Does the repetition over a short time of a microsurgical suture improve its reliability?

Our hypothesis was that immediate repetition of a microsurgery-suturing task will improve its execution and outcome. This was an experimental animal study. Ten surgeons were divided into two groups of five surgeons. Each performed two end-to-end carotid anastomoses on the same rat, one after the other. The anastomosis was evaluated by the surgeon and an instructor. The primary endpoint was permeability. The outcome was evaluated using an objective and subjective assessment grid yielding 1 to 3 points per item. The total scores for each of the 10 surgeons were used to compare the anastomosis of carotid 1 versus 2, using the ratings given by the surgeon and the instructor. Twenty anastomoses were performed, but 1 rat died intraoperatively, leaving 18 anastomoses for evaluation. No significant differences were found on the main endpoint of permeability, with all anastomoses being permeable. The surgeon's self-assessment was significantly better for the second carotid artery (P=0.05), but this was not confirmed by the proxy assessment (instructor). The analysis by subgroups-morning versus afternoon-found the second carotid anastomosis was significant better in the self-assessment and proxy assessment for the morning group (P<0.001, P=0.024). There was no significant difference in clamping times. The immediate repetition of a microsurgical procedure seems to favor its execution, which leads us to propose that the more difficult or important anastomosis should be done after an easier or less important one during complex surgeries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2B.