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The impact of laparoscopic bariatric workshops on the practice patterns of surgeons

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Abstract

Background

This study was designed to evaluate the impact of a 2-day laparoscopic bariatric workshop on the practice patterns of participating surgeons.

Methods

From October 1998 to June 2002, 18 laparoscopic bariatric workshops were attended by 300 surgeons. Questionnaires were mailed to all participants.

Results

Responses were received from 124 surgeons (41%), among whom were 56 bariatric surgeons (open) (45%), 30 advanced laparoscopic surgeons (24%), and 38 surgeons who performed neither bariatric nor advanced laparoscopic surgery (31%). The questionnaire responses showed that 46 surgeons (37%) currently are performing laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGB), 38 (31%) are performing open gastric bypass, and 39 (32%) are not performing bariatric surgery. Since completion of the course, 46 surgeons have performed 8,893 LGBs (mean, 193 cases/surgeon). Overall, 87 of the surgeons (70%) thought that a limited preceptorship was necessary before performance of LGB, yet only 25% underwent this additional training. According to a poll, the respondents thought that, on the average, 50 cases (range, 10–150 cases) are needed for a claim of proficiency.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic bariatric workshops are effective educational tools for surgeons wishing to adopt bariatric surgery. Open bariatric surgeons have the highest rates of adopting laparoscopic techniques and tend to participate in more adjunctive training before performing LGB. There was consensus that the learning curve is steep, and that additional training often is necessary. The authors propose a mechanism for post-residency skill acquisition for advanced laparoscopic surgery.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the following surgeons for their participation in the training of the 300 course participants: Robert Brolin, MD (Piscataway, NJ), J. K. Champion, MD (Atlanta, GA), Ricardo Cohen, MD (Hospital Sao Camilo, Brazil), Juan Antonio Lopez Corvala, MD (Tijuana, Mexico), Eric DeMaria, MD (Richmond, Va), Ed Felix, MD (San Francisco, CA), Michel Gagner, MD (New York, NY), Kelvin Higa, MD (Fresno, CA), Sayeed Ikramuddin, MD (Minneapolis, MN), Dan Jones, MD (Boston, MA), Kenneth MacDonald, MD (Greenville, NC), Ninh Nguyen, MD (Sacramento, CA), Paul O’Brien, MD (Melbourne, Australia), Walter Pories, MD (Greenville, NC), Michael Sarr, MD (Rochester, MN), Bruce Schirmer MD, (Charlottesville, VA), J. Stephen Scott, MD (Wentzville, MO), Scott Shikora, MD (Boston, MA), Harvey Sugerman, MD (Richmond, VA), and Bruce Wolfe, MD (Sacramento, CA). In addition the authors thank William Gourash, CRNP (Pittsburgh, PA) for course oversight, and the contributions of U.S. Surgical (Norwalk, CT) for educational grant support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sacred Heart Institute for Surgical Weight Loss, Pensacola, Florida

    J. L. Lord

  2. Surgical Weight Control Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

    D. R. Cottam

  3. Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Philadelphia, PA

    R. M. Dallal

  4. Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana

    S. G. Mattar

  5. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    A. R. Watson, R. Ramanathan & G. M. Eid

  6. Sartori Memorial Hospital, Cedar Falls, Iowa

    J. M. Glasscock

  7. The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio

    P. R. Schauer

Authors
  1. J. L. Lord
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  2. D. R. Cottam
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  3. R. M. Dallal
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  4. S. G. Mattar
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  5. A. R. Watson
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  6. J. M. Glasscock
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  7. R. Ramanathan
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  8. G. M. Eid
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  9. P. R. Schauer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. R. Schauer.

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Lord, J.L., Cottam, D.R., Dallal, R.M. et al. The impact of laparoscopic bariatric workshops on the practice patterns of surgeons. Surg Endosc 20, 929–933 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-005-0182-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-005-0182-x

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