Length of intraabdominal measurement of bowel (LIMB)

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is one of the most commonly performed bariatric surgeries. The steep associated learning curve is dependent on the training facility, laparoscopic experience, and overall procedural volume. William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) has been accredited as a bariatric center of excellence and trains resident surgeons in the performance of RYGB.

This study aimed to investigate the accuracy and precision of a bariatric center of excellence's training of surgical residents in terms of laparoscopic measurements of simulated small bowel. This will act as a surrogate for how well surgical residents learn to run the small bowel during bariatric procedures and how their accuracy and precision change over time in training.

This study took place at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, a bariatric center of excellence and training institution.

Participants included surgical residents from WBAMC. Participants used a laparoscopic trainer and two bowel graspers to measure both a collapsing garden hose (simulated bowel) and a nylon rope (control material) to 75 cm (cm) and 125 cm (cm), three times each, with recordings of time required to do so, actual distance measured, and technique used.

Fifteen residents participated in the study. Residents displayed accuracy of 21.6 %. 33%of residents were precise for the 75 cm measurement, and 53 % of residents were precise for the 125-cm measurement. PGY-4 residents were the most accurate while PGY-3 residents were the most precise. There were no statistical differences between junior (PGY 1-4) and senior residents (PGY 5-6) in accuracy or precision in the measurement of 75-cm or 125-cm. No statistical differences were found measuring the hose versus rope in accuracy nor precision. PGY-4 residents completed the task in the least amount of time while PGY-2 residents took the longest to complete each task.

In general, residents are neither precise nor accurate in measurements of simulated bowel lengths, and experience does not contribute to either. Time in residency correlates with laparoscopic speed but not with accuracy nor precision. Extrapolating this data to attending surgeons suggests that estimated lengths of small bowel that are 'run' or measured during laparoscopic cases are neither accurate nor precise. More investigation must be performed in this area.