Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Comparative Study
Effect of Establishing a Teaching Assistant Case Minimum on General Surgery Residents: 18-Year Comparison of a Single Institution to National Data.
Teaching assistant (TA) cases are a training mainstay, due to increased resident autonomy. Since 2014, the American Board of Surgery (ABS) requires a 25 TA case minimum for graduating resident eligibility for board certification. Herein, we analyze our institution's experience compared with the national average, for any change effected by the requirement. ⋯ Teaching assistant cases are an invaluable resource for residents, fostering increased autonomy. Since the 2014 minimum, a statistically significant increase in TA cases was noted in our program and nationally. The majority of sub-categories logged were core procedures. Unequivocally, the TA case minimum requirement has made a difference. This will hopefully lead to increased autonomy and therefore, more comfortable and capable general surgeons. Wide variability is noted in what counts as a TA case, with further clarification needed by the ACGME and ABS.
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Multicenter Study
Electric Scooter Injury in Southern California Trauma Centers.
Electric scooters are popular in Southern California due to their ease of use, affordability, and availability. The objective of this study was to characterize how hospital admissions and outcomes varied due to electric scooter injury among Southern California trauma centers. ⋯ Injuries from electric scooter crashes are primarily to the head, face, and extremities, with approximately 1 in 5 patients requiring ICU admission and/or a surgical intervention. There is significant variation in patient volume among Southern California trauma centers that could affect the delivery of care with the abrupt introduction of this technology. Targeted public health interventions and policies might better address community use of the electric scooter.
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Predicting outcomes and response to therapy through biomarkers is a major challenge in cancer research. In previous studies, we suggested that inappropriate "normal" tissue samples used for comparison with tumors, inter-individual heterogeneity in gene expression, and genetic ancestry all influence biomarker expression in tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate these factors in breast cancer using breast tissues from healthy women and normal tissue adjacent to tumor (NAT) with matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) as a candidate biomarker. ⋯ Transcriptome differences across healthy, NAT, and tumor tissue in breast cancer demonstrate an active para-inflammatory network in NATs and indicate unsuitability of NATs as "normal controls" in biomarker discovery. The discordance between transcriptomic and proteomic MMP7 expression in NATs and the influence of genetic ancestry on its protein expression highlight the complexity in developing universally acceptable biomarkers of breast cancer and the importance of genetic ancestry in biomarker development.
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En bloc celiac axis resection (CAR) for pancreatic cancer is considered increasingly after modern neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Appleby and distal pancreatectomy with CAR are anatomically inaccurate terms, as tumors can extend beyond celiac axis proper, requiring concurrent resection of the proper hepatic artery and/or superior mesenteric artery. ⋯ Current terminology for CAR inadequately describes all operative variants. Our classification, based on the largest single-center series, allows complex operative planning and standardized reporting across institutions. Extent of arterial involvement determines pancreatectomy type, need for arterial revascularization, and likelihood of gastric preservation. Operative mortality has improved, morbidity remains significant, and survival favorable after extended NAC with associated pathologic responses; given these factors, CAR should only be considered in fit patients with objective NAC responses at specialized centers.
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Previous work has demonstrated the impact of sex on the relationship between confidence and competence, with women having less confidence and less self-perceived competence. Recent recruitment of examiners by the American Board of Surgery (ABS) allowed exploration of confidence and perceived competence. ⋯ Men reported practicing more broadly and were more confident than women in their ability to examine across ABS Certifying Examination content areas. However, the confidence of male surgeons was not restricted to those areas in which they reported practicing. These data have important implications for training, leadership, and professional development.