Satoru Kikuchi1, Tetsuya Kagawa2, Shinji Kuroda3, Masahiko Nishizaki3, Nobuo Takata3, Kazuya Kuwada4, Ryohei Shoji3, Yoshihiko Kakiuchi3, Toshiharu Mitsuhashi5, Yuzo Umeda3, Kazuhiro Noma3, Shunsuke Kagawa3, Toshiyoshi Fujiwara3. 1. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan. satorukc@okayama-u.ac.jp. 2. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Shikoku Cancer Center, Matsuyama, 791-0280, Japan. 3. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan. 4. Department of Surgery, Okayama Red Cross Hospital, Okayama, 700-8607, Japan. 5. Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The Endoscopic Surgical Skill Quantification System for qualified surgeons (QSs) was introduced in Japan to improve surgical outcomes. This study reviewed the surgical outcomes after initial experience performing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) and evaluated the improvement in surgical outcomes following accreditation as a QS. METHODS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients who underwent LDG for gastric cancer by a single surgeon were enrolled in this study. The cumulative sum method was used to analyze the learning curve for LDG. The surgical outcomes were evaluated according to the two phases of the learning curve (learning period vs. mastery period) and accreditation (non-QS period vs. QS period). RESULTS: The learning period for LDG was 48 cases. Accreditation was approved at the 67th case. The operation time and estimated blood loss were significantly reduced in the QS period compared to the non-QS period (230 vs. 270 min, p < 0.001; 20.5 vs. 59.8 ml, p = 0.024, respectively). Furthermore, the major complication rate was significantly lower in the QS period than in the non-QS period (0 vs. 10.6%, p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Experience performing approximately 50 cases is required to reach proficiency in LDG. After receiving accreditation as a QS, the surgical outcomes, including the complication rate, were improved.
PURPOSE: The Endoscopic Surgical Skill Quantification System for qualified surgeons (QSs) was introduced in Japan to improve surgical outcomes. This study reviewed the surgical outcomes after initial experience performing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) and evaluated the improvement in surgical outcomes following accreditation as a QS. METHODS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients who underwent LDG for gastric cancer by a single surgeon were enrolled in this study. The cumulative sum method was used to analyze the learning curve for LDG. The surgical outcomes were evaluated according to the two phases of the learning curve (learning period vs. mastery period) and accreditation (non-QS period vs. QS period). RESULTS: The learning period for LDG was 48 cases. Accreditation was approved at the 67th case. The operation time and estimated blood loss were significantly reduced in the QS period compared to the non-QS period (230 vs. 270 min, p < 0.001; 20.5 vs. 59.8 ml, p = 0.024, respectively). Furthermore, the major complication rate was significantly lower in the QS period than in the non-QS period (0 vs. 10.6%, p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Experience performing approximately 50 cases is required to reach proficiency in LDG. After receiving accreditation as a QS, the surgical outcomes, including the complication rate, were improved.
Authors: H Kamachi; S Homma; H Kawamura; T Yoshida; Y Ohno; N Ichikawa; R Yokota; T Funakoshi; Y Maeda; N Takahashi; T Amano; A Taketomi Journal: BJS Open Date: 2020-07-23