Pen aortic surgical training with trainees as primary operator: a retrospective single-centre analysis

Abstract

Objective: To review safety outcomes of open aortic surgeries with vascular surgical trainees as the primary operator. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively accrued data was performed using our departmental database, electronic patient records and the National Vascular Registry for all elective open abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) (juxtarenal and infrarenal) repairs over 2 years between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018. Data on primary operator, training level, number of surgeons, assistant training level, operation time, duration of ITU and hospital stay, 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality and complications were obtained. Results: During the study period 83 elective open AAA repairs were carried out. The primary operator was a trainee in 46% (n=38) and a consultant in 54% (n=45). For trainees and consultants, median operation time was 178 min vs 215 min (p=0.036), duration of ITU stay was 1.5 days vs 2 days (p=0.270), duration of hospital stay was 5.6 days vs 6.8 days (p=0.037), 30-day mortality was 0.0% vs 2.2% (p=0.932) and 1-year mortality was 0.0% vs 2.2% (p=0.932), respectively. Conclusions: Safe surgical outcomes for open AAA repair can be achieved with vascular surgical trainees as primary operators.