Do Turkish gynecologists have sufficient knowledge on the basic principles of electrosurgery?

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the level of the basic knowledge of the Turkish gynecologists regarding electrosurgery.

Materials and methods: A survey was undertaken to evaluate the level of basic knowledge and attitudes regarding electrosurgery use among gynecology specialists and residents. The questionnaire used comprised of two parts: a) questions evaluating the participants' professional experience, whether they had received formal electrosurgery training, and their course of action concerning the use and safety precautions of the electrosurgery unit, and b) questions designed to evaluate the knowledge level of the participants on the basic electrosurgical principles.

Results: One hundred seventy-three gynecologists were included in the study and their mean knowledge score was 49.1 %. No difference was detected between the mean scores of specialists and residents. The mean score of participants who had read articles/papers on electrosurgery was significantly higher compared with uninformed participants (p =0.001). The mean score of participants who had previously attended electrosurgery training seminars was significantly higher compared with participants who had not attended seminars (p =0.013).

Conclusion: Gynecologists in Turkey do not have sufficient basic knowledge regarding the reliable and efficient use of electrosurgery. HIPPOKRATIA 2017, 21(1): 8-12.

Keywords: Electrosurgery; Turkish; gynecologist; knowledge; questionnaire; training.

Figure 1. Correct answer rates for each question of the second part of the questionnaire that evaluated the knowledge level of the participants on the basic electrosurgical principles.