OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of skill of laparoscopic surgeons in electrosurgery. DESIGN: Subjects were asked to complete a practical diathermy station and a written test of electrosurgical knowledge. SETTING: Tests were held in teaching and non-teaching hospitals. SAMPLE: Twenty specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology were randomly selected and tested on the Monash University gynaecological laparoscopic pelvi-trainer. Twelve candidates were consultants with 9-28 years of practice in operative laparoscopy, and 8 were registrars with up to six years of practice in operative laparoscopy. Seven consultants and one registrar were from rural Australia, and three consultants were from New Zealand. METHODS: Candidates were marked with checklist criteria resulting in a pass/fail score, as well as a weighted scoring system. We retested 11 candidates one year later with the same stations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: No improvement in electrosurgery skill in one year of obstetric and gynaecological practice. RESULTS: No candidate successfully completed the written electrosurgery station in the initial test. A slight improvement in the pass rate to 18% was observed in the second test. The pass rate of the diathermy station dropped from 50% to 36% in the second test. CONCLUSION: The study found ignorance of electrosurgery/diathermy among gynaecological surgeons. One year later, skills were no better.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of skill of laparoscopic surgeons in electrosurgery. DESIGN: Subjects were asked to complete a practical diathermy station and a written test of electrosurgical knowledge. SETTING: Tests were held in teaching and non-teaching hospitals. SAMPLE: Twenty specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology were randomly selected and tested on the Monash University gynaecological laparoscopic pelvi-trainer. Twelve candidates were consultants with 9-28 years of practice in operative laparoscopy, and 8 were registrars with up to six years of practice in operative laparoscopy. Seven consultants and one registrar were from rural Australia, and three consultants were from New Zealand. METHODS: Candidates were marked with checklist criteria resulting in a pass/fail score, as well as a weighted scoring system. We retested 11 candidates one year later with the same stations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: No improvement in electrosurgery skill in one year of obstetric and gynaecological practice. RESULTS: No candidate successfully completed the written electrosurgery station in the initial test. A slight improvement in the pass rate to 18% was observed in the second test. The pass rate of the diathermy station dropped from 50% to 36% in the second test. CONCLUSION: The study found ignorance of electrosurgery/diathermy among gynaecological surgeons. One year later, skills were no better.
Authors: Amin Madani; Yusuke Watanabe; Melina C Vassiliou; Pascal Fuchshuber; Daniel B Jones; Steven D Schwaitzberg; Gerald M Fried; Liane S Feldman Journal: Surg Endosc Date: 2015-07-03 Impact factor: 4.584
Authors: Pascal R Fuchshuber; Thomas N Robinson; Liane S Feldman; L Michael Brunt; Amin Madani; Stephanie B Jones; Marc A Rozner; Malcolm G Munro; Jessica Mishna; Steven D Schwaitzberg; Daniel B Jones Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2015-07 Impact factor: 12.969
Authors: Liane S Feldman; L Michael Brunt; Pascal Fuchshuber; Daniel B Jones; Stephanie B Jones; Jessica Mischna; Malcolm G Munro; Marc A Rozner; Steven D Schwaitzberg Journal: Surg Endosc Date: 2013-07-17 Impact factor: 4.584