influence on the clinical outcome of microscopic disc surgery are quite rare. Complication rates vary between 1.5% and 15.8%. A correlation between the surgeon's experience and the complication rate may be expected. PURPOSE: To determine the influence of the surgeon's experience on the intraoperative complication rate in lumbar microscopic disc surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Three studies are included: 1) retrospective analysis of intraoperative complications in microscopic disc surgery (N=1,872); 2) prospective follow-up study of microscopic disc surgery (N=583); 3) prospective evaluation of complication rates in microscopic disc surgery (N=90). PATIENT SAMPLE: Patient data sets from 1,872 lumbar microscopic disc surgeries performed between January 7, 1981, and June 31, 2000, were examined in a retrospective study. A total of 463 patients, operated on between 1991 and 1996, were followed up by a questionnaire. Finally, a prospective controlled trial (N=90) was performed. OUTCOME MEASURES: Such complications as incidental durotomy, wrong level exposure, or bleeding were analyzed based on the patient data sets by a blinded external evaluator. The rates of lower back pain and ischiatic pain were measured on a visual analogue scale at follow-up in Study 2 and Study 3. To measure the outcome of surgery in daily life activities and functional capacity, the Tegner activity level was calculated. In addition, a questionnaire with the Hannover score was used. The patient's social and economic status was also recorded. METHODS: A total of 1,872 lumbar microscopic disc surgeries, performed between January 7, 1981 and June 31, 2000, were examined in a retrospective study. Intra- and perioperative complications were evaluated and related to the surgeons' level of experience. Patients in the first group (XL) were operated on by the most experienced surgeon (more than 500 microscopic discectomies before the beginning of the study). The L-group surgeons performed between 50 and 100 microscopic disc surgeries before the study. This group included a total number of seven surgeons during the 1981-2000 time frame. None of this group reached the experience level of 500 surgeries during the course of the study. A total of 463 patients, operated on between 1991 and 1996, were followed up. Finally, a prospective controlled trial (N=90) was performed. Injuries of the dura, nerve root, ventral structures and wrong level exposure, which had been detected and corrected during surgery, were analyzed. In the second and third study, the outcome was correlated to surgery and complications during surgery. RESULTS: The rate of intraoperative complications showed a statistically significant difference between the groups. The comparison of both groups (n=1,872) with regard to the rate of intraoperative complications showed a statistically significant difference between 2.2% in the XL group and 10.7% in the L group (p< or =.001). Regarding work-related and socioeconomic factors, no significant difference in the outcome was seen. CONCLUSIONS: Microscopic disc surgery requires a course of instruction and a considerable number of surgeries under supervision by experienced surgeons. To shorten the learning curve, a number of standardized surgery steps to clearly identify anatomical landmarks are helpful. During training, these landmarks can be checked by an experienced surgeon to minimize the rate of intraoperative complications. Initial postoperative ischiatic pain was correlated to an incidental durotomy with p<.001. For long-term results after disc surgery, however, socioeconomic and work-related factors are of greater importance in spinal disc surgery than the incidence of intraoperative complications.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed2006

Uterine cancer in Maryland: impact of surgeon case volume and other prognostic factors on short-term mortality.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the patterns of primary surgical care and short term outcomes for uterine cancer according to surgeon and hospital case volume. METHODS: A statewide hospital discharge database was used to identify women undergoing primary surgery for uterine cancer during 1994-2005. Surgeon case volume was categorized as low ( or=100 cases/12 years). Hospital case volume was categorized as low ( or=200 cases/12 years). Logistic regression models were used to evaluate for significant factors associated with in-hospital death and access to high volume care. RESULTS: Overall, 6,181 cases for uterine cancer were performed by 894 surgeons at 49 hospitals. Low volume surgeons performed 62.4% of the cases. Management by high volume surgeons was associated with a 53% reduction in the risk of the case being managed by different attending physician/surgeon (95% CI 0.38-0.57, p<0.00). In contrast, 90.5% of cases were performed at high volume hospitals. Management by different attending physician/surgeon was associated with a 2.6 increase in the risk of in hospital death (95%CI 1.41-4.79, p=0.00). Surgery performed by high-volume surgeons was associated with a 48% reduction in the risk of in-hospital death (95%CI 0.26-1.00, p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical management of uterine cancer by high volume surgeons is associated with a decrease risk in in-hospital death. Increased efforts to concentrate the surgical management of uterine cancer by high volume surgeons at high volume centers should be undertaken.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The relationship of surgeon and hospital volume to outcome after gastric bypass surgery in Pennsylvania: a 3-year summary.

BACKGROUND: This study explores the volume-outcome relationship for gastric bypass surgery for obesity to determine whether higher-volume hospitals, higher-volume surgeons, or both are associated fewer adverse outcomes. METHODS: The Pennsylvania state discharge database was used to identify 4685 cases of gastric bypass surgery for obesity between 1999 and 2001. Statistical modeling analyses were used to determine whether mortality or adverse outcome rate was significantly related to hospital and surgeon volume; the data were controlled for risk factors such as age, gender, comorbidities, and others. RESULTS: There were 28 deaths (0.6%) and 813 adverse outcomes (17.4%). There was a significant risk-adjusted relationship between surgeon volume and adverse outcome, and the same trend was observed for deaths. Surgeons who performed fewer than 10 procedures per year had a 28% risk of adverse outcome and a 5% risk of death, compared with 14% (P<.05) and 0.3% (P=.06), respectively, for high-volume surgeons. Hospital volume did not reach significance, but there was a striking interaction between surgeon and hospital volume; surgeons who performed 10 to 50 cases per year operating in low-volume hospitals had a 55% risk of adverse outcome (P<.01). CONCLUSION: Risk-adjusted in-hospital adverse outcome is significantly lower when gastric bypass is performed by higher-volume surgeons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Trauma experience comparison of army forward surgical team surgeons at Ben Taub Hospital and Madigan Army Medical Center(2)(2).

Far forward life-saving surgical care is the mission of an army forward surgical team (FST). Trauma skill maintenance is necessary to complete that mission. A new program has been developed for FST training using the resources of a Level 1 trauma center. We sought to compare the experience of FST surgeons at a major urban trauma center with the yearly trauma experience at an army Level 2 trauma center.General surgeons of the 250th FST prospectively tabulated data for trauma patients during a September 1999 unit deployment to Ben Taub Hospital (Houston, Texas). Data collected included nature and location of injury, hospital admission, and surgical intervention. During 1999, similar data were collected at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) (Ft. Lewis, Washington), home station of the 250th and Level 2 trauma center since November 1998.The FST general surgeons observed 319 injuries. Of those injured, 104 were admitted and 19 underwent urgent operation. Direct participation by FST general surgeons in the operative procedures varied. In 1999, MAMC general surgeons treated 455 trauma victims in direct supervision of Army general surgery residents. Madigan Army Medical Center general surgeons admitted 304 and urgently operated on 57 trauma patients, while 107 patients were transferred to another institution for definitive management of orthopedic and nonoperative neurosurgical injuries.CONCLUSIONS:The volume of trauma surgical cases at MAMC during 1999 was 3 times that seen in the 1-month rotation at Ben Taub. General surgeons performed more trauma and abdominal surgery at MAMC with significantly more direct involvement in patient care and operative procedures. The experience of the 250th FST does not justify trauma sustainment deployments for surgeons from military trauma centers.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

The importance of surgeon volume and training in outcomes for vascular surgical procedures.

PURPOSE: Mortality and morbidity rates after vascular surgical procedures have been related to hospital volume. Hospitals in which greater volumes of vascular surgical procedures are performed tend to have statistically lower mortality rates than those hospitals in which fewer procedures are performed. Only a few studies have directly assessed the impact of the surgeon's volume on outcome. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to review a large state data set to determine the impact of surgeon volume on outcome after carotid endarterectomy (CEA), lower extremity bypass grafting (LEAB), and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA). METHODS: The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration state admission data from 1992 to 1996 were obtained. The data included all nonfederal hospital admissions. Frequencies were calculated from first-listed International Classification of Diseases-9 codes. Multiple logistic regression was used to test the significance on outcome of surgeon volume, American Board of Surgery certification for added qualifications in general vascular surgery, hospital size, hospital volume, patient age, and gender. RESULTS: During this interval, there were 31,172 LEABs, 45,744 CEAs, and 13,415 AAAs performed. The in-hospital mortality rate increased with age. A doubling of surgeon volume was associated with a 4% reduction in risk for adverse outcome for CEA (P =.006), an 8% reduction for LEAB, and an 11% reduction for AAA ( P =.0002). However, although hospital volume was significant in predicting better outcomes for CEA and AAA procedures, it was not associated with better outcomes for LEAB. Certification for added qualifications in general vascular surgery was a significant predictor of better outcomes for CEA and AAA. Certified vascular surgeons had a 15% lower risk rate of death or complications after CEA (P =.002) and a 24% lower risk rate of a similar outcome after AAA (P =.009). However, for LEAB, certification was not significant. CONCLUSION: Surgeon volume and certification are significantly related to better patient outcomes for patients who undergo CEA and AAA. In addition, surgeons with high volumes demonstrated consistently lower mortality and morbidity rates than did surgeons with low volumes. Hospital volume for a given procedure also is correlated with better outcomes.

Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal↗
PubMed1999

Factors influencing choice of implants in total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty: perspectives of surgeons and patients.

To determine the factors influencing surgeons' choice of implants for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA), 650 surveys were mailed to all active members of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons practicing in the United States; 364 surveys (56%) were completed and returned. Analysis revealed that the average number of total hip and total knee replacements performed by the respondents in 1997 was 81 and 97; there was substantial regional variation. The average number of hip implant and knee implant brands used by these surgeons in 1997 was 2.4 and 1.8. Anticipated improvement in clinical results and cost of components were the most frequently listed reasons for changing brands. Surgeons were also queried about cost reduction programs at their particular institution. The most frequently listed strategies for cost reduction of implants included surgeon cost-awareness programs and volume discounting. More than half of the respondents (53.5%) anticipate manufacturers to decrease the cost of implants in the next 2 years. Most of the respondents (93.7%) currently have the ability to choose a particular implant. About half (46.7%) anticipate losing some or all control of this decision in the next 3 years. These respondents foresee their hospitals requiring the use of a discounted implant in the future. An additional survey was completed by 102 consecutive patients scheduled either for primary THA (64) or primary TKA (38) at our institution. When asked about implant selection, 93.1% responded that their orthopaedic surgeon should choose the prosthesis; 5.9% responded that their physician in consultation with the patient should choose the prosthesis. When asked what should be the primary determinant of implant choice, cost or quality, the overwhelming majority (97.1%) chose quality. A small percentage (2.9%) chose cost and quality. No patient chose cost alone. A large number of patients (84.8%) responded that they would pay additional costs if their insurance companies or health maintenance organizations refused to pay for a better but more expensive implant. Most patients realized how expensive components are, and 51% of the respondents correctly estimated the cost of an implant. Orthopaedic surgeons perceive that they are losing control of implant choice in THA and TKA. Cost of implants is one of the most significant factors influencing which implant is chosen. Patients (the true payors), however, overwhelmingly want their surgeons to choose the implant used at surgery, and they want quality, not cost, to be the primary determinant of this decision.

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip↗
PubMed2006

Operating room costs of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: does surgeon volume matter?

Very few studies have addressed the issue of surgeon volume on cost savings of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in Asian countries. The objectives of the study were to analyze LC operating-room (OR) costs between two study hospitals and to examine the effect of surgeon volume on OR costs. Patients diagnosed with gallbladder disease who underwent LC in October through December 2002 at two acute tertiary-care hospitals were included. Patient demographics and clinical information were derived from patient charts. Cost information was obtained from purchasing departments or specific cost centers. Three multivariate linear regression models were performed to examine the association between surgeon volume, cost, and utilization. There were no significant differences in patient demographics and disease severity between the two hospitals. Hospital A consumed fewer resources than did hospital B (NTdollars 21,674 vs NTdollars 26,417). Direct materials cost, direct professional costs, and indirect costs varied significantly by study hospital and by surgeon volume. High-volume surgeons incurred lower costs and shorter stay as compared with low-volume surgeons. Patients who scored in the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA PS) 3 incurred significantly higher costs and longer hospital stays than did patients with ASA PS 1. The present study supports the proposal that hospital management and experience of surgeons are of equal importance in maintaining the standing of hospitals in competitive positions. In addition to the differences in hospital management and surgeon volume, the patient severity of illness also needs to be taken into consideration in cost containment.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Complications with permanent damage in endonasal paranasal sinus operations--more frequent in experienced surgeons?].

BACKGROUND: The rate of serious complications in endonasal sinus surgery has not gone down although optical aids are widely used nowadays. Are serious complications caused more often by unexperienced or experienced surgeons using a microscope and/or endoscope? METHODS: We defined serious complications as follows: death, persistent neurological deficits or permanent loss of vision, and injury to the internal carotid artery. Two different studies were made: the first consecutive 300 interventions of 6 sinus surgeons were evaluated. Sixteen malpractice cases were analysed regarding the experience of the surgeon. RESULTS: In 9 out of 16 malpractice cases serious complications were attributable to experienced surgeons, five to moderately experienced surgeons, and only two to an inexperienced surgeon (although he had extensive experience in external sinus surgery). There were 6 deaths, 6 neurologic defects, 2 visual disorders, and 2 injuries to the internal carotid artery without any sequelae. In 9 cases the serious complications were related to injury of the internal carotid artery, in five cases to perforation of the skull base. Twice the orbital wall was penetrated. In 1800 procedures performed by 6 surgeons, no serious complications were encountered. There were only lesions of the periorbit (n = 33) or CSF leaks (n = 8) without any permanent damage to the patient. CONCLUSIONS: Even an experienced surgeon must always keep in mind that serious complications can occur in sinus surgery. One must constantly be alert to the possibility of anatomical variants or specific pathologic findings.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1996

Transmission of hepatitis C virus by a cardiac surgeon.

BACKGROUND: In the course of a study conducted in 1992 through 1994 of the efficacy of screening blood donors for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), we found that two patients had acquired hepatitis C after cardiac surgery, with the transmission apparently unrelated to blood transfusions. Because their surgeon had chronic hepatitis C, we sought to determine whether he was transmitting the virus to his patients. METHODS: Of 222 of the surgeon's patients who participated in studies of post-transfusion hepatitis between 1988 and 1994, 6 contracted postoperative hepatitis C, despite the use of only seronegative blood for transfusions. All six patients had undergone valve-replacement surgery. Analyses were performed to compare nucleotide sequences encompassing the hypervariable region at the junction between the coding regions for envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2 in the surgeon, the patients, and 10 controls infected with the same HCV genotype. RESULTS: The surgeon and five of the six patients with hepatitis C unrelated to transfusion were infected with HCV genotype 3; the sixth patient had genotype 1 and was considered to have been infected from another source. Thirteen other patients of the surgeon had transfusion-associated hepatitis C and were also infected with genotype 1. The average net genetic distance between the sequences from the five patients with HCV genotype 3 and those from the surgeon was 2.1 percent (range, 1.1 to 2.5 percent; P < 0.001), as compared with an average distance of 7.6 percent (range, 6.1 to 8.3 percent) between the sequences from the patients and those from the controls. The results of phylogenetic-tree analysis indicated a common epidemiologic origin of the viruses from the surgeon and the five patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that a cardiac surgeon with chronic hepatitis C may have transmitted HCV to five of his patients during open-heart surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Does a general surgery clerkship influence student perceptions of surgeons and surgical careers?

BACKGROUND: Student perceptions of surgeons and surgical careers may influence their decision to pursue a surgical career. We evaluated the impact of a general surgery clerkship on medical student perceptions of surgeons and surgical careers and of the clerkship on student interest in surgical careers. METHODS: We conducted voluntary pre- and postclerkship surveys of third-year medical students who were enrolled in their required general surgery clerkship and used 5-point Likert scale rankings to capture agreement with declarative statements (1 = strongly agree; 5 = strongly disagree). T-tests were used to evaluate both paired and individual items. RESULTS: Students indicated that their surgical clerkship improved their opinion of surgeons (2.47; P <.001). Several perceptions changed after the clerkship. First, students agreed more strongly that surgeons were compassionate physicians (ranking, 2.87 vs 2.53; P =.003) and that patients respected surgeons (ranking, 1.84 vs 1.62; P =.026). Acknowledgment of career satisfaction by students increased (ranking, 2.57 vs 2.22; P =.008). Students more strongly disagreed that "surgeons [were] respectful of other physicians" (ranking, 3.29 vs 3.62; P =.009). Interest in surgical careers did not change significantly during the clerkship (ranking, 2.83 vs 2.68; P =.218). CONCLUSIONS: Medical student perceptions of surgeons and surgical careers generally improve during the surgical clerkship. However, student impressions of surgeons' collegial behavior and commitment to teaching deteriorate significantly during the surgical clerkship.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Resection of the head of the pancreas in Finland: effects of hospital and surgeon on short-term and long-term results.

BACKGROUND: To study the effect of hospital volume and surgeon volume on postoperative hospital mortality, morbidity and long-term survival after resection of the head of the pancreas in a nationwide study (case record study), taking into a consideration risk factors found important in series based on experience in one hospital. METHOD: The case record investigation of 374 patients identified from the National Hospital Discharge Database as having undergone resection of the head of the pancreas between 1990 and 1994 in Finland. RESULTS: The records of 350 patients were obtained for analysis. Operations were performed in 33 hospitals by 98 surgeons (average 2.1/year/hospital and 0.7/year/surgeon). Hospital mortality was 36/350 (10%), increasing from 4 and 7 to 13% with decreasing hospital volume from > 10 and 5-10 to < 5 respectively (P < 0.05) and increasing from 3 and 10 to 14% with decreasing surgeon volume from > 3 and 1-3 to < 1, respectively (P < 0.05). Most deaths were caused by surgical or technical complications (31/36 = 86%). Besides hospital mortality, postoperative complications, re-operations and hospital stay were also affected by surgeon volume. In the univariate analysis, also the age of the patient had an effect on the hospital mortality, and preoperative biliary stenting on the uncomplicated recovery, but in the multivariate analysis hospital mortality was independently affected by age (OR 0.94, P = 0.004) and surgeon volume (OR 1.3, P = 0.04), re-operations by surgeon volume (OR 1.10, P = 0.05) and hospital volume (OR 1.03, P = 0.05), postoperative complications by using the preoperative stent (OR 0.45, P = 0.02). Long-term survival was dependent on the histology of the specimen and by uncomplicated recovery, but not by hospital volume or surgeon volume. CONCLUSION: To decrease postoperative morbidity, mortality and hospital stay, pancreatic head surgery needs to be concentrated to only a few hospitals and to a few surgeons.

Databases, Factual↗