Open Latarjet procedure may be associated with steep learning curve
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Key takeaways:
- Results showed surgical time for an open Latarjet procedure decreased significantly after 15 cases.
- However, surgical time plateaued after 30 cases.
SAN FRANCISCO — Results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting showed the open Latarjet procedure may have a steep learning curve with a considerable decrease in surgical time after 15 cases.
“Surgical time decreases considerably after approximately the first 15 surgeries,” Mandeep Virk, MD, FAAOS, said in his presentation. “The trend for decrease in surgical time plateaus off at approximately 30 cases, which correlates with proficiency in the procedure.”
To determine the learning curve and the threshold of proficiency associated with an open Latarjet procedure, Virk and colleagues retrospectively collected data on 75 open Latarjet cases performed by a single surgeon. Outcomes measured included operative times, demographic characteristics, complications and revision rates.
The surgeon had an average operative time of 96 minutes for an open Latarjet procedure, according to Virk. Although the first 15 cases had longer operative times, Virk said the subsequent 15 cases had shorter operative times.
“The maximum decrease in operative time occurred within the first 15 and the subsequent 15 cases, which was statistically significant,” Virk said.
Virk said that operative time leveled off after 30 cases. He also said there were no differences in complications and revision rates between the subgroups and that there were no nerve injuries reported.
“Establishing the learning curve for surgical procedures provides insight into the complexity of the procedure, allows surgeons to monitor performance and proficiency when learning a new technique, and it can be used as an educational monitoring tool for milestone achievement by residents and fellows during training,” Virk said.
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Virk M, et al. Paper 210. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; Feb. 12-16, 2024; San Francisco.
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