An educated guess - Distance estimation by surgeons.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Surgical Skills Assessment
• Clinical Measurement Accuracy

Background:

• Accurate distance estimation is crucial in surgery, yet surgical training often neglects this skill.
• The STITCH trial highlighted the importance of suture spacing (5-mm vs. 1-cm) for reducing incisional hernias.
• Surgeons may lack the ability to accurately estimate these critical surgical distances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of distance estimation in surgical trainees and attending surgeons.
• To determine if surgical experience correlates with improved distance estimation skills.
• To identify potential deficits in a fundamental surgical skill.

Main Methods:

• A distance estimation exercise with 4 questions was administered to 60 surgeons (44 trainees, 16 attendings).
• A 6-question survey assessed participant demographics and prior metric system use.
• Statistical analysis using a t-test compared mean absolute errors between trainees and attendings.

Main Results:

• The mean absolute errors for estimating 5-mm and 1-cm were 1.40 mm and 2.07 mm, respectively.
• Estimates for 5-mm ranged widely (2.01–11.69 mm), and for 1-cm (4.82–19.19 mm).
• No significant difference in estimation accuracy was found between trainees and attending surgeons.

Conclusions:

• Distance estimation is a significant challenge for both surgical trainees and experienced attendings.
• The development of accurate distance estimation skills requires focused attention within surgical training programs.
• Addressing this skill deficit may have substantial positive impacts on clinical outcomes.