Electrosurgery: short-circuit between education and practice.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Electrosurgery is integral to 80% of surgical procedures for tissue dissection and hemostasis.
• Improper electrosurgery use can cause serious adverse events, necessitating adequate training.
• Current training for surgical residents in electrosurgery requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current education and training in electrosurgery for surgical residents.
• To assess resident competence, satisfaction with training, and experiences with adverse events.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous digital questionnaire distributed to surgical residents across six subspecialties in the Netherlands.
• Data collected on training received, supervision quality, self-assessed competence, and reported adverse events related to electrosurgery.

Main Results:

• 69% of residents received some training, primarily a single theoretical lecture.
• Competence ratings were 39% for theory and 71% for practical skills.
• 35% found supervisor theoretical knowledge insufficient; 30% reported serious adverse events.

Conclusions:

• Resident training in theoretical electrosurgery is inadequate, leading to dissatisfaction.
• Frequent adverse events highlight the need for improved electrosurgery education for residents and supervisors.
• Enhanced training is essential to improve patient safety in electrosurgery.