This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Operating list composition and surgical performance. BJS 2018; 105: 1061-1069.

Published: 20th March 2018

Authors: T. W. Pike, F. Mushtaq, R. P. Mann, P. Chambers, G. Hall, J. E. Tomlinson et al.

Background

Recent reviews suggest that the way in which surgeons prepare for a procedure (warm up) can affect performance. Operating lists present a natural experiment to explore this phenomenon. The aim was to use a routinely collected large data set on surgical procedures to understand the relationship between case list order and operative performance.

Results

The linear mixed‐effects model included 255 757 procedures, and the matched analysis 48 632 pairs of procedures. Repeating the same procedure in a list resulted in an overall time saving of 0·98 per cent for each increase in list position. Switching between procedures increased the duration by an average of 6·48 per cent. The overall reduction in operating time from completing the second procedure straight after the first was 6·18 per cent. This pattern of results was consistent across procedure method and complexity.

Conclusion

There is a robust relationship between operating list composition and surgical performance (indexed by duration of operation). An evidence‐based approach to structuring a theatre list could reduce the total operating time.

Full text

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Outcomes of surgery for benign and malignant adrenal disease from the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons’ national registry. BJS 2019; 106: 1495-1503.

Authors: N. Patel, R. J. Egan, B. R. Carter, D. M. Scott‐Coombes, M. J. Stechman, A. Afzaal et al.

Operating list composition and surgical performance. BJS 2018; 105: 1061-1069.

Background

Results

Conclusion

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