Background: Surgical residents need to train laparoscopic skills for minimally invasive procedures at an early stage. The aim of this study was the investigation and assessment of appendectomy carried out at a university medical center over the previous decade regarding the frequency of operations by residents in training and the type of surgical technique used (laparoscopic vs. open).
Methods: A retrospective analysis of appendectomies carried out from 2005 to 2014 at the clinic for general, visceral and transplant surgery was performed. Operators were stratified into two groups (group 1: residents and group 2: fellows/attending surgeons). Surgery was classified as laparoscopic or open appendectomy.
Results: Out of 1,587 appendectomies analyzed 946 were performed laparoscopically (59.6 %). The percentage of laparoscopic appendectomies increased significantly over the decade analyzed (p < 0.001) and reached 94.4 % in 2014. From 2005 until 2007 the rate of appendectomies by residents was 17.9 % (77 out of 430). Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed in 5.8 % and was only performed by fellows or attending surgeons. From 2008 to 2014 the rate of surgeries by residents significantly increased (p < 0.001) and accounted for 57.6 % (range 19.4-66.9 %).
Conclusion: Regardless of the surgical technique used, appendectomy is still a primary training operation for surgical residents. An early and focused training of minimally invasive visceral surgery in the new regulations for continuing medical education starts with laparoscopic appendectomy.
Keywords: Appendectomy; Laparoscopy; Minimally invasive surgery; Surgical residents; Surgical training.