Surgical Specialties Research Articles

Pediatric Head and Neck Dog Bites in the United States: A NEISS Database Investigation of Risk Factors and Escalation of Care.

Pediatric patients experience increased morbidity secondary to head and neck dog bites. The authors examined risk factors among pediatric head and neck dog bite patients and which factors are associated with admission to inform prevention efforts. All patients who suffered head and neck dog bites from 2013-2022 in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database were reviewed. Demographics among discharged and escalation of care (EOC) patients were compared using multinomial logistic regression (MLR), and linear regression was employed to analyze yearly emergency room (ER) visit incidence. Among 949 pediatric patients, 57.2% were male, 43.4% were 2-6 years old, and 77.7% sustained face or mouth injuries. Attacks were commonly provoked (60.5%), occurred in the home (82.3%), and involved a dog known to the patient (61.7%). The most common dog breed involved was Pitbull (33.1%). MLR revealed increased EOC among patients with neck injury (OR=11.82, SE=0.68, P<0.001), orbital injury (OR=12.91, SE=0.55, P<0.001), unprovoked attacks (OR=2.67, SE=0.16, P<0.001), and those under 2 years old (OR=1.83, SE=0.19, P=0.002). There was a significant yearly rise in the number of pediatric head and neck dog bites (model coefficient=6.467, SE=1.40, P=0.002). Overall, increased caution around particular dog breeds in households with children under 2 years old may decrease head and neck dog bite injuries. While pediatricians should perform general safety education, enhanced knowledge of risk factors is essential for proper inpatient counseling by surgical specialists.

Evaluation of a Military Global Health Engagement Mission for Critical Wartime Surgical Specialty Readiness.

Surgical volume at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) has been gradually decreasing for roughly the past 2 decades. The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) Clinical Readiness Program linked surgical volume and readiness using a tool known as the KSA metric. However, the extent to which military medical missions contribute to the readiness of critical wartime specialties has not been evaluated using this metric. In this study, a retrospective analysis was conducted using the surgical case logs from the US Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort missions in 2018 and 2019. The comprehensive case log data were categorized by year, surgeon, procedure, and location. The analysis focused on providing detailed descriptive statistics, including percentages pertaining to the types of procedures performed during these missions. The 2018 mission was 11 weeks in duration, and supported activities in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. The USNS Comfort mission in 2019 lasted 6 months (June-November 2019), and visited 12 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The 2019 mission case log, spanning 6 months, was evaluated using the KSA score in order to assess readiness and compare against 6 months of MTF KSA values within the same calendar year. In 2019, the orthopedic surgeon aboard the USNS Comfort had a total KSA score of 44,006, but the 6-month USNS Comfort mission only contributed 5,364 points (12% of the annual score). The general surgery practice aboard the USNS Comfort produced lower KSA scores compared to each surgeon's respective MTF practice (Table III). Analyzing the cases logged by general surgeons also highlights minimal surgical diversity during these missions, with more than 90% of cases being hernia repairs or laparoscopic cholecystectomies (Table I). In addition, 35% of total procedures performed in 2018 and 2019 were performed laparoscopically. The analysis of operative data from the 2019 USNS Comfort mission, in comparison with the surgeons' work at their respective MTFs, reveals limited benefit in the ability of hospital-ship missions to bolster surgical readiness as measured by the KSA score. However, this is not a reflection on the value of Global Health Engagement (GHE) itself but a review of the way in which it is leveraged to support surgical readiness. Military surgeons participate in GHE as part of a larger strategy to strengthen relationships with partner nations, improve military medical force interoperability, and bolster partner nation medical capacity and capabilities. The KSA score offers an excellent tool to compare readiness metrics across significantly different GHE missions, and facilitates the opportunity for future prospective studies to improve case volume, diversity, and ultimately readiness.

Left-handedness in otolaryngology, who is right?

This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of left-handedness (LH) among otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORLHN) practitioners, investigate dexterity's impact on LH trainees, and identify common patterns in their training to improve the training experience. A web-based survey was distributed anonymously via email to members of the Saudi Otorhinolaryngology Society. The survey targeted ORLHN attending consultants, board-certified registrars, and current residents. It consisted of three sections: the first focused on the experience of attending consultants in training LH individuals, the second investigated common maneuvers employed by rhinologists, and the third explored the experiences and impacts reported by LH trainees. The study included 174 participants, and found a 13.2% LH prevalence among them. Rhinologists showed disparities, with 50% advising trainees to stand on the left side of the bed and use their left hand for the scope, whereas the other half asked otherwise. Additionally, 94.4% of the participants had not encountered any courses specifically tailored for LH trainees. Among LH trainees, 57% and 41% reported difficulties in learning and performing side-specific procedures such as functional endoscopic sinus surgery and endoscopic septoplasty, respectively, often attempting to switch to their nondominant hand, and feeling disadvantaged due to their laterality. Left-handedness presents challenges for both LH trainees and their trainers in surgical specialties, particularly in ORLHN, in which specific positioning and instruments are crucial to gain access to the desired surgical field. Despite these challenges, there is insufficient support for LH individuals. We recommend encouraging LH trainees to openly disclose and discuss their left-handedness, provide them with mentors, establish standardized operating room setups and techniques, supply appropriate instruments, and demonstrate flexibility in accommodating their needs. Level 5.

Desirable outcome after bone grafting and implants in atropic anterior maxilla with reverse architecture

A significant advancement in dentistry has been made with the successful use of implants to replace missing teeth. Bone volume is frequently deficient in the anterior maxilla, and either the quality and quantity of accessible bone is frequently varying. But nowadays, implants are also being inserted in sites where ridge deficiency vary dimensions. For placing implants in deficient ridges, the surgical specialist has a variety of treatment options thanks to the numerous reconstruction techniques involving bone graft, guided bone regeneration, orthognathic surgery, or bone distraction. Almost every complicated situation involving jaws deficient bone can be effectively treated with these methods if performed appropriately. This case discusses the sequential steps taken in a situation where the anteriors were missing and replaced by implant with placement of bone graft.

Procedure Valuation: How a Code Becomes an RVU and a Review of the Current Literature

Abstract Purpose of Review The goal of this review is to describe the complex process by which a procedure code is assigned value using relative value units (RVUs) and discuss current research that assesses the objectivity and equity of the process. Recent Findings While research on this topic is somewhat limited, the authors of a majority of studies call for revaluation of common codes within their surgical specialty due to misvaluation when comparing current RVU scales with national procedure time data. In addition, several studies report that the current system does not adequately reflect patient-based factors that influence physician workload during a case. Finally, certain small subspecialties and pediatric subspecialties in surgical fields are particularly vulnerable to misvaluation. Summary Procedure valuation is critically important for surgeons to understand to ensure advocacy for their field and their patients. Continued research using large, national datasets will provide evidence for needed improvements in objectivity in this process and increased surgeon participation in this committee-based decision is imperative for equitable change.

First report of robotic retromuscular incisional hernia repair with Hugo Ras™ surgical system.

Treatment of incisional hernia is a rapidly evolving field of surgery, with actual trends being oriented toward retromuscular/preperitoneal mesh placement. The diffusion of robotic surgery is constantly growing in different surgical specialties and is gaining widespread acceptance for abdominal wall reconstruction. Recently, novel robotic platforms have entered into the market. In this study, we present the first transabdominal retromuscular incisional hernia repair performed with the new Hugo RAS™ system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA). The surgical team had previous robotic experience and completed an official 2-day session running incisional hernia repair on human cadaver lab. Operating room setting and trocar layout were planned. The patient presented a 4 × 4cm midline incisional hernia and was scheduled for transabdominal retromuscular incisional hernia repair at our Institution. A description of the operative room setup, robotic arm configuration and docking/tilt angles is provided. Docking time, operative time, and console time were 15, 95, and 75min, respectively. All the surgical steps were completed without critical surgical errors or high-priority alarms. Neither intraoperative complications nor conversion to open surgery was recorded. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 2. The safety and the feasibility of these procedures will require further analysis and larger patients' sample sizes for procedural standardization and potential integration into minimally invasive abdominal wall reconstruction programs.

Making a Statement: Positions of Professional Medical Organizations Towards Gender-Affirming Care.

Despite politically charged media coverage and legislation surrounding gender affirming care (GAC), many organizations have released position statements to provide scientifically backed clinical practice standards, combat misinformation, and inform medicolegal policies. The purpose of this study is to objectively assess the availability and the content of the official position statements of relevant medical professional organizations regarding GAC. A list of U.S. medical professional organizations with likely involvement in GAC based on medical or surgical specialties was compiled. For included organizations, we evaluated the availability, content, and publication year of positions on GAC through October 2023. When available, formal positions were categorized as supportive or unsupportive. A total of 314 professional medical organizations were screened for our study based on specialty, relevance to GAC, and issuance of patient guidelines or position statements. Inclusion criteria were met by 55 organizations. Most organizations (35, 63.6%) had formal position statements on GAC. Support for GAC was described in 97.1% (n=34). Further, 94.2% (n=33) of available statements explicitly addressed GAC in individuals less than 18 years old and were largely supportive (96.9%, n=32). This cross-sectional analysis demonstrates that a majority of multidisciplinary professional medical organizations with relevance to GAC have issued formal position statements on the topic. Available positions were overwhelmingly supportive of individualized access to gender-affirming therapies in adult and adolescent populations. However, silence from some organizations continues to represent a modifiable disparity in the provision of GAC.

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this”: a qualitative investigation of surgeon burnout and opportunities for organization-level improvement

IntroductionBurnout is a pressing issue within surgical environments, bearing considerable consequences for both patients and surgeons alike. Given its prevalence and the unique contextual factors within academic surgical departments, it is critical that efforts are dedicated to understanding this issue. Moreover, active involvement of surgeons in these investigations is critical to ensure viability and uptake of potential strategies in their local setting. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore surgeons’ experiences with burnout and identify strategies to mitigate its drivers at the level of the organization.MethodsA qualitative case study was conducted by recruiting surgeons for participation in a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews. Data collected were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which was informed by the Areas of Worklife Model.ResultsOverall, 28 unique surgeons participated in this study; 11 surgeons participated in interviews and 22 provided responses through the survey. Significant contributors to burnout identified included difficulties providing adequate care to patients due to limited resources and time available in academic medical centers and the moral injury associated with these challenges. The inequitable remuneration associated with education, administration, and leadership roles as a result of the Fee-For-Service model, as well as issues of gender inequity and the individualistic culture prevalent in surgical specialties were also described as contributing factors. Participants suggested increasing engagement between hospital leadership and staff to ensure surgeons are able to access resources to care for their patients, reforming payment plans and workplace polities to address issues of inequity, and improving workplace social dynamics as strategies for addressing burnout.DiscussionThe high prevalence and negative sequalae of burnout in surgery necessitates the formation of targeted interventions to address this issue. A collaborative approach to developing interventions to improve burnout among surgeons may lead to feasible and sustainable solutions.

Is Collaborative Care the Future of Medicine? Lessons Learned from the Care of Children with Colorectal Conditions

The treatment of patients with colorectal disorders requires care from a wide variety of medical and surgical specialties over the course of their lifetime. This is ideally handled by a collaborative center which facilitates the assessment and development of patient care among multiple specialties which can enhance the quality and implementation of treatment plans, improve communication among different specialties, decrease morbidity, and improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. This collaborative approach can serve as a model for other parts of medicine requiring a similar multi-disciplinary and integrated method of care delivery. We describe the process, as well as the lessons learned in developing such a program.

Sexual Harassment, Abuse, and Discrimination in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Unlike other surgical specialties, obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) has been predominantly female for the last decade. The association of this with gender bias and sexual harassment is not known. To systematically review the prevalence of sexual harassment, bullying, abuse, and discrimination among OB-GYN clinicians and trainees and interventions aimed at reducing harassment in OB-GYN and other surgical specialties. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted to identify studies published from inception through June 13, 2023.: For the prevalence of harassment, OB-GYN clinicians and trainees on OB-GYN rotations in all subspecialties in the US or Canada were included. Personal experiences of harassment (sexual harassment, bullying, abuse, and discrimination) by other health care personnel, event reporting, burnout and exit from medicine, fear of retaliation, and related outcomes were included. Interventions across all surgical specialties in any country to decrease incidence of harassment were also evaluated. Abstracts and potentially relevant full-text articles were double screened.: Eligible studies were extracted into standard forms. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence of included research were assessed. A meta-analysis was not performed owing to heterogeneity of outcomes. A total of 10 eligible studies among 5852 participants addressed prevalence and 12 eligible studies among 2906 participants addressed interventions. The prevalence of sexual harassment (range, 250 of 907 physicians [27.6%] to 181 of 255 female gynecologic oncologists [70.9%]), workplace discrimination (range, 142 of 249 gynecologic oncologists [57.0%] to 354 of 527 gynecologic oncologists [67.2%] among women; 138 of 358 gynecologic oncologists among males [38.5%]), and bullying (131 of 248 female gynecologic oncologists [52.8%]) was frequent among OB-GYN respondents. OB-GYN trainees commonly experienced sexual harassment (253 of 366 respondents [69.1%]), which included gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. The proportion of OB-GYN clinicians who reported their sexual harassment to anyone ranged from 21 of 250 AAGL (formerly, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) members (8.4%) to 32 of 256 gynecologic oncologists (12.5%) compared with 32.6% of OB-GYN trainees. Mistreatment during their OB-GYN rotation was indicated by 168 of 668 medical students surveyed (25.1%). Perpetrators of harassment included physicians (30.1%), other trainees (13.1%), and operating room staff (7.7%). Various interventions were used and studied, which were associated with improved recognition of bias and reporting (eg, implementation of a video- and discussion-based mistreatment program during a surgery clerkship was associated with a decrease in medical student mistreatment reports from 14 reports in previous year to 9 reports in the first year and 4 in the second year after implementation). However, no significant decrease in the frequency of sexual harassment was found with any intervention. This study found high rates of harassment behaviors within OB-GYN. Interventions to limit these behaviors were not adequately studied, were limited mostly to medical students, and typically did not specifically address sexual or other forms of harassment.

Building the workforce of tomorrow: The weighting of rural exposure in standardised curriculum vitae scoring criteria for entrance into Australian specialty training programs.

To determine the weighting of rural exposure within publicly available standardised curriculum vitae (CV) scoring criteria for trainee medical officer's applying into medical and surgical specialty training programs in Australia and New Zealand. An observational analysis of rural exposure point allocations within publicly available standardised CV scoring criteria for entrance into specialty training programs. All Australian and New Zealand medical and surgical specialties training programs outlined by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) who publish publicly available standardised CV scoring criteria for entrance into specialty training were included. Of the 14 specialty training programs that publish publicly available standardised CV scoring criteria, 8/14 allocate points towards rural exposure. While the allocation of points within this scoring domain varies between the eight training programs, the mean weighting of rural exposure is 13.7%. The relative weighting of rural exposure varies between the eight specialty training programs who include rural exposure as a CV scoring criteria. The deliberate and strategic construction of CV scoring criteria and inclusion of rural exposure points is important to continue developing the Australian rural specialist workforce. Future development of standardised CV scoring criteria should continue to consider point allocation towards rural exposure and related activities to ensure that the requirements of rural Australian healthcare needs are met across medical and surgical specialties.

Multimodal anesthesia: integrated strategies to improve pain management and recovery: a literature review

With the overprescription of opioids fueling the opioid epidemic, postoperative pain management has emerged as a crucial component of surgical treatment. The shift to multimodal anesthesia as a substitute for postoperative pain management is examined in this review of the literature, with a focus on the contribution of ERAS protocols to lower opioid use and enhance patient outcomes. A methodical exploration of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus was carried out to ascertain pertinent publications released during the last five years. Included were articles on non-opioid analgesics, local anesthetic, regional anesthesia, and multimodal analgesia approaches. Targeting different pain pathways and lowering opioid use, multimodal anesthesia incorporates a number of drugs and strategies, such as NSAIDs, acetaminophen, gabapentin, dexamethasone, and NMDA receptor antagonists. Research indicates that multimodal anesthesia is beneficial in lowering postoperative pain, improving healing, and minimizing opioid-related side effects in a variety of surgical specialties. By placing an emphasis on customized preoperative and postoperative therapies, the use of ERAS protocols further optimizes perioperative care. Multimodal anesthesia reduces postoperative pain, shortens hospital stays, and enhances patient satisfaction, according to studies. Nevertheless, obstacles including insufficient funding and poor training prevent regional anesthesia methods from being widely used. To address the effects of the opioid crisis on patient health and healthcare systems, as well as to advance surgical treatment, it is imperative that multimodal anesthesia procedures be clinically implemented and researched further.

Efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid in cervical spine surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid in cervical spine surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Short-time mentoring – enhancing female medical students’ intentions toward surgical careers

ABSTRACT Background Women pursuing a career in surgery or related disciplines are still in the minority, despite the fact that women compose at least half of the medical student population in most Western countries. Thus, recruiting and retaining female surgeons remains an important challenge to meet the need for surgeons and increase the quality of care. The participations were female medical students between their third and fifth academic year. In this study, we applied the well-established psychological theory of planned behavior (TPB) which suggests that the intention to perform a behavior (e.g. pursuing a career in surgery) is the most critical and immediate predictor of performing the behavior. We investigated whether a two-part short-mentoring seminar significantly increases students’ intention to pursue a career in a surgical or related specialty after graduation. Method The mentoring and role-model seminar was conducted at 2 days for 90 minutes by six inspiring female role models with a remarkable career in surgical or related disciplines. Participants (N = 57) filled in an online survey before (T0) and after the seminar (T1). A pre-post comparison of central TPB concept attitude towards the behavior, 2) occupational self-efficacy and 3) social norm) was conducted using a paired sampled t-test. A follow-up survey was administered 12 months later (T2). Results The mentoring seminar positively impacted female students’ attitude towards a career in a surgical specialty. Female students reported a significantly increased positive attitude (p < .001) and significantly higher self-efficacy expectations (p < .001) towards a surgical career after participating in the mentoring seminar. Regarding their career intention after the seminar, female students declared a significantly higher intention to pursue a career in a surgical specialty after graduating (p < .001) and this effect seems to be sustainable after 1 year. Conclusion For the first time we could show that short-mentoring and demonstrating role models in a seminar surrounding has a significant impact on female medical student decision´s to pursue a career in a surgery speciality. This concept may be a practical and efficient concept to refine the gender disparity in surgery and related disciplines.

Unveiling the Hidden Discrepancies Between Medicare Physician Reimbursement Rates and Inflation Across Different Surgical Specialties.

This study aimed to analyze the trends of Medicare physician reimbursement from 2011 to 2021 and compare the rates across different surgical specialties. Knowledge of Medicare is essential because of its significant contribution in physician reimbursements. Previous studies across surgical specialties have demonstrated that Medicare, despite keeping up with inflation in some areas, has remained flat when accounting for physician reimbursement. The Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary data for the calendar year 2021 were queried to extract the top 50% of Current Procedural Terminology codes based on case volume. The Physician Fee Schedule look-up tool was accessed, and the physician reimbursement fee was abstracted. Weighted mean reimbursement was adjusted for inflation. Growth rate and compound annual growth rate were calculated. Projection of future inflation and reimbursement rates were also calculated using the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. After adjusting for inflation, the weighted mean reimbursement across surgical specialties decreased by -22.5%. The largest reimbursement decrease was within the field of general surgery (-33.3%), followed by otolaryngology (-31.5%), vascular surgery (-23.3%), and plastic surgery (-22.8%). There was a significant decrease in median case volume across all specialties between 2011 and 2021 (P < 0.001). This study demonstrated that, when adjusted for inflation, over the study period, there has been a consistent decrease in reimbursement for all specialties analyzed. Awareness of the current downward trends in Medicare physician reimbursement should be a priority for all surgeons, as means of advocating for compensation and to maintain surgical care feasible and accessible to all patients.

Ultrasound-guided accesses for regenerative injection therapy of hip and knee

Interventional diagnostic and therapeutic technologies have gained considerable popularity in many surgical specialties – cardiology, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, oncology, and in orthopedics and traumatology. But unlike other specialties, ultrasound became the driving force behind the development and implementation of interventional technologies in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In recent years, ultrasound-guided injections have gained significant popularity, as they have given an advantage in accuracy compared to injections without such navigation. The purpose of our study was the development of ultrasound navigation accesses to the hip and knee joints for the interventional application of regenerative technologies in their pathology. The material for the study was the results of ultrasound examination of the hip and knee joints of 486 patients with diseases and injuries of the hip and knee, who were treated in the scientific and practical department of tissue and cell therapy of the State Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine in the period from 2016 to 2023. The results. The following accesses to the knee joint under ultrasound navigation have been developed: suprapatellar longitudinal access for injections into the quadriceps tendon and patellofemoral joint, suprapatellar longitudinal access with knee bending for injections into the upper turn of the knee joint, infrapatellar longitudinal access for injections into the patellar ligament and deep infrapatellar bursa, infrapatellar transverse access for injections into Hoffa’s fat pad, lateral longitudinal access with knee bending for injections into the lateral meniscus, medial longitudinal access with bending in the knee for injections in the medial meniscus, medial transverse access for injections in the medial part of the joint space, lateral transverse access with bending in the knee joint for injections in the lateral part of the joint space, lateral longitudinal access for performing injections in the collateral fibular ligament, medial longitudinal access for performing injections in the collateral tibial ligament, infrapatellar diagonal access for performing injections in the “crow’s foot” area of the knee joint, infrapatellar medial longitudinal access for performing other injection into the medial meniscus and joint capsule, lateral longitudinal access for injections into the tendons of the biceps femoris and hamstrings. The following accesses have been developed for the hip joint: anterior longitudinal access for performing injections in the subcapsular-cervical space, anterior diagonal access for performing injections in the acetabular labrum, capsule-ligament apparatus of the hip and tendon of the rectus femoris muscle, lateral longitudinal access for performing injections in the paratrochanteric region. Conclusions. 13 ultrasonic navigation accesses have been developed for the administration of biotechnological products into the knee joint and 3 – into the hip join, which allow not only to detect damaged intra-articular and para-articular structures of the knee and hip joints, but also to deliver an orthobiologics products directly to them for maximum regenerative effect.

Workplace Microaggressions: Results of a Survey of the American College of Surgeons Members

BackgroundWorkplace microaggressions are a longstanding but understudied problem in the surgical specialties. Microaggressions in healthcare are linked to negative emotional and physical health outcomes and can contribute to burnout and suboptimal delivery of patient care. They also negatively impact recruitment, retention and promotion, which often results in attrition. Further attrition at the time of an impending surgical workforce shortage risks compromising delivery of health care to the diverse US population and may jeopardize the financial stability of health care organizations. To date, studies on microaggressions have consisted of small focus groups comprised of women faculty or trainees at a single institution. There are no large, multi-organizational, gender-inclusive studies on microaggressions experienced by practicing surgeons. Objective(s)To examine the demographic and occupational characteristics of surgeons who do and do not report experiencing workplace microaggressions and whether these experiences would influence a decision to pursue a career in surgery again. Study DesignWe developed and internally validated a web-based survey to assess surgeon experiences with microaggressions and associated sequelae. The survey was distributed through a convenience sample of nine American College of Surgeons (ACS) online Communities from November 2022 to January 2023. All ACS Communities comprised members who had completed residency or fellowship training and had experience in the surgical workforce. The survey contained demographic, occupational, and validated microaggression items. Analyses include descriptive and chi-squared statistics, t-tests, and bivariable and multivariable logistic regression. ResultsThe survey was completed by 377 ACS members with the following characteristics: working as a surgeon (80.9%), non-Hispanic white (71.8%), general surgeons (71.0%), age ≥ 50 years (67.4%), fellowship-trained (61.0%), and women (58.4%). A total of 254 (67.4%) respondents reported experiencing microaggressions. Younger surgeons (p=0.002), women (p<0.001) and fellowship-trained surgeons (p=0.001) were more likely to report experiencing microaggressions than their counterparts. Surgeons working in academic medical centers or healthcare systems with teaching responsibilities were more likely to experience microaggressions than those in private practice (p<0.01). Surgeons currently working as a surgeon or those who are unable to work reported more experience with microaggressions (p=0.003). There was no difference in microaggressions experienced among respondents by surgical specialties, race/ethnicity, or for surgeons with a self-reported disability. In multivariable logistic regression, women had higher odds of experiencing microaggressions than men [aOR 15.9; 95% C.I.: 7.7-32.8] and surgeons in private practice had significantly lower odds of experiencing microaggressions compared to surgeons in academic medicine (aOR 0.3; 95% C.I. 0.1-0.8) or in healthcare systems with teaching responsibilities (aOR 0.2; 95% C.I. 0.1-0.6). Among surgeons responding to an online survey, respondents reporting microaggressions were less likely to say they would choose a career in surgery again (p<0.001). ConclusionsSurgeons reporting experience with microaggressions reflect the diversification of surgical specialties and subspecialties. With continued expansion of surgeon gender and race/ethnicity representation, deliberate efforts to address and eliminate workplace microaggressions could have broad implications for improving recruitment and retention of surgeons.

D55. Surgical Specialty Most Implicated in the Treatment of Gunshot Wound-related Injuries Stratified by State Gun Law Strength

D55. Surgical Specialty Most Implicated in the Treatment of Gunshot Wound-related Injuries Stratified by State Gun Law Strength

Scalpel and strife: Assessing the impact of Sudan's ongoing civil war on surgical practice and healthcare delivery

BackgroundThis study aims to shed light on the profound ramifications of the military conflict that started in April 2023 on surgical practice in Sudan. MethodsThis is a survey-based study. The survey link was disseminated to Sudanese medical practitioners via various social media (WhatsApp, Telegram, X (previously twitter) and Facebook) channels. We included only responses from medical practitioners working in the surgical specialities. ResultsA total of 90 responses have been collected. All participants were working in surgical service provision institutes. Sixty per cent of the responses were from the age group 25–35 years old, and two-thirds of the total cohort either left Sudan or was internally displaced because of the conflict. Moreover, 51% are no longer practising because they had to flee the conflict area (75%) or because the hospital is out of service (20%). There was a significant drop in the average number of emergency and elective lists. ConclusionThe military conflict affected Sudan's already strained health system. There was a significant drop in the average number of emergency and elective lists with surgeons out of practice because they had to flee the conflict area and hospitals were out of service.

Reducing general anaesthetic episodes: 'piggyback' procedures - Birmingham Children's Hospital experience.

Introduction Birmingham Children's Hospital (BCH) has a well-established care pathway for joint procedures - 'piggybacks' - under general anaesthetic (GA). The premise behind these joint procedures is that dental treatment is undertaken at the same time as another planned GA, usually completed by the patient's primary medical or surgical specialty, or another speciality attending a dental GA list.Aim The aim of this paper is to share the recent BCH experience of joint procedures and provide a model for secondary and tertiary care providers across the UK to develop their own collaborative working approaches.Method Data were collected retrospectively from May 2021 to May 2023 on the department of paediatric dentistry at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Patients were included if they had any joint procedure undertaken.Results In total, 93 patients were treated as a 'piggyback' procedure during this period. The average age of patient treated was nine years and three months. A total of 39 patients had extractions only during this period, while 19 had scaling only and 12 had both scaling and extractions. Additionally, 269 primary teeth and 22 permanent teeth were extracted during this period.Conclusion BCH has a well-established pathway of care for 'piggyback' procedures. Future workforce planning and patient care pathways should consider joint procedures and further explore this initiative to continue to streamline patient care and reduce waiting lists and risks associated with GA.