[Evaluation of stress in surgical trainees: prospective study of heart rate during laparoscopic cholecystectomy]

Surgical training is stressful, particularly in the operating room setting. The purpose of the study is to evaluate and quantitate intra-operative stress in surgical trainees.

and methods: Cardiac rate was used as a measure of stress during surgical cases; surgical residents serving as the primary surgeon and assistant during 21 laparoscopic cholecystectomies underwent telemetry monitoring.

Intra-operative cardiac rate increased by 4-10%, particularly in the resident serving as primary surgeon. The most stressful moments of the procedure were the draping of the surgical field, trocar placement, clip application, and extraction of the gallbladder.

This study offers a measure of the stress of surgical residents in the operating room. Heart rate is not the ideal parameter of stress, yet it gives a good idea of the level of stress. The identification of stress-inducing factors may help residents to deal with difficult situations.