Generating a Prioritized List of Operative Procedures for Simulation-based Assessment of General Surgery Trainees Through Consensus.

Objective: To develop appropriate content for high-stakes simulation-based assessments of operative competence in general surgery training through consensus.

Background: Valid methods of summative operative competence assessment are required by competency-based training programs in surgery.

Method: An online Delphi consensus study was conducted.

Safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive esophagectomies versus open esophagectomies: an umbrella review.

Traditionally, esophageal oncological resections have been performed via open approaches with well-documented levels of morbidity and mortality complicating the postoperative course. In contemporary terms, minimally invasive approaches have garnered sustained support in all areas of surgery, and there has been an exponential adaptation of this technology in upper GI surgery with the advent of laparoscopic and robotic techniques. The current literature, while growing, is inconsistent in reporting on the benefits of minimally invasive esophagectomies (MIEs) and this makes it difficult to ascertain best practice.

Skeletal muscle surrogates for the acquisition of muscle repair skills in upper limb surgery.

Introduction: The required fidelity of synthetic materials in surgical simulators to teach tissue handling and repair requirements should be as accurate as possible. There is a poor understanding of the relationship between choice of muscle surrogates and training outcome for trainee surgeons. To address this, the mechanical characteristics of several candidate synthetic muscle surrogates were measured, and their subjective biofidelity was qualitatively assessed by surgeons.

Simulation in Upper and Lower Limb Trauma Skill Acquisition: A Review.

This review aimed to explore the published evidence with regard to the types and composition of both full- and part-task trainers to teach surgeons extremity exploration procedures in limb trauma management. Studies were included if they reported the development and/or validation of synthetic or virtual task trainers. Studies were evaluated to determine their derivation, usability, and clinical utility.

A Systematic Review of the Educational Effectiveness of Simulation Used in Open Surgery.

The role of simulation to teach and access open surgical skills has become more prevalent in recent years. This systematic review synthesizes the totality of evidence with respect to the educational effectiveness of simulators used in open surgical training. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science.

A systematic review and meta-analysis: Do absorbable or non-absorbable suture materials differ in cosmetic outcomes in patients requiring primary closure of facial wounds?

Introduction: Surgeons are often judged based on the cosmetic appearance of any scar after surgery rather than the functional outcome of treatment, especially when considering facial wounds.

Objective: We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine whether absorbable or non-absorbable suture materials result in different cosmetic outcomes for patients requiring primary closure of facial wounds.

Methods: An extensive systematic review was carried out to identify studies meeting our inclusion criteria.

Subcutaneous fat necrosis requiring plastic surgical intervention in an infant treated with whole-body cooling.

We report an infant who developed subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn (SCFN) secondary to cooling treatment for hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). While SCFN is usually self-limiting, this patient went on to develop a large haematoma on his back with overlying skin necrosis necessitating debridement and split thickness skin grafting. Initially, the area affected on his back showed a number of small fluctuant swellings.

Local anaesthesia versus spinal anaesthesia in inguinal hernia repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Inguinal hernias are a significant cause of morbidity. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the totality of evidence regarding the effectiveness of local anaesthesia when compared to spinal anaesthesia in individuals undergoing open inguinal hernia repair.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted.

The impact of a surgical boot camp on early acquisition of technical and nontechnical skills by novice surgical trainees.

Background: Acquisition of skills early in surgical training represents a significant challenge at present because of training time constraints. The aim of this study was to investigate if an intensive surgical boot camp was effective in transferring skills at the beginning of a surgical training program.

Methods: New core surgical trainees (n = 58) took part in a 5-day boot camp.

Salvage of critical limb ischemia with the "trellis reserve'' of subintimal superficial femoral-popliteal artery occlusion: a new modality in managing critical limb ischemia--a case report.

Subintimal angioplasty is a safe, effective, but nondurable procedure in treating long superficial femoral artery occlusions in patients with severe lower limb ischemia. The authors report a case of acute thrombosis that presented 16 weeks after subintimal angioplasty. The ;;Trellis'' percutaneous thrombolytic infusion system permitted a controlled site-specific infusion of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rtPA).

Endovascular repair of early rupture of Dacron aortic graft--two case reports.

Complications after open aortic surgery pose a challenge both to the vascular surgeon and the patient because of aging population, widespread use of cardiac revascularization, and improved survival after aortic surgery. The perioperative mortality rate for redo elective aortic surgery ranges from 5% to 29% and increases to 70-100% in emergency situation. Endovascular treatment of the postaortic open surgery (PAOS) patient has fewer complications and a lower mortality rate in comparison with redo open surgical repair.