Case Difficulty, Postgraduate Year, and Resident Surgeon Stress: Effects on Operative Times

We aimed to evaluate resident operative times in relation to postgraduate year (PGY), case difficulty and resident stress while performing a single surgical procedure.

We prospectively examined operative times for 268 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, and analyzed relationships between PGY, case difficulty, and resident surgeon stress utilizing electrodermal activity. Each case operative times were divided into 3 separate time periods. Case Start and End times were recorded, as well as the time between the start of the operation and the time until the cystic structures were divided (Division). Case difficulty was determined by multiple trained observers with a high inter-rater concordance.

University of Missouri, a tertiary academic medical institution.

All categorical general surgery residents at our institution.

For each operative time period examined during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, operative time increased, with each incremental increase in difficulty resulting in approximately 130% longer times. Minimal differences in operative times were seen between PGY levels, except during the easiest cases (Start-End times: 38.5 ± 10.4 minutes vs 34.2 ± 10.8 minutes vs 28.9 ± 10.9 minutes, p 0.002). Resident stress poorly correlated with operative times regardless of case difficulty (Pearson coefficient range 0.0-0.22).

Operative times are longer with increasing case difficulty. PGY level and resident surgeon stress appear to have minimal to no correlation with operative times, regardless of case difficulty.