The operative experience of present-day surgical residency training has evolved as a result of the contributions of laparoscopic surgery. Some traditional open procedures are now more descriptive and less of a familiarity to many general surgery residents (GSRs). The aim of this study was to investigate how open operative experience compares with laparoscopy for GSRs. A retrospective, multicenter, consecutive cohort study of all patients undergoing surgical intervention involving the appendix and gallbladder identified from the ACS-NSQIP database over a 2.5-year period. All GSR postgraduate year-level operative experience was recorded. Of 777 procedures, 13 laparoscopic appendectomy conversions to open (4.3%) by Rocky-Davis (15%) or lower midline (84.6%) incisions were performed versus 285 that remained laparoscopic (95.6%). Fifty (10.4%) open cholecystectomies (38 open + 10 conversions + 2 common bile duct (CBD) exploration), 27 (5.6%) laparoscopic cholecystectomies with cholangiogram, and 402 (83.9%) laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed. Twenty-nine different GSRs participated in procedures. Eighty-five (10.9%) operations were performed with multi–postgraduate year levels. Surgical residents have an unequal operative experience for case-specific open procedures. A competency-based system to demonstrate a resident's hands-on surgical skills is fundamental to residency training and should be considered for specific types of low-volume open surgical cases.
We present a rare case of perforated diverticulitis within an inguinal hernia sac adjacent to a synthetic mesh from a prior incisional hernia. An 80-year-old-female presented to the ED with abdominal pain. Cross-sectional imaging was significant for a small bowel obstruction with a transition point in the right lower quadrant (RLQ). On physical exam, the patient had palpable bilateral inguinal hernias that were reducible; however, after 48 hours of nonoperative management she failed to progress. Repeat imaging was concerning for incarcerated bowel within the inguinal hernia sac. She was taken to the operating room for exploratory laparotomy where the right inguinal hernia sac was found to contain sigmoid colon with diverticular perforation. A small bowel resection, right hemicolectomy and Hartmann’s procedure were performed. The previously placed synthetic mesh was not contaminated during this operation and was not removed. Her hospital course was otherwise unremarkable but prolonged by the patient’s deconditioned state.
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