Should surgical novices trade their retractors for joysticks? Videogame experience decreases the time needed to acquire surgical skills.

Background: Video game experience (VGE) has been identified as a possible predictive factor for surgical skill. We hypothesized that surgical novices with previous VGE would acquire new surgical skills faster than those without.

Methods: Fourth-year medical students (M4) and first-year surgical residents (PG-1) completed a survey asking about standard demographic data and previous VGE.

Who will fail laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication? Preoperative prediction of long-term outcomes.

Background: A small but significant percentage of patients are considered failures after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF). We sought to identify preoperative predictors of failure in a cohort of patients who underwent LNF more than 10 years ago.

Methods: Of 312 consecutive patients undergoing primary LNF between 1992 and 1995, recent follow-up was obtained from 166 patients at a mean of 11.

The durability of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication: 11-year outcomes.

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) has become the most commonly performed antireflux procedure since its introduction in 1991. There are few studies with greater than 5-year outcomes. Herein we report a series of 312 consecutive patients who underwent primary LNF before 1996.

Nissen fundoplication: three causes of failure (video).

Background: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) has become the most commonly performed antireflux procedure for gastroesophageal reflux disease. The rate of failure following fundoplication varies from 2% to 30%, and revision is required in many of the patients who have recurrent or new foregut symptoms. Common causes of failure include hiatal hernia, wrap disruption, slipped wrap, and misplaced wrap.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass is superior to adjustable gastric band in super morbidly obese patients: A prospective, comparative analysis.

Hypothesis: Outcome following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) in super morbidly obese patients is significantly worse compared with the standard laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB).

Design: Prospective case series.

Setting: Community teaching hospital (490 beds).