Learning and teaching advanced laparoscopic procedures: Do alternating trainees impair a laparoscopic surgeon's learning curve?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: In this study we investigated whether teaching advanced laparoscopic procedures like laparoscopic-assisted surgical staging (LASS) for endometrial cancer negatively affects the learning curve of the attending surgeon. DESIGN: Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3.) SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arizona, Tucson. PATIENTS: One hundred twenty-four patients undergoing LASS for endometrial cancer at our institution from 1992 through 2004 were included for analysis. INTERVENTIONS: Cases were classified into 3 groups. Group A comprised the initial learning phase where 2 attending gynecologic oncologists used other faculty as assistants (first 30 cases). Groups B and C comprised procedures after the learning phase involving attendings (n = 27, group 13) or obstetrics and gynecology residents (n = 67, group Q as trainees. Groups were compared with respect to general outcome parameters and disease-free survival. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients within all groups were comparable with respect to age and height or body mass index. In the subgroup analysis, a decrease in blood loss and length of stay occurred mainly during the group B series. Pelvic lymph node yield reached oncologic standards during the initial learning curve (median 12-13) and remained stable during both teaching phases. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 2.4% and 13.7% of cases, respectively. Ninety percent of intraoperative and 64% of postoperative complications occurred within the first half of the series and were not correlated with type of assistance. Survival data were obtainable in 65% of cases with a median follow-up of 3.6 years. Disease free-survival was 92.5% in stage I disease and without significant difference among the groups. CONCLUSION: After gaining proficiency in the procedure, more or less surgically experienced trainees can be actively included without hampering the progress of the attending's learning curve. (c) 2007 AAGL. All rights reserved.