Operative times of 7 common Orthopaedic Trauma procedures: is there a difference between trainees and consultants?

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• UK surgical training faces pressure due to high service demands.
• Consultants performing procedures quickly may limit trainee opportunities.
• Assumptions about trainees taking longer impact theatre list progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare operative times between orthopaedic trainees and consultants.
• To establish realistic timings for all stages of surgical procedures.
• To address concerns about surgical training efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 956 procedures from a trauma unit database.
• Data collected for six mandatory Joint Committee of Surgical Training (JCST) procedures.
• Included patient ASA grading, total surgical time, and surgeon grade.

Main Results:

• Consultants were 13 minutes faster in hip procedures (p < 0.05).
• Trainees were quicker in femoral nailing and simple ankle fixations.
• Consultants were faster in tibial nailing and complex ankle fixations; differences not significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Operative time differences vary by procedure type.
• Trainee efficiency is comparable to consultants in specific orthopaedic procedures.
• Findings can inform strategies to optimize surgical training and service provision.