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Background: The efficacy of simulation-based training in surgical education is well known. However, the development of training programs should start with problem identification and a general needs assessment to ensure that the content is aligned with current surgical trainee needs. The objective of the present study is to identify the technical skills and clinical procedures that should be included in a simulation-based curriculum in general surgery. Methods: A national, three-round Delphi process was conducted to achieve consensus on which technical skills and clinical procedures should be included in a simulation-based curriculum in general surgery. In total, 87 key opinion leaders were identified and invited to the study. Results: Round 1 of the Delphi process had a response rate of 64% (56/87) and a total of 245 suggestions. Based on these suggestions, a consolidated list of 51 technical skills or clinical procedures was made. The response rate in Delphi round 2 was 62% (54/87) resulting in a pre-prioritized order of procedures for round 3. The response rate in Delphi round 3 was 65% (35/54). The final list included 13 technical skills and clinical procedures. Training was predominantly requested within general open surgical skills, laparoscopic skills, and endoscopic skills, and a few specific procedures such as appendectomy and cholecystectomy were included in the final prioritized list. Conclusion: Based on the Delphi process 13 technical skills and clinical procedures were included in the final prioritized list, which can serve as a point of departure when developing simulation-based training in surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of intravenous (iv) fluid volumes on the secretion of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-Pro-BNP) in colorectal surgical patients and its association with cardiopulmonary complications (CPC). In addition, to examine if preoperative NT-Pro-BNP can predict the risk for postoperative CPC.METHODS: Blood samples from patients enrolled in a previously published clinical randomized assessor-blinded multicenter trial were analyzed. Included were adult patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery with the American-Society-of-Anesthesiologists-scores of 1-3. Samples from 135 patients were available for analysis. Patients were allocated to either a restrictive (R-group) or a standard (S-group) iv-fluid regimen, commencing preoperatively and continuing until discharge. Blood was sampled every morning until the fourth postoperative day. The primary outcome for this study was NT-Pro-BNP changes and its association with fluid therapy and CPC.RESULTS: The S-group received more iv-fluid than the R-group on the day-of-surgery [milliliter, median (range) 6485 (4401-10750) vs 3730 (2250-8510); P < 0.001] and on the first postoperative day. NT-Pro-BNP was elevated in the S-group compared with the R-group on all postoperative days [area under the curve: median (interquartile range) pg/mL: 3285 (1697-6179) vs 1290 (758-3719); P < 0.001 and in patients developing CPC vs no-CPC (area under the curve), median (interquartile range): 5196 (1823-9061) vs 1934 (831-5301); P = 0.005]. NT-pro-BNP increased with increasing fluid volumes all days (P < 0.003). Preoperative NT-Pro-BNP predicted CPC [odds ratio (confidence interval): 1.573 (0.973-2.541), P = 0.032; positive predictive value = 0.257, negative predictive value = 0.929].CONCLUSIONS: NT-pro-BNP increases with iv-fluid volumes given to colorectal surgical patients, and the level of NT-Pro-BNP is associated with CPC. Preoperative NT-Pro-BNP is predictive for CPC, but the diagnostic value is low.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03537989.

Since 2003, United States residents have been limited to an 80-hour workweek. This has prompted concerns of reduced educational quality, especially inadequate operating exposure. In contrast, the Danish surgical specialty-training program mandates a cap on working hours of 37 per week. We hypothesize that there is no direct correlation between work-hours and operative volume achieved during surgical residency. To test the hypothesis, we compare Danish and US operative volumes achieved during surgical residency training.Retrospective comparative study.The data from the US population was extracted from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education database for General Surgery residents from 2012 to 2013. For Danish residents, a questionnaire with case categories matching the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education categories were sent to all Danish surgeons graduating the national surgical residency program in 2012 or 2013, 54 in total.In all, 30 graduated residents (55%) responded to the Danish survey. We found no significant differences in mean total major procedures (1002.4 vs 976.9, p = 0.28) performed during residency training, but comparing average major procedures per year, the US residents achieve significantly more (132.3 vs 195.4, p0.01). When factoring in differences in time spent in training, this amounts to a weekly average difference of 1.2 cases throughout training.In this study, we find no difference in overall surgical volumes between Danes and US residents during their surgical training. When time in training was accounted for, differences between weekly surgical volumes achieved were minor, indicating a lack of direct correlation between weekly work-hours and operative volumes achievable. Factors other than work-hours seem to effect on operative volumes achieved during training.

Introduction Worldwide, medical supervisors find it difficult to get students to rise to the occasion when called upon to act as leaders of emergency teams: many residents/rescuers feel unprepared to adopt the leadership role. The challenge is to address the residents very strong emotions caused by the extremely stressful context. No systematic leadership training takes this aspect into account. Aim The overall aim of the course is to investigate whether, in an emergency, a clinical team leader could apply a conductor's leadership skills. Background An orchestral conductor is a specialist in practicing leadership focusing on non-verbal communication. The conductor works with highly trained specialists and must lead them to cooperate and put his interpretation into effect. The conductor works purposefully in order to appear calm, genuine and gain authority. Method A conductor and a consultant prepared a course for residents, medical students and nurses, n = 61. Ten × two course days were completed. The exercises were musical and thus safe for the students as there were no clinical skills at stake. The programme aimed to create stress and anxiety in a safe learning environment. Conclusion The transfer of a conductor's skills improved and profoundly changed the participating students', nurses' and residents' behaviour and introduced a method to handle anxiety and show calmness and authority. Perspectives If this course in leadership is to be introduced as a compulsory part of the educating of doctors, the ideal time would be after clinical skills have been acquired, experience gained and routines understood in the clinic.

Objective This systematic review examines the medical, psychological and educational literature for training in practising leadership of a team leader in emergencies. The objectives of this paper are (1) describe how literature addresses operational training in practising leadership for the emergency medical team-leader (2) enhance understanding of leadership training in the medical environment. Background Worldwide, medical supervisors find it difficult to get students to rise to the occasion as leaders of emergency teams. It appears that many residents feel unprepared to adopt the role as a leader in emergencies. Method A systematic review was conducted (May–December 2016) in accordance with the PRISMA 2009 Checklist. A literature search was conducted against a set of inclusion criteria. Databases searched included PubMed, Psycinfo (via Ovid), and ERIC. Results 27 articles covering the period 1986–2016 were analysed. Four sources of data were identified: Intervention studies practising leadership, intervention studies on simulation and leadership assessment, observation studies assessing leadership, interview/survey studies about the need for leadership training. No workable training in practising leadership in emergencies for doctors was found. The majority of the research projects focused on various different types of taxonomies. Conclusions No consistent and workable leadership training for the emergency medical teamleader was identified. One study for paramedics succeeded in training empowering leadership skills. For many years multiple taxonomies and leadership assessment tools have been developed but failed to come to terms with workable leadership training. The literature describes lack of leadership as highly detrimental to performance during a critical, clinical situation.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the content of conversations, feedback style, and perceived usefulness of feedback to trainee surgeons when conversations were stimulated by a tool for assessing surgeons’ non-technical skills. Methods: Trainee surgeons and their supervisors used the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons in Denmark tool to stimulate feedback conversations. Audio recordings of postoperation feedback conversations were collected. Trainees and supervisors provided questionnaire responses on the usefulness and comprehensiveness of the feedback. The feedback conversations were qualitatively analyzed for content and feedback style. Usefulness was investigated using a scale from 1 to 5 and written comments were qualitatively analyzed. Results: Six trainees and six supervisors participated in eight feedback conversations. Eighty questionnaires (response rate 83 percent) were collected from 13 trainees and 12 supervisors. Conversations lasted median eight (215) minutes. Supervisors used the elements and categories in the tool to structure the content of the conversations. Supervisors tended to talk about the trainees’ actions and their own frames rather than attempting to understand the trainees’ perceptions. Supervisors and trainees welcomed the feedback opportunity and agreed that the conversations were useful and comprehensive. Conclusions: The content of the feedback conversations reflected the contents of the tool and the feedback was considered useful and comprehensive. However, supervisors talked primarily about their own frames, so in order for the feedback to reach its full potential, supervisors may benefit from training techniques to stimulate a deeper reflection among trainees.

Great effort has been invested in improving the educational aspect of the Danish five-year national surgical residency programme. Among other initiatives, an updated logbook containing specific objectives was implemented in 2015. The effect of current and prior educational efforts has not previously been studied. In the present study, we aim to investigate the role of supervision in the national surgical residency programme and the self-perceived readiness to undertake the role of a specialist doctor in gastrointestinal surgery in a cohort of gastrointestinal surgeons graduating in 2012 and 2013.A retrospective study was conducted, and questionnaires matching the categories from the American Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education were distributed to all Danish surgical residents graduating from the national surgery residency programme in 2012 or 2013.A total of 30 graduated residents (55%) responded to the Danish survey. Among those, 14 (47%) felt ready to be a specialist in surgery. A total of 25 (83%) answered that increased supervision would have increased their selfperceived competencies to serve as a surgical specialist. Self -perceived readiness was significantly associated with level of supervision during surgical training (p = 0.02), whereas no association with operative volume could be established.A worryingly high number of graduates did not feel ready to undertake their role as a gastrointestinal surgical specialist. Adequate supervision seems to play a crucial role in education.none.not relevant.

Background Nontechnical skills are essential for safe and efficient surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of an assessment tool for surgeons' nontechnical skills, Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons dk (NOTSSdk), and the effect of rater training. Methods A 1-day course was conducted for 15 general surgeons in which they rated surgeons' nontechnical skills in 9 video recordings of scenarios simulating real intraoperative situations. Data were gathered from 2 sessions separated by a 4-hour training session. Results Interrater reliability was high for both pretraining ratings (Cronbach's α = .97) and posttraining ratings (Cronbach's α = .98). There was no statistically significant development in assessment skills. The D study showed that 2 untrained raters or 1 trained rater was needed to obtain generalizability coefficients >.80. Conclusions The high pretraining interrater reliability indicates that videos were easy to rate and Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons dk easy to use. This implies that Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons dk (NOTSSdk) could be an important tool in surgical training, potentially improving safety and quality for surgical patients.

Objective An investigation to determine any consensus in opinions and views in the literature about challenges or barriers in training leadership for emergencies. Summary of background data Leadership in emergencies is reported as being very important for patient outcome. A systematic review failed in 2016 to find any focused leadership training. In the literature, the research has described and focused on developing tools to evaluate leadership. Method Articles identified in the systematic review combined with other reviews and opinions were included to incorporate experiences, perceptions and emotions connected with leadership training in emergency situations. Two qualitative content analyses were conducted. The first analysis searched for opinions about leadership and leadership training in emergencies. The method was abductive – inductive qualitative content analysis. The second analysis searched, on the basis of an article written in 1986, statements about challenges regarding leadership training in all articles. This method was directed qualitative content analysis. Findings In total 40 articles covering the years 1986–2016 were analysed. An explicit need for workable leadership training of team leaders in emergencies was identified. The importance of the teamleader in emergencies was repeatedly stressed by 31/40 articles, leadership training is needed or required was stated by 30/40 articles, 27/40 articles described the emergency situation as stressful, complex, chaotic or unpredictable, 17/40 described the importance of self-confidence by the teamleader, and 8/40 described that the situation was perceived as creating concern, anxiety or panic. Conclusions The literature recommends finding a solution to teach residents to gain courage and confidence in stressful surroundings. The literature recommends finding a way to work with body language, non-verbal communication, attitude and appearance in order to radiate credibility in a setting separated from medical knowledge.

Udgivelsesdato: 2003-Nov OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a restricted intravenous fluid regimen versus a standard regimen on complications after colorectal resection. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Current fluid administration in major surgery causes a weight increase of 3-6 kg. Complications after colorectal surgery are reported in up to 68% of patients. Associations between postoperative weight gain and poor survival as well as fluid overload and complications have been shown. METHODS: We did a randomized observer-blinded multicenter trial. After informed consent was obtained, 172 patients were allocated to either a restricted or a standard intraoperative and postoperative intravenous fluid regimen. The restricted regimen aimed at maintaining preoperative body weight; the standard regimen resembled everyday practice. The primary outcome measures were complications; the secondary measures were death and adverse effects. RESULTS: The restricted intravenous fluid regimen significantly reduced postoperative complications both by intention-to-treat (33% versus 51%, P = 0.013) and per-protocol (30% versus 56%, P = 0.003) analyses. The numbers of both cardiopulmonary (7% versus 24%, P = 0.007) and tissue-healing complications (16% versus 31%, P = 0.04) were significantly reduced. No patients died in the restricted group compared with 4 deaths in the standard group (0% versus 4.7%, P = 0.12). No harmful adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: The restricted perioperative intravenous fluid regimen aiming at unchanged body weight reduces complications after elective colorectal resection.

Background Trainee surgeons would benefit from regular, formative assessments to ensure they learn the nontechnical aspects of surgical performance. Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons in Denmark (NOTSSdk) is a tool to assess surgeons' nontechnical skills (NTS) during an operation. The aims of this study were to explore which parts of NOTSSdk supervisors use to assess trainee surgeons' NTS, to determine the internal consistency reliability of NOTSSdk, and to estimate how many operations were needed to obtain reliable ratings of a trainee surgeon's NTS. Methods A total of 12 supervisors from 2 hospitals assessed 13 trainees in 48 procedures including laparoscopic cholecystectomies, inguinal hernia repairs, and laparoscopic appendectomies. Results NOTSSdk showed good internal consistency reliability ( R 2 = 0.95). Supervisors used both categories and elements of the tool to provide assessments, although 2 elements of leadership ("supporting others" and "coping with pressure") were considered irrelevant in 27% to 31% of the cases. Assessments of 5 procedures were sufficient to gain reliable ratings (Generalizability coefficient > 0.80) of a trainee surgeon's NTS. Conclusion As supervisors used the full tool, the internal consistency reliability was high and assessment of 5 procedures could be achieved in clinical practice, we suggest that NOTSSdk could be implemented as a formative assessment tool to facilitate the training of surgeons' NTS.

This paper describes the introduction of the training of non-technical skills on a mandatory course for surgical trainees. The training consisted of an introduction to non-technical skills in a plenum session and was followed by a full-scale simulation with debriefing in which participants reflected on their actions. Evaluations showed that90% of the participants found that the subject was relevant for their further training and some requested more simulation training. The course hereby addresses several of the Danish seven roles of a fully trained specialist doctor.

Meckel's diverticulum (MD) occurs in 2-4% of the population and is the most common congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract. A 67 year-old woman was admitted with acute abdomen. Abdominal X-ray showed pneumoperitoneum. During explorative laparoscopy a large perforated MD was found over the right hepatic lobe. CT-scans from an earlier admission revealed the MD but it was misinterpreted on that occasion. An MD in this place and in a person of this age is extremely rare. This case can primarily serve as differential diagnosis when CT-scans reveal mysterious subphrenic configurations.

This study was carried out to examine the efficacy of extraperitoneal pelvioscopy in detecting pelvic metastasis in patients scheduled to undergo radical cystectomy without preoperative chemo- or radiotherapy. The results of pelvioscopy were compared with those obtained by laparotomy. 54 consecutive patients underwent pelvioscopy without complications. Three were technically insufficient. Lymphatic tissue was biopsied in 29 (54%). Pelvioscopy demonstrated tumor dissemination in 5 patients (9.3%): 2 had pT4b tumor, 2 pelvic nodal metastases and 1 both. The remaining 49 patients with benign pelvioscopy were scheduled for laparotomy but 7 patients did not undergo the procedure: 3 had extrapelvic metastasis, 1 bronchial carcinoma, 1 aortic aneurysm, 1 refused surgery and 1 had pulmonary insufficiency. Accordingly, 42 patients underwent open exploration which demonstrated pelvic metastasis in 11: 9 had nodal metastasis, 1 a pT4b tumor and 1 both. Consequently the sensitivity of pelvioscopy in detecting pelvic metastasis was calculated at only 31%. This result indicates that extraperitoneal pelvioscopy should be considered a screening procedure rather than an accurate staging procedure for pelvic metastasis.

Ten patients have been reviewed in whom urethral stents were implanted for treatment of urethral stricture. Their urethral strictures had been treated with a median of 4.2 endoscopic urethrotomies under direct vision without success. The patients were first treated with optical urethrotomy, and dilatation to 30 F--after which the stents were inserted under direct endoscopic control. A total of 12 stents were inserted. All patients had a 30 mm stent inserted first, and two patients had an additional 20 mm stent inserted because of recurrent stricture at the distal or proximal end of the first stent. One patient had a urethrotomy 12 months after insertion of the stent because of a short recurrent stricture at its distal end. The median length of follow up was 24 months. The median preoperative maximum flow rate was 6.5 ml/s, and the median postoperative maximum flow rate was 20.3 ml/s. Half the patients had postmicturition dribbling postoperatively. The stents were covered with epithelium after 6-18 months, most between 12 and 18 months.

'Clam' enterocystoplasty has been performed in 23 patients in the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction. Twenty patients had neurogenic disorder while three were neurologically normal. Patients were evaluated urodynamically pre- and postoperatively. A significant change from a high pressure bladder to a low pressure bladder was found. Most patients had detrusor instability/hyperreflexia but 7 were operated due to poor bladder compliance. Only 2 patients had postoperative detrusor instability. Three patients later had a urinary diversion. Nineteen patients became dry giving a total success rate of 87% although 14 had to do clean intermittent self catheterization.

Labetalol (Trandate®) 50 mg i.v. was administered to a pre-eclamptic primigravida with an asphytic fetus prior to cesarean section, in order to reduce the risk of excessive increase in blood pressure during induction of anesthesia. Blood pressure fell rapidly from 170/110 to 115/85 mmHg. A dead infant was born. Oral labetalol is arguably a suitable remedy for pre-eclampsia, but if i.v. administration is necessary, an initial dose of 5–10 mg is recommended.

The therapeutic results in eight patients with congenital myelomeningocele and neuromuscular dysfunction of the lower urinary tract are presented. Urodynamic assessment was performed preoperatively and post-operatively. Ileocystoplasty was performed on all of the patients. The postoperative results were good in seven out of eight patients in whom urodynamic assessment reveals a low-pressure reservoir which functions well. All of the patients employ clean intermittent self catheterization and, employing this treatment, they are continent with stable renal function.

On the 3rd day after a cesarean section, because of pre-eclampsia, blood pressure was still high, oral labetalol 100 mg with an 8-hour interval was given, followed by 50 mg i. v. administered over 10 min, twice with a 5-hour interval. The last injection was immediately followed by an atrio-ventricular tachycardia with massive decrease in blood pressure. The reason for this is discussed.

A 32-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis had an uncomplicated pregnancy and labour two years after successful "clam" ileocystoplasty for urge incontinence and frequency of micturition. She remained well after three years following.

A case of common bile duct cyst, type 1, is presented. On account of the risk of development of cancer, excision of the cyst and the gall bladder is recommended. The duct system is then reestablished by means of hepato-jejunostomy. Scandinavian gastroenterologists should bear this condition im mind in patients of Asiatic origin with signs of biliary disease.

A 32-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis had an uncomplicated pregnancy and labour two years after successful "clam" ileocystoplasty for urge incontinence and frequency of micturition. She remained well after three years following.

A total of 1,065 men 60 to 70 years old completed a questionnaire regarding the voiding pattern. At the time of the questionnaire 81 men had already undergone an operation for prostatic hypertrophy (postoperatively queried, group 1) and 29 subsequently underwent an operation (preoperatively queried, group 2). The remaining 955 men were not referred for an operation before March 1987 (healthy, group 3).Approximately a third of the healthy men accepted the symptoms of frequency, post-micturition dribbling and weak stream as not requiring special medical attention, while group 1 men had the same symptom frequency as the untreated men and the symptom frequency was considerably higher in group 2. Post-micturition dribbling was not a specific characteristic of prostatism.

Urine from patients with interstitial cystitis has been reported to be more cytotoxic than urine from healthy subjects when tested in vitro against cells from a normal urothelial cell line. The purpose of the present study was to develop a method to measure urinary cytotoxicity and so make it possible to estimate the toxicity of urine from interstitial cystitis patients. The study included 10 women with interstitial cystitis and 10 healthy controls. Urine specimens were obtained from both groups and urine cytotoxicity was measured by a modified 51Cr-release assay: A range of urine dilutions was added to suspensions of target cells with intracellular bound 51Cr, and cellular death was recorded by measuring the 51Cr-release from the target cells. The transitional cell bladder cell lines T24 and Hu609 and the erythroleukemia K562 cell line were used as target cells. There was no difference in urine cytotoxicity between interstitial cystitis patients and healthy controls. Urine cytotoxicity was increased by dilution in both groups.

We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that early enteral nutrition might reduce the incidence of serious complications after major abdominal surgery. In a randomized double blind prospective trial 30 patients received Nutridrink and 30 patients received placebo through a nasoduodenal feeding tube. On the day of operation the patients were given median 600 ml nutrition/placebo, 60 ml/h. On the first postoperative day the patients received median 1000 ml nutrition/placebo, second day median 1200 ml nutrition, 1400 ml placebo, third postoperative day median 1000 ml nutrition, 1150 ml placebo and 4th postoperative day median 1000 ml nutrition, 800 ml placebo. All patients were followed for 30 days by the same investigator. The two groups were not different with regard to nutritional status and type of operation. The rate of postoperative infectious complications was significantly lower in the nutrition group, 2/30 compared to 14/30 in the placebo group (p = 0.0009). We conclude that early enteral nutrition given to patients after major abdominal surgery is followed by a major reduction in infectious complications.