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Niida et al: The impact of surgery resident training on the duration of tibial plateau leveling osteotomy and outcomes in dogs
Veterinary Surgery 5, 2024

🔍 Key Findings

  • Resident involvement significantly increased TPLO surgery duration compared to cases performed by faculty surgeons (FS)-only. Residents required 54% more surgery time (GLSM, 153 min) than FS-only cases (GLSM, 99 min), representing a 1.54-fold increase.
  • The study did not report on short-term complication rates. No conclusions can be drawn from this source regarding complications between resident and faculty groups.
  • Bone plate contouring was not evaluated. The source does not provide data regarding contouring frequency or its comparison between groups.
  • Surgery duration significantly decreased after the first year of residency, but remained stable between second- and third-year residents. This was largely due to shorter tibial osteotomy durations, while arthroscopy times remained unchanged across residency years.
  • Meniscal treatment was performed in 80% of cases, and it was associated with increased surgical duration, but the study did not compare the frequency of medial meniscal release between resident and faculty cases.
  • The study did not evaluate osteotomy healing or revision surgery. Cases requiring immediate reoperation were excluded.
  • Bone union outcomes were not assessed at 8 weeks or any other time point.
  • The study concludes that resident participation significantly prolongs surgical time, but no data are provided regarding the effect on short-term clinical outcomes.

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← Articles

Niida et al: The impact of surgery resident training on the duration of tibial plateau leveling osteotomy and outcomes in dogs
Veterinary Surgery 5, 2024

🔍 Key Findings

  • Resident involvement significantly increased TPLO surgery duration compared to cases performed by faculty surgeons (FS)-only. Residents required 54% more surgery time (GLSM, 153 min) than FS-only cases (GLSM, 99 min), representing a 1.54-fold increase.
  • The study did not report on short-term complication rates. No conclusions can be drawn from this source regarding complications between resident and faculty groups.
  • Bone plate contouring was not evaluated. The source does not provide data regarding contouring frequency or its comparison between groups.
  • Surgery duration significantly decreased after the first year of residency, but remained stable between second- and third-year residents. This was largely due to shorter tibial osteotomy durations, while arthroscopy times remained unchanged across residency years.
  • Meniscal treatment was performed in 80% of cases, and it was associated with increased surgical duration, but the study did not compare the frequency of medial meniscal release between resident and faculty cases.
  • The study did not evaluate osteotomy healing or revision surgery. Cases requiring immediate reoperation were excluded.
  • Bone union outcomes were not assessed at 8 weeks or any other time point.
  • The study concludes that resident participation significantly prolongs surgical time, but no data are provided regarding the effect on short-term clinical outcomes.

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Multiple Choice Questions on this study

In Niida 2024 et al., on surgical residents and TPLO time, what was reported about osteotomy healing or union outcomes?

A. Union was faster in resident cases
B. Healing rates were lower with residents
C. Union was consistent across groups
D. Union was not assessed
E. Healing was significantly delayed

Answer: Union was not assessed

Explanation: Healing outcomes were not part of the study; cases needing reoperation were excluded.
In Niida 2024 et al., on surgical residents and TPLO time, how much longer did residents take compared to faculty surgeons (FS)?

A. 10% longer
B. 25% longer
C. 39% longer
D. 54% longer
E. 70% longer

Answer: 54% longer

Explanation: Resident surgeries took 1.54x the time of FS cases (153 vs 99 min).
In Niida 2024 et al., on surgical residents and TPLO time, what trend was seen across the 3 years of residency training?

A. Linear improvement in time each year
B. Time increased with experience
C. Significant improvement only after YR-2
D. Improvement plateaued after YR-1
E. No change in any year

Answer: Improvement plateaued after YR-1

Explanation: TPLO duration dropped after YR-1 but remained stable between YR-2 and YR-3.
In Niida 2024 et al., on surgical residents and TPLO time, what data did the study provide on complication rates?

A. Residents had more infections
B. Complication rates favored faculty surgeons
C. Complication rates were the same for both
D. Complication rates were not evaluated
E. The study showed delayed healing in resident cases

Answer: Complication rates were not evaluated

Explanation: The study specifically excluded outcomes data and focused on surgical time only.
In Niida 2024 et al., on surgical residents and TPLO time, which surgical phase improved most as residents progressed in training?

A. Arthrotomy
B. Meniscal treatment
C. Tibial osteotomy
D. Skin closure
E. Post-op imaging

Answer: Tibial osteotomy

Explanation: Decreased tibial osteotomy duration accounted for most surgical time improvement across years.

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