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Cataract Surgery Numbers in U.S. Ophthalmology Residency Programs: An ACGME Case Log Analysis
Brittany C Tsou1, Hursuong Vongsachang1, Boonkit Purt2,3
1Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Purpose:
To describe and assess the cataract experience of ophthalmology residents throughout the United States (U.S.).
Methods:
Cataract procedures logged by graduating ophthalmology residents nationwide and published by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) from 2009 to 2020 were analyzed using linear regression on log-transformed response variables with robust variance.
Results:
As primary surgeon, average numbers logged for phacoemulsification increased yearly by an average of 4.1% prior to 2019 and then decreased by 22.1% in 2019 for an overall average yearly increase of 2.9% (95% CI: 0.5, 5.4%, p = .03), non-phacoemulsification extracapsular extraction decreased yearly by an average of 4.6% (95% CI: -7.7, -1.5%, p = .01), other cataract/intraocular lens surgeries decreased yearly by an average of 8.4% (95% CI: -10.1, -6.6%, p < .001), anterior vitrectomies decreased yearly by an average of 12.5% (95% CI: -14.9, -10.1%, p < .001), and laser capsulotomies increased yearly by an average of 6.0% prior to 2019 and then decreased by 3.0% for an overall average yearly increase of 5.3% (95% CI: 4.5, 6.2%, p < .001). As assistant, average numbers logged in all ACGME minimum categories showed decreasing trends.
Conclusions:
Over the last decade, the average numbers of phacoemulsification and laser capsulotomies logged by residents as primary surgeon increased while other ACGME cataract minimum procedures decreased. Surgical volume in 2019-20 was lower due to the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic but higher than from 2009 to 2013.
