Increasing Care for Underserved Communities Through a Global Health Residency Training Program.

Global health education is important for addressing health inequities nationally and internationally. Physician shortages in underserved areas suggest more exposure during training is needed. To study the impact of a global health training program on residents' perceived preparedness and intention to care for underserved populations.

A Contemporary Evaluation of Urological Outcomes After Renal Transplantation.

Introduction: Urological surgery after renal transplantation leaves patients at risk of infection and further urological complications. Our objective was to discern patient factors associated with adverse outcomes following renal transplantation to identify patients who would benefit from close urological follow-up.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted for patients undergoing renal transplantation between August 1, 2016 and July 30, 2019 at a tertiary care academic center.

Mitral Valve Translocation: A Novel Operation for the Treatment of Secondary Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Conventional annuloplasty repair of secondary (functional) ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is associated with a 60% recurrence of moderate or greater mitral regurgitation at 2 years. We developed a novel repair technique for IMR that addresses the underlying geometric alterations of the mitral valve apparatus and compared outcomes with those of conventional repair in a swine model.

Methods: Chronic IMR was induced by percutaneous embolization of the circumflex artery.

dV-Trainer vs. da Vinci Simulator: Comparison of Virtual Reality Platforms for Robotic Surgery.

Background: A virtual reality (VR) curriculum performed on the da Vinci Simulation System (DVSS) was previously shown to be effective in training fellows. The dV-Trainer is a separate platform with similar features to the da Vinci console, but its efficacy and utility versus the DVSS simulator are not well known.

Materials And Methods: A mastery-based VR curriculum was completed by surgical fellows on the DVSS (2014-2016) and on the dV-Trainer (2016-2018) at a large academic center.

Mentorship and formal robotic proficiency skills curriculum improve subsequent generations' learning curve for the robotic distal pancreatectomy.

Background: Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy is the accepted standard of care. The robotic distal (RDP) learning curve is 20-40 surgeries with operating time (ORT) as the most significant factor. This study evaluates how formal mentorship and a robotic skills curriculum impact the learning curve for subsequent generation surgeons.

Will It Play in Peoria? A Pilot Study of a Robotic Skills Curriculum for Surgical Oncology Fellows.

Introduction: To implement a mastery-based robotic surgery curriculum using virtual reality (VR) and inanimate reality (IR) drills at multiple Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO) fellowships.

Patients And Methods: A prospective study of curriculum feasibility and efficacy was conducted at four CGSO fellowship sites. All sites had simulators, and kits were provided to perform 19 biotissue drills.

Initial Clinical Experience With Mitral Valve Translocation for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Functional (secondary) mitral regurgitation (FMR) results from altered geometry of the mitral valve apparatus. Repair with restrictive mitral annuloplasty is associated with high rates of recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR). We developed a novel operative repair for FMR that translocates the intact mitral valve towards the apex.

Development of a Reproducible Swine Model of Chronic Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation: Lessons Learned.

Background: Durability of mitral valve repair for ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) remains poor. We established a swine model of chronic IMR, and describe the methods and lessons learned from this model.

Methods: Thirty-five swine underwent percutaneous myocardial infarction with ethanol ablation of the circumflex or obtuse marginal (OM) arteries.

Association of Mentorship and a Formal Robotic Proficiency Skills Curriculum With Subsequent Generations' Learning Curve and Safety for Robotic Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Importance: Learning curves are unavoidable for practicing surgeons when adopting new technologies. However, patient outcomes are worse in the early stages of a learning curve vs after mastery. Therefore, it is critical to find a way to decrease these learning curves without compromising patient safety.

Sutureless Closure of Arterial Cannulation Sites.

Objective: Percutaneous femoral cannulation for venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is commonly performed but percutaneous removal of arterial cannulas has not been broadly accepted. We hypothesized that a system that allows endovascular access to ECMO circuits along with the MANTA large-bore vascular closure device could be used to successfully close arterial ECMO cannulation sites in a large animal model.

Methods: Yorkshire swine (40 to 60 kg, = 2) were used for this study.

Methodology for Developing an Educational and Research Video Library in Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Objective: Explore the methods used and costs necessary for the creation and maintenance of a surgical video library with an emphasis on its applications in surgical education and scholarship.

Design: A methodology paper highlighting how to develop and utilize a surgical video library for trainee operative preparation, development of research projects, and surgeon credentialing.

Setting: The study was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a tertiary care medical center.

Correction to: Evolution of a Novel Robotic Training Curriculum in a Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship.

In the XML of the original article, L. Mark Knab's first name was tagged incorrectly.

Crowdsourced Assessment of Inanimate Biotissue Drills: A Valid and Cost-Effective Way to Evaluate Surgical Trainees.

Objective: Providing feedback to surgical trainees is a critical component for assessment of technical skills, yet remains costly and time consuming. We hypothesize that statistical selection can identify a homogenous group of nonexpert crowdworkers capable of accurately grading inanimate surgical video.

Design: Applicants auditioned by grading 9 training videos using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) tool and an error-based checklist.

Engineering a living biomaterial via bacterial surface capture of environmental molecules.

Synthetic biology holds significant potential in biomaterials science as synthetically engineered cells can produce new biomaterials, or alternately, can function as living components of new biomaterials. Here, we describe the creation of a new biomaterial that incorporates living bacterial constituents that interact with their environment using engineered surface display. We first developed a gene construct that enabled simultaneous expression of cytosolic mCherry and a surface-displayed, catalytically active enzyme capable of covalently bonding with benzylguanine (BG) groups.

Evolution of a Novel Robotic Training Curriculum in a Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship.

Background: Robotic surgery is increasingly being used for complex oncologic operations, although currently there is no standardized curriculum in place for surgical oncologists. We describe the evolution of a proficiency-based robotic training program implemented for surgical oncology fellows, and demonstrate the outcomes of the program.

Methods: A 5-step robotic curriculum began integration in July 2013.

Creating biological nanomaterials using synthetic biology.

Synthetic biology is a new discipline that combines science and engineering approaches to precisely control biological networks. These signaling networks are especially important in fields such as biomedicine and biochemical engineering. Additionally, biological networks can also be critical to the production of naturally occurring biological nanomaterials, and as a result, synthetic biology holds tremendous potential in creating new materials.