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. 2008 May;90(4):305-9.
doi: 10.1308/003588408X285919.

Should oesophagectomies be performed by trainees? The experience from a single teaching centre under the supervision of one surgeon

Ryan Baron  1 , Vijay Sujendran, Nicholas Maynard
Affiliations

Should oesophagectomies be performed by trainees? The experience from a single teaching centre under the supervision of one surgeon

Ryan Baron et al. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2008 May.

Abstract

Introduction: Surgical training is threatened by anxieties about trainees performing major procedures. We have analysed the outcome of oesophagectomies performed by a consultant surgeon and compared these to the performance of trainees (years 4-6) operating under direct supervision.

Patients and methods: Data were collected retrospectively in a computerised database on all patients who underwent oesophagectomy at a teaching tertiary centre between December 1997 and April 2004 with a minimum 15 months' follow-up. Analysis of outcome was according to measures of technical adequacy, postoperative course, histological analysis, recurrence and survival.

Results: During the study period, 241 oesophagectomies were carried out; 157 (65.1%) of these procedures were performed by the consultant and 84 (34.9%) were performed by surgeons-in-training under direct consultant supervision. Pre-operative, technical adequacy, postoperative course, histological analysis, recurrence and survival were comparable in both groups.

Conclusions: These data demonstrate comparable patient outcome when suitably experienced trainees are supervised in performing oesophagectomies and support its continued use in operative training.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Survival.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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