Colorectal Surgery Resident Participation in Screening Colonoscopies: How Does It Impact Quality?

Area of Science:

• Colorectal surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Medical education

Background:

• Colonoscopies are essential for colorectal surgery training.
• Limited research exists on colonoscopy quality metrics involving surgical trainees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of colorectal surgery resident involvement on quality metrics during screening colonoscopies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 4594 screening colonoscopies (2016-2018).
• Comparison of quality metrics between procedures with and without resident participation.
• Key metrics included adenoma detection rates, examination time, and complication rates.

Main Results:

• Procedures with residents took longer (insertion, withdrawal, total time).
• Adenoma detection rates, cecal intubation, polypectomy, and complication rates were similar between groups.
• Resident participation did not significantly affect adenoma detection rates but used higher fentanyl doses.

Conclusions:

• Colorectal surgery resident participation in screening colonoscopies is safe and achieves quality standards.
• While procedures are longer, adenoma detection is not compromised.
• Scheduling adjustments may be beneficial for resident-involved colonoscopies.