Learning objectives for thoracic surgery: developing a national standard for undergraduate medical education.

BACKGROUND: The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) (Education) Committee of the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons (CATS) has established a goal of describing the essential knowledge of thoracic surgery. We aimed to develop a national standardized set of undergraduate learning objectives for thoracic surgery. METHODS: We obtained these learning objectives from 4 medical schools in Canada. These 4 institutions were selected to provide a broad geographical representation of medical schools of varying sizes and of both official languages. The resulting list of learning objectives underwent critical review by the CPD (Education) Committee, made up of 5 Canadian community and academic thoracic surgeons, 1 thoracic surgery fellow and 2 general surgery residents. A national survey was developed and circulated to all CATS members (n = 209). Respondents were asked to indicate on a 5-point Likert scale whether each objective should be a priority for all medical students. RESULTS: Among 209 CATS members, 56 responded (response rate 27%). The mean length of experience in clinical practice among survey respondents was 10.6 (standard deviation 10.0) years. Respondents most commonly reported teaching or supervising medical students monthly (37.0%), followed by daily (29.6%). Eight of the 10 proposed objectives received a mean Likert score of 4/5 or higher and were selected for inclusion in the final list. A finalized list of 8 learning objectives was created, following a final review from the CATS Executive Committee. CONCLUSION: We developed a standardized set of learning objectives for medical students that was reflective of the core concepts within thoracic surgery.

Wait times in the management of non-small cell lung carcinoma before, during and after regionalization of lung cancer care: a high-resolution analysis.

Background: Timeliness can have a substantial effect on treatment outcomes, prognosis and quality of life for patients with lung cancer. We sought to evaluate changes in wait times for patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and to identify bottlenecks in cancer care. Methods: We included patients who received treatment with curative intent or palliative treatment for NSCLC, diagnosed through mediastinal staging by a thoracic surgeon. Data were collected from 3 cohorts over 3 time periods: before the regionalization of lung cancer care (2005-2007, C1), immediately postregionalization (2011-2013, C2) and 5 years after regionalization (2016-2017, C3). Total wait time and delays along treatment pathways were compared across cohorts using multivariate Cox proportionality models. Results: Our total sample size was 299 patients. Overall, there was no significant difference in total wait time among the 3 cohorts. However, wait time from symptom onset to first physician visit significantly increased in C3 compared with C2 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.41, p < 0.01) and C1 (HR 0.43, p < 0.01). Time from first physician visit to computed tomography (CT) scan significantly decreased in C3 compared with C2 (HR 1.54, p < 0.01). Time from abnormal CT scan to first surgeon visit also significantly decreased in C2 (HR 1.43, p < 0.01) and C3 (HR 4.47, p < 0.01) compared with C1, and between C3 and C2 (HR 2.67, p < 0.01). In contrast, time from first surgeon visit to completion of staging significantly increased in C2 (HR 0.36, p < 0.01) and C3 (HR 0.24, p < 0.01) compared with C1, as well as between C3 and C2 (HR 0.60, p < 0.01). Time to first treatment after completion of staging was significantly shorter for C3 than C1 (HR 1.58, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Trends toward a reduction in wait time are evident 5 years after the regionalization of lung cancer care, primarily led by shorter wait times for CT scans and thoracic surgeon consults. However, wait times can further be reduced by addressing delays in staging completion and patient and provider education to identify the early signs of NSCLC.

Contexte: La rapidité d'intervention peut avoir un effet considérable sur l'issue du traitement, le pronostic et la qualité de vie des patients atteints d'un cancer du poumon. Nous avons voulu évaluer les changements des temps d'attente des patients ayant un carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules et recenser les obstacles aux soins oncologiques. Méthodes: Nous avons inclus des patients ayant reçu un traitement curatif ou palliatif pour un carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules diagnostiqué par stadification de lésions médiastinales par un chirurgien thoracique. Les données ont été recueillies auprès de 3 cohortes, à 3 moments : avant la régionalisation des soins oncologiques (2005­2007; C1), immédiatement après la régionalisation (2011­2013; C2) et 5 ans après la régionalisation (2016­2017; C3). Le temps d'attente total et les délais au cours du processus de traitement des cohortes ont été comparés au moyen de modèles à risques proportionnels de Cox multivariés. Résultats: Au total, l'échantillon comptait 299 patients. Dans l'ensemble, aucune différence statistiquement significative n'a été observée entre les 3 cohortes pour ce qui est du temps d'attente total. Cependant, la C3 présentait un temps d'attente entre l'apparition des symptômes et la première consultation médicale significativement plus long que la C2 (rapport de risque [RR] 0,41; p < 0,01) et que la C1 (RR 0,43; p < 0,01). Le temps d'attente entre la première consultation médicale et la tomodensitométrie (TDM) était par contre significativement plus court dans la C3 que dans la C2 (RR 1,54; p < 0,01). Le délai entre l'obtention d'un résultat anormal à la TDM et la première consultation chirurgicale était également significativement moindre dans la C2 (RR 1,43; p < 0,01) et dans la C3 (RR 4,47; p < 0,01) que dans la C1, mais aussi entre la C3 et la C2 (RR 2,67; p < 0,01). À l'inverse, le temps écoulé entre la première consultation chirurgicale et la fin de la stadification était significativement plus long dans la C2 (RR 0,36; p < 0,01) et la C3 (RR 0,24; p < 0,01) que dans la C1; il en était également ainsi entre la C3 et la C2 (RR 0,60; p < 0,01). Enfin, le délai entre le premier traitement et la fin de la stadification était significativement plus court dans la C3 que dans la C1 (RR 1,58; p < 0,01). Conclusion: Cinq ans après la régionalisation des soins oncologiques, on peut observer une réduction des temps d'attente, principalement une diminution du temps d'attente pour une TDM ou une consultation chirurgicale. Les temps d'attente pourraient être davantage raccourcis par une réduction des délais dans la stadification, ainsi que par la sensibilisation des patients et des fournisseurs de soins à l'égard de la reconnaissance des signes précoces de carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules.

Uniportal versus multiportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in the treatment of lung cancer: a Canadian single-centre retrospective study

Background: Observational studies comparing uniportal and multiportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of lung cancer have produced conflicting results. We present a Canadian study comparing clinical outcomes of uniportal and multiportal VATS in the treatment of lung cancer. Methods: A retrospective study evaluating patients who underwent multiportal (2012­2014) or uniportal (2014­2016) VATS lobectomies, segmentectomies and wedge resections for lung cancer. Clinical outcomes measured included patient demographics, tumour factors, operative factors, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, analgesic use, pain scores and mortality. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the 2 groups. Results: Of 185 patients, 65 underwent uniportal and 63 underwent multiportal VATS resection. Patients were similar in terms of their baseline demographics, comorbidies and cancer characteristics. Median operative time was 184 and 185 minutes in the uniportal and multiportal groups, respectively. There were 5 conversions to thoracotomy in the uniportal group and 1 in the multiportal group. Similar lymph node retrieval (median 7 v. 5 nodes) and positive margin rates (6.2% v. 4.8%) were seen in the 2 groups. Median length of stay was 2 days (interquartile range [IQR] 1­3) and 3 days (IQR 2­4) in the uniportal and multiportal groups, respectively. Rates of postoperative complications were similar in the 2 groups (16.9% v. 19.0%, p = 0.76). Patient-controlled analgesia use and pain scores did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Adoption of uniportal VATS appears to be feasible and safe, without compromising oncologic principles or increasing intraoperative resource utilization. Larger, prospective studies can help confirm these findings.

Contexte: Les études observationnelles qui comparent les interventions chirurgicales par thoracoscopie vidéo-assistée (VATS) uniportale et multiportale dans le traitement du cancer du poumon se contredisent. Notre étude compare les résultats cliniques des 2 types d'interventions en milieu canadien, pour les patients atteints d'un cancer du poumon. Méthodes: Nous avons rétrospectivement étudié le dossier de patients qui ont subi une lobectomie, une segmentectomie ou une résection cunéiforme périphérique par VATS multiportale (2012­2014) ou uniportale (2014­2016) pour cause de cancer du poumon. Les variables examinées étaient les caractéristiques personnelles des patients, les caractéristiques des tumeurs, les paramètres et détails de l'intervention, la durée d'hospitalisation, les complications postopératoires, l'utilisation d'analgésiques, l'intensité de la douleur ressentie et la mortalité. Nous avons comparé les 2 groupes à l'aide de statistiques descriptives. Résultats: Sur les 185 patients repérés, 65 avaient subi une VATS uniportale, et 63, une VATS multiportale. Les participants des 2 groupes se ressemblaient sur le plan de leur situation personnelle, de leurs comorbidités et des caractéristiques de leur cancer. La durée médiane de l'intervention était de 184 minutes pour les opérations uniportales et de 185 minutes pour les opérations multiportales. Les chirurgiens sont passés à la thoracotomie lors de 5 interventions uniportales et d'une intervention multiportale. Le nombre médian de noeuds lymphoïdes retirés (7 c. 5) et le taux de marges positives (6,2 % c. 4,8 %) étaient comparables entre les 2 groupes. La durée médiane d'hospitalisation était de 2 jours dans le groupe d'intervention uniportale et de 3 jours dans le groupe d'intervention multiportale (intervalle interquartile 1­3 et 2­4, respectivement). Le taux de complications postopératoires était semblable (16,9 % c. 19,0 %; p = 0,74), tout comme l'utilisation d'analgésiques contrôlée par le patient et l'intensité de la douleur ressentie. Conclusion: Il semble que l'adoption de la VATS uniportale soit réaliste et sûre, assurerait le respect des principes oncologiques et n'accroîtrait pas l'utilisation de ressources en contexte opératoire. Il faudra cependant mener des études prospectives de plus grande envergure pour confirmer ces résultats.

Investigating the Relationship Between Religiosity and Psychological Distress Among Surgical Inpatients: A Pilot Study.

Psychological distress may hinder recovery following surgery. Studies examining the relationship between psychological distress and religiosity in the acute post-operative setting are lacking. The present study investigated this relationship, evaluated protocol design, and explored coping mechanisms. Psychological distress of surgical inpatients was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL). Religiosity was assessed using the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire. Correlations were obtained using Minitab software. Qualitative analysis identified coping mechanisms. Of eligible inpatients, 13/54 were recruited. No significant correlation was found between religiosity and psychological distress. The RSCL had a strong correlation with HADS (R = 0.82, p = 0.001). Assessment of distress was >2 min faster using RSCL compared to HADS. Relationships with pets, friends or family, and God emerged as the most common coping mechanism. Given study limitations, no conclusion was drawn regarding the relationship between religiosity and psychological distress. Weaknesses in study protocol were identified, and recommendations were outlined to facilitate the definitive study. This includes use of RSCL instead of HADS. Further study is warranted to explore how to strengthen relationships for inpatients.

The role of positron emission tomography in the management of non-small cell lung cancer.

The potential use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is broadly divided into 5 categories: management of solitary pulmonary nodule, mediastinal lymph node evaluation, detection of metastases, evaluation of response to chemoradiation and detection of recurrence. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current clinical applications of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET in patients with NSCLC and to discuss future applications and developments of this technology.

Esophagogastrectomy: the influence of stapled versus hand-sewn anastomosis on outcome.

Successful anastomosis is essential for favorable esophagogastrectomy outcomes. Before July 2002, almost all esophagogastric anastomoses at our institution were hand-sewn. We then began using linear stapled anastomotic techniques. This review compares patient outcomes with both techniques. From July 2001 to June 2004, 280 consecutive esophagogastrectomy patients (235 men and 45 women) were reviewed (median age, 65 years). The anastomosis was intrathoracic in 206 patients (74%) and cervical in 74 (26%). Anastomoses were hand-sewn in 205 patients (73%) and linear stapled in 75 (27%). Stapled anastomoses were intrathoracic in 33 patients (16%) and cervical in 42 (57%). Anastomotic leaks occurred in 30 patients (11%); 26 (12.7%) in the hand-sewn and 4 (5.3%) in the linear stapled group (P = .008). Leaks were asymptomatic in 17 patients (57%). Dilatation was required in 70 hand-sewn anastomoses (34%) and in 11 stapled (14.6%) (P = .001). Hand-sewn anastomoses were more likely to leak and require dilatation; odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 5.35 (1.67-19.27) and 3.58 (1.66-8.34), respectively. A linear stapled anastomosis is safe and associated with both a significantly lower leak rate and the need for dilatation compared with hand-sewn anastomosis. This nonrandomized series suggests that linear stapled anastomosis is the preferred technique regardless of anastomotic location.