Analysis of surgical complications and patient outcomes in a residency training program

OBJECTIVES: This study compares surgical complications and patient outcomes between pelvic reconstructive surgery performed by an experienced surgeon (group I)and those performed by resident physicians with the senior surgeon assisting and teaching (group 2). STUDY DESIGN: During a 5-year interval, 310 consecutive women underwent vag inal prolapse repair. Demographic, historic, and preoperative physical exam ination variables were compared. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were also compared. RESULTS: Patients operated on by the senior surgeon (Bob L. Shull) were thi nner (group 1 vs group 2: 25.8 kg/m(2) vs 27.1 kg/m(2); P = .014), more oft en had prior prolapse or incontinence procedures (55% vs 33%; P < .001), an d required shorter operating times (124 minutes vs 140 minutes; P = .002). The senior surgeon's patients differed from the resident physicians' patien ts with regard to stage of pelvic organ prolapse. No differences were obser ved for patient age (P = .51), estimated blood loss (P = .50), urologic com plications (P = .59), and hospital stay (P = .25). The durability of the re pairs was not different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated that in a tertiary referral practice resi dent surgeons can be taught to perform complex vaginal surgery with the onl y observed disadvantage being a slightly prolonged operative time.