Impact of a coaching program on resident perceptions of communication confidence and feedback quality.

BACKGROUND: While communication is an essential skill for providing effective medical care, it is infrequently taught or directly assessed, limiting targeted feedback and behavior change. We sought to evaluate the impact of a multi-departmental longitudinal residency communication coaching program. We hypothesized that program implementation would result in improved confidence in residents' communication skills and higher-quality faculty feedback. METHODS: The program was implemented over a 3-year period (2019-2022) for surgery and neurology residents at a single institution. Trained faculty coaches met with assigned residents for coaching sessions. Each session included an observed clinical encounter, self-reflection, feedback, and goal setting. Eligible residents completed baseline and follow-up surveys regarding their perceptions of feedback and communication. Quantitative responses were analyzed using paired t-tests; qualitative responses were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The baseline and follow-up survey response rates were 90.0% (126/140) and 50.5% (46/91), respectively. In a paired analysis of 40 respondents, residents reported greater confidence in their ability to communicate with patients (inpatient: 3.7 vs. 4.3, p < 0.001; outpatient: 3.5 vs. 4.2, p < 0.001), self-reflect (3.3 vs. 4.3, p < 0.001), and set goals (3.6 vs. 4.3, p < 0.001), as measured on a 5-point scale. Residents also reported greater usefulness of faculty feedback (3.3 vs. 4.2, p = 0.001). The content analysis revealed helpful elements of the program, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Receiving mentorship, among others, was indicated as a core program strength, whereas solving session coordination and scheduling issues, as well as lowering the coach-resident ratio, were suggested as some of the improvement areas. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that direct observation of communication in clinical encounters by trained faculty coaches can facilitate long-term trainee growth across multiple core competencies. Future studies should evaluate the impact on patient outcomes and workplace-based assessments.

More is not better: A scoping review of simulation in transition to residency programs.

BACKGROUND: Transition to residency programs frequently use simulation to promote clinical skills but place limited emphasis on non-clinical skills. We conducted a scoping review to determine how simulation is being used in transition to residency programs and the key non-clinical skills addressed by simulation activities and tools in these programs. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Embase to identify articles addressing transition to residency, simulation, and non-clinical skills/attributes. Two authors independently screened all abstracts and full-text articles and identified non-clinical attributes elicited in each study. Using descriptive statistics, we characterized the simulation activities and tools and the number and type of non-clinical attributes captured in the programs. Using analysis of variance, we compared the number of non-clinical attributes elicited based on the number of simulation activities used and compared the number of non-clinical attributes elicited based on the number of simulation tools used. RESULTS: We identified 38 articles that met the study criteria. We characterized simulation activities as mock paging (37%), case-based scenarios (74%), and/or procedural skills training (39%). We found that the most common simulation tools were standardized patients (64.8%), and the most elicited non-clinical attributes were communication skills, critical thinking, and teamwork. Using more simulation activity categories or simulation tools did not increase the number of non-clinical skills elicited. CONCLUSION: Simulation is used broadly in transition to residency programs but provides training in a few of the non-clinical skills required for a successful transition. Incorporating more simulation activities or tools does not increase the number of non-clinical attributes elicited, illustrating the importance of developing more targeted simulation activities to promote non-clinical skills more effectively.

The Impact of COVID-19 and Policy Changes on Immediate Postpartum Contraception and Permanent Contraception at an Urban Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to increased use of telemedicine visits and a temporary suspension of interval tubal ligations, providers at the University of Maryland Medical Center were encouraged to counsel patients interested in long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) about immediate postpartum placement. We assessed immediate postpartum contraception uptake following these policy changes. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we compared patients who delivered a live born infant(s) before the pandemic ("pre-COVID cohort," December 16, 2019-March 1, 2020) and at the beginning of the pandemic ("during-COVID cohort," March 16-May 31, 2020). We collected electronic medical record data, including sociodemographic characteristics and contraception choices antenatally and through 1 year postpartum for 631 patients (321 pre-COVID, 310 during-COVID). Results: Odds of immediate postpartum LARC use in the during-COVID cohort were 33% higher than in the pre-COVID cohort, but this was not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 0.81-2.19). We found no difference in numbers of patients who received immediate postpartum tubal ligation (10% pre-COVID vs. 11% during-COVID). No patients in the during-COVID cohort obtained interval tubal ligations within 6 months of delivery. Contraceptive choices differed at postpartum visits (p = 0.03), with a decrease in delayed postpartum LARC placement in the during-COVID cohort (15% pre-COVID vs. 8% during-COVID). Conclusions: When COVID-19-related hospital policies prompted increased counseling on immediate postpartum LARC and suspension of interval tubal ligations, patients tended to be more likely to choose immediate postpartum LARC. Situational resource restrictions and targeted counseling may influence patient choices and access to desired contraceptive methods.

The domino effect: the impact of gender on operative self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest that there are key differences in operative experience based on a trainee's gender. A large-scale self-efficacy (SE) survey, distributed to general surgery residents after the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination in 2020, found that female gender was associated with decreased SE in graduating PGY5 residents for all 4 laparoscopic procedures included on the survey (cholecystectomy, appendectomy, right hemicolectomy, and diagnostic laparoscopy). We sought to determine whether these differences were reflected at the case level when considering operative performance and supervision using an operative assessment tool (SIMPL OR). METHODS: Supervision and performance data reported through the SIMPL OR platform for the same 4 laparoscopic procedures included in the SE survey were aggregated for residents who were PGY5s in 2020. Independent t-tests and multiple linear regression were used to determine the relationship between trainee gender and supervision/performance ratings. RESULTS: For laparoscopic cases in aggregate (n = 2708), male residents rated their performance higher than females (3.57 vs. 3.26, p < 0.001, 1 = critical deficiency, 5 = exceptional performance) and reported less supervision (3.15 vs. 2.85, p < 0.001, 1 = show and tell, 4 = supervision only); similar findings were seen when looking at attending reports of resident supervision and performance. A multiple linear regression model showed that attending gender did not significantly predict resident-reported supervision or performance levels, while case complexity and trainee gender significantly affected both supervision and performance (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Female residents perceive themselves to be less self-efficacious at core laparoscopic procedures compared to their male colleagues. Comparison to more case-specific data confirm that female residents receive more supervision and lower performance ratings. This may create a domino effect in which female residents receive less operative independence, preventing the opportunity to establish SE. Further research should identify opportunities to break this cycle and consider gender identity beyond the male/female construct.

Thriving as a Surgical Intern: Three Tips From the Collaboration of Surgical Education Fellows (CoSEF).

We are the multi-institutional organization known as the Collaboration of Surgical Education Fellows (CoSEF). We've collectively reflected on our range of experiences across the country and identified 3 principles which promote a successful intern experience: (1) Own your patients; (2) Treat people like people; and (3) Take care of yourself.

We Need to Do Better: A Scoping Review of Wellness Programs In Surgery Residency.

OBJECTIVE: Burnout, depression, and fatigue are common among surgical residents. Most published wellness studies in surgery only focus on a cross-sectional view of attitudes and perceptions around wellness in training. While much of this literature calls for interventions and presents strategies for improving resident well-being, there is a paucity of published wellness initiatives, and even fewer with programmatic evaluation. DESIGN: A scoping review was designed to address: (1) What wellness initiatives are used in surgery residency programs? (2) Which wellness domains do these programs address? and (3) How are program outcomes evaluated? A formal literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases to identify English-language studies conducted in the United States that described wellness-focused initiatives for surgery residents. Two authors independently screened all abstracts and full texts for inclusion. Data were extracted including wellness domain(s) and outcomes evaluation methods with associated Kirkpatrick level(s) (1-reaction, 2-learning, 3-behavior, 4-results). Study quality was examined using the medical education research study quality index (MERSQI) score. RESULTS: A total of 2237 abstracts were screened with 115 full texts reviewed for eligibility. Fifty-one studies were included in the final analysis, representing 39 distinct wellness programs. The most common domains of wellness addressed were emotional (19/39, 48.7%), occupational (17/39, 43.6%), and physical (16/39, 41.0%). Of the 51 studies reviewed, 8 (15.7%) did not conduct any program evaluation, 27 (52.9%) evaluated level 1, 30 (58.8%) evaluated level 2, 3 (5.9%) evaluated level 3, and none evaluated level 4 outcomes. The mean MERSQI score was 9.16 (SD 1.8). CONCLUSIONS: Wellness is an established problem in surgical training. This review reveals a small number of published wellness interventions and even fewer that incorporate programmatic evaluation at the level of behavior and results change. Effective change will require rigorous and deliberate programming that addresses multiple domains and evaluation levels.

Abortion Care Is Essential Medical Care.

An abortion care provider shares stories from the front line and urges physicians to defend abortion care access within their communities.

The Program Director Perspective: Perceptions of PGY5 Residents' Operative Self-Efficacy and Entrustment.

INTRODUCTION: A 2020 survey of post-graduate year 5 (PGY5) general surgery residents linked to the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) revealed significant deficits in self-efficacy (SE), or personal judgment of one's ability to complete a task, for 10 commonly performed operations. Identifying whether this deficit is similarly perceived by program directors (PDs) has not been well established. We hypothesized that PDs would perceive higher levels of operative SE compared to PGY5s. METHODS: A survey was distributed through the Association of Program Directors in Surgery listserv; PDs were queried about their PGY5 residents' ability to perform the same 10 operations independently and their accuracy of patient assessments and operative plans for components of several core entrustable professional activities (EPAs). Results of this survey were compared to PGY5 residents' perception of their SE and entrustment based on the 2020 post-ABSITE survey. Chi-squared tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 108 responses were received, representing ∼32% (108/342) of general surgery programs. Perceptions from PDs of PGY5 residents' operative SE were highly concordant with resident perceptions; no significant differences were observed for 9 of 10 procedures. Both PGY5 residents and PDs perceived adequate levels of entrustment; no significant differences were observed for 6 of 8 EPA components. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show concordance between PDs and PGY5 residents in their perceptions of operative SE and entrustment. Though both groups perceive adequate levels of entrustment, PDs corroborate the previously described operative SE deficit, illustrating the importance of improved preparation for independent practice.

The fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery in general surgery residency: fundamental for junior residents' self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) has served a need for educational structure for laparoscopic skill within General Surgery training since 2004. This study looks at how FLS affects resident self-efficacy (SE) with laparoscopic procedures. METHODS: We conducted a national survey, linked to the 2020 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE), in which 9275 residents from 325 US General Surgery Training Programs participated. The online survey included multimodal questions that analyzed whether participants felt they could perform the most commonly-logged laparoscopic operations among residents [Laparoscopic Appendectomy (LA), Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC), Laparoscopic Right Hemicolectomy (LRH), Diagnostic Laparoscopy (DL)] without faculty assistance. This used a 5-point scaled assessment, ranging from "not able to" to "definitely able to." Multivariate analyses determined if completion of FLS made a difference for resident self-efficacy, stratified by post-graduate year (PGY). RESULTS: At the time of the survey, 2300 reported completion of FLS. The percentage of FLS completion increased from PGY1 to PGY5 (4.2% n = 59 vs 85.8% n = 893). PGY1 residents who completed FLS, from 48 diverse institutions, demonstrated the most significant increases in SE (p < 0.05) with significantly higher perceived self-efficacy in LA (p = 0.001) and LRH (p = 0.012). PGY2 and PGY3 residents indicated increased SE in DL (p = 0.037, p = 0.015, respectively), based on FLS completion. These FLS effects were less evident in the more senior classes. CONCLUSIONS: Completion of FLS arguably has the greatest benefits for more junior residents, as it establishes a foundation of laparoscopic knowledge and skill, upon which further residency training can build. Successful completion of the curriculum and assessment offered by the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery leads to greater sense of ability in early trainees.

"Aortic Balloon Molding" during Ovation Endograft Implantation Expands Graft Use for Hostile Neck Anatomy.

BACKGROUND: Challenging aortoiliac anatomy such as short neck and narrow access vessels is responsible for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR) ineligibility in up to 50% of cases. The Ovation stent graft helped widen the range of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) suitable for EVAR thanks to its low-profile delivery system and polymer-filled sealing rings. However, its advantages are offset by a tight sizing chart that can lead to increased risk of type Ia endoleak or endograft infolding from under- or oversizing, respectively. We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel endovascular technique developed to expand the use of the Ovation endograft while avoiding these issues. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients who underwent EVAR with the Ovation endograft at our institution between March 2019 and December 2020. "Aortic Balloon Molding" or ABM is a novel endovascular technique in which the graft is pre-cannulated and a compliant aortic balloon is inflated at the site of the graft's sealing rings during polymer administration. The technique was preferentially performed in patients with hostile neck anatomy (HNA) defined as any or all of angulation >60°, reverse taper configuration, ≥50% circumferential thrombus, or calcification. Patients undergoing traditional deployment were compared to those in whom ABM was performed. End points included neck-related adjunctive procedures, technical success, type Ia endoleak at completion angiogram, and 1-year freedom from type Ia endoleak and migration. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were included in the study, of which 26 (60.5%) were treated with the ABM technique. Mean follow-up was 7.9 ± 6 months. Patients in the ABM group were more likely to have a reverse taper neck (61.5% vs. 41.2%, P = 0.1), have significant circumferential thrombus or calcium (23.1% vs. 5.9%, P = 0.1), and be treated outside of the Ovation indications for use regarding anatomic characteristics (65.4% vs. 41.2%, P = 0.1). Technical success was achieved in 100% of cases. However, patients in the ABM group were less likely to require a neck-related adjunctive procedure (7.7% vs. 23.5%, P = 0.1). Only 1 type Ia endoleak was observed at completion angiogram in a patient treated without ABM. At 1 year, freedom from type Ia endoleak or migration was 100% for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: ABM proves to be a safe and effective adjunctive technique for the treatment of AAAs with HNA using the Ovation stent graft. This may allow optimal endograft sizing to achieve adequate seal in complex aortic anatomies. Further research is warranted to evaluate the long-term outcomes of this technique.

Educational Safety for the Surgical Learner.

Psychological safety is known to improve team performance and organizational learning. The related concept of "educational safety" has recently emerged to describe an environment in which learners can unreservedly focus on learning and professional growth, without worrying about the potential repercussions of interpersonal risk-taking. Educational safety is crucial for optimal learning in clinical environments, and yet is difficult to establish due to constant performance assessment, fear of failure, and pervasive hierarchies. In this perspective, we propose a framework for conceptualizing educational safety in surgical learning environments, and explore current threats to educational safety. We also discuss strategies for combating these threats, as well as the importance of further research to evaluate the impact of educational safety on surgical learning outcomes.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in presidential leadership of academic medical and surgical societies.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to identify gender and racial disparities in presidential leadership for national medical and surgical organizations. METHODS: We located publicly sourced information on national medical organizations. Years between or since the first diverse presidents were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Sixty-seven national medical and surgical organizations were surveyed. 70.8% (n = 34) diversified via gender first (White-female), whereas 26.1% (n = 14) had racial diversity first. Organizations with gender diversity first followed with an African American male president sooner than organizations who first diversified by race (14.7 ± 11.8 v. 27.6 ± 11.3 years, p = 0.018). No significant difference was observed for the third tier of diversification. CONCLUSIONS: Significant gender and racial leadership disparities in national medical organizations are still present. It is notable that organizations with female leaders had a shorter timeline to racial diversity. These findings help to inform strategies to promote and increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in national leadership.

Individual and Institutional Factors Associated with PGY5 General Surgery Resident Self-Efficacy: A National Survey.

BACKGROUND: Variability in post-graduate year 5 (PGY5) residents' operative self-efficacy exists; yet the causes of variability have not been explored. Our study aims to determine resident-related and program-dependent factors associated with residents' perceptions of self-efficacy. STUDY DESIGN: Following the 2020 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination, a national survey of self-efficacy in 10 of the most commonly performed Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case-log procedures was completed. RESULTS: A total of 1,145 PGY5 residents completed the survey (response rate 83.8%), representing 296 surgical residency programs. Female sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.46 to 0.67; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.95; p < 0.05) was associated with decreased self-efficacy for 6 procedures. Residents from institutions with emphasis on autonomy were more likely to report higher self-efficacy for 8 of 10 procedures (OR 1.39 to 3.03; 95% CI 1.03 to 4.51; p < 0.05). In addition, increased socialization among residents and faculty also correlated with increased self-efficacy in 3 of 10 procedures (OR 1.41 to 2.37; 95% CI 1.03 to 4.69; p < 0.05). Procedures performed with higher levels of resident responsibility, based on Graduated Levels of Resident Responsibility (GLRR) and Teaching Assistant (TA) scores, were correlated with higher self-efficacy (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ensuring that residents receive ample opportunities for GLRR and TA experiences, while implementing programmatic support for resident-dependent factors, may be crucial for building self-efficacy in PGY5 residents. Institutional support of resident "autonomy" and increasing methods of socialization may provide a means of building trust and improving perceptions of self-efficacy. In addition, reevaluating institutional policies that limit opportunities for graduated levels of responsibility, while maintaining patient safety, may lead to increased self-efficacy.

Developing a multi-departmental residency communication coaching program.

Background: Local needs assessments in our institution's surgery and neurology residency programs identified barriers to effective communication, such as no shared communication framework and limited feedback on nontechnical clinical skills. Residents identified faculty-led coaching as a desired educational intervention to improve communication skills. Three university departments (Surgery, Neurology, and Pediatrics) and health-care system leaders collaborated closely to develop an innovative communication coaching initiative generalizable to other residency programs. Innovation: Coaching program development involved several layers of collaboration between health-care system leaders, faculty educators, and departmental communication champions. The efforts included: (1) creating and delivering communication skills training to faculty and residents; (2) hosting frequent meetings among various stakeholders to develop program strategy, discuss opportunities and learnings, and engage other medical educators interested in coaching; (3) obtaining funding to implement the coaching initiative; (4) selecting coaches and providing salary and training support. Evaluation: A multi-phased mixed-methods study utilized online surveys and virtual semi-structured interviews to assess the program's quality and impact on the communication culture and the satisfaction and communication skills of residents. Quantitative and qualitative data have been integrated during data collection and analysis using embedding, building, and merging strategies. Discussion and Implications: Establishing a multi-departmental coaching program may be feasible and can be adapted by other programs if similar resources and focus are present. We found that stakeholders' buy-in, financial support, protected faculty time, flexible approach, and rigorous evaluation are crucial factors in successfully implementing and sustaining such an initiative.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Current Analysis of General Surgery Residency Programs.

BACKGROUND: Local, regional, and national diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been established to combat barriers to entry and promote retention in surgery residency programs. Our study evaluates changes in diversity in general surgery residency programs. We hypothesize that diversity trends have remained stable nationally and regionally. MATERIALS AND METHODS: General surgery residents in all postgraduate years were queried regarding their self-reported sex, race, and ethnicity following the 2020 ABSITE. Residents were then grouped into geographic regions. Data were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test, and chi-square analyses. RESULTS: A total of 9276 residents responded. Nationally, increases in female residents were noted from 38.0 to 46.0% (P < .001) and in Hispanic or Latinx residents from 7.3 to 8.3% (P = .031). Across geographic regions, a significant increase in female residents was noted in the Northwest (51.9 to 58.3%, P = .039), Midwest (36.9 to 43.3%, P = .006), and Southwest (35.8 to 47.5%, P = .027). A significant increase in black residents was only noted in the Northwest (0 to 15.8%, P = .031). The proportion of white residents decreased nationally by 8.9% and in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Southwest between 5.5 and 15.9% (P < .05). DISCUSSION: In an increasingly diverse society, expanding the numbers of underrepresented surgeons in training, and ultimately in practice, is a necessity. This study shows that there are region-specific increases in diversity, despite minimal change on a national level. This finding may suggest the need for region-specific DEI strategies and initiatives. Future studies will seek to evaluate individual programs with DEI plans and determine if there is a correlation to changing demographics.

Common Iliac Artery Aneurysm Repair with Hypogastric Preservation via Balloon-Expandable Covered Stents Using the Eyelet Technique-Iliac Branched Devices Still Inappropriate in Many Patients.

BACKGROUND: Common iliac artery aneurysms (CIAAs) are seen in 20-40% of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. Historically treated with sacrifice of the hypogastric artery, which can result in significant morbidity related to pelvic ischemia, new devices have made hypogastric artery preservation more feasible but are only applicable to a small subset of aneurysm anatomy. We sought to assess the safety and efficacy or a novel technique for hypogastric artery preservation applicable to a wider variety of patients with CIAAs. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of all patients with CIAAs treated with a novel endovascular technique at the UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center or the San Diego Veterans Affairs Hospital between March 2016 and December 2017. The endovascular technique involved stent placement in both the internal and external iliac arteries, with balloon expansion to minimize gutters between the endografts. Primary end points included technical success, limb patency, and presence of endoleaks (ELs). RESULTS: A total of 14 limbs (12 patients) were treated for CIAAs with 100% technical success and limb patency at an average of 6.8 months of follow-up. No patients experienced type I or type III ELs or evidence of pelvic ischemia. Two patients required reintervention, and one patient died of causes unrelated to the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: This technique was performed with excellent short- and mid-term safety in patients with varying aneurysm anatomy. The high rates of technical success and low rate pelvic ischemia represent improvement over conventional techniques that sacrifice the hypogastric artery and warrant further testing in a larger patient series with longer term follow-up.

Novel Approach to Treatment of Chronic Iliocaval Occlusion Utilizing Covered Stents.

BACKGROUND: Chronic iliocaval obstruction is a challenging clinical entity to treat. Endovenous iliocaval stenting is becoming the treatment of choice for central vein stenosis and occlusion. However, outcomes in thrombotic disease have not been as robust as nonthrombotic disease. In this article, we describe our experience utilizing covered stents as a novel tool for chronic total occlusions of the iliocaval veins. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of all patients undergoing endovenous stenting with a covered stent for chronic occlusive iliocaval disease over a 3-year period at our institution. Patients were followed clinically and with venous duplexes to assess the feasibility, safety, and outcomes of iliocaval endovenous stenting with covered stents. RESULTS: A total of 10 patients (8 men and 2 women) underwent iliocaval stenting with covered stents from July 2015 to May 2018. A total of 20 self-expanding covered stents (SECS) and 13 balloon expandable covered stents (BECS) were deployed in the central veins of the 10 patients. Six SECS and 5 BECS were deployed in the inferior vena cava, 10 SECS and 6 BECS were deployed in the common iliac veins (CIVs) (5 patients had bilateral CIV BECS and 2 patients had bilateral CIV SECS), and 4 SECS and 2 BECS were deployed in the external iliac veins (2 patients had bilateral SECS placed). Median follow-up time was 12.1 (range 0.5-35.0) months. There were no perioperative or postoperative complications. Nine (90%) patients maintained primary stent patency during our follow-up time. One patient (10%) had rethrombosis of his stent due to undertreated common femoral vein disease in the setting of a new myeloproliferative neoplasm and an inappropriate cessation of therapeutic anticoagulation. All patients who were symptomatic preoperatively had improvement in their pain, venous ulceration, and venous claudication. Eight of nine (89%) patients had improvement in their lower extremity edema. CONCLUSIONS: Covered endovenous stenting of chronically occluded central veins is a safe and promising procedure. Their use may improve the short- and long-term outcomes in this challenging patient population. Further studies are required to evaluate the long-term efficacy and cost of their use.

Effect of Concurrent Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Treatment on Dose and Side Effects of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in Adolescent Transgender Patients.

This retrospective chart review aims to address gaps in the literature regarding the efficacy and interaction of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) and gender-affirming hormone therapies in medical transition regimens in transgender adolescents. We abstracted and reviewed data from 83 patients at our pediatric gender clinic, and found that patients who initiated treatment with GnRHa before gender-affirming hormones (estrogen, testosterone) required lower doses of those hormones than those who did not use GnRHa. The results of this preliminary research provide a foundation for future long-term prospective studies aimed to better understand these relationships.

Turner Syndrome Systematic Review: Spontaneous Thelarche and Menarche Stratified by Karyotype.

BACKGROUND: Girls with Turner syndrome (TS) have a high incidence of primary ovarian insufficiency. Recent data show rates of spontaneous thelarche (ST) of 38% and spontaneous menarche (SM) of 15-16%, with higher rates in those with mosaicism. SUMMARY: We systematically reviewed the literature for evidence regarding rates of ST and SM in TS and evaluated rates based on the type of chromosomal mosaicism. We searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Controlled Trials. Reference lists were screened. Studies reporting outcomes of ST and SM in girls with TS, diagnosed by genetic analysis, were included. Data was collected regarding study design, cohort type, cohort age, the number of participants with ST and SM, the individual age at diagnosis of ST and SM, the mean age of patients with ST and SM, sample size, the number of participants with secondary amenorrhea, and karyotype. Key Messages: In total 2,699 patients were assessed for ST and 2,890 for SM from 43 articles. Overall the rates of ST were 32% (95% CI 26.4-38.9) and SM 20.8% (95% CI 19.3-22.4). Girls with X monosomy had the lowest rates of ST (i.e., 13%; 95% CI 8.7-19.7) and SM (i.e., 9.1%; 95% CI 7.3-11.3). Girls with 45,X/47,XXX had the highest rates of ST (i.e., 88.1%; 95% CI 62-97.1) and SM (i.e., 66.2%; 95% CI 49.3-79.6). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of ST and SM differ by karyotype in TS. When counseling patients, the karyotype should strongly influence discussions regarding pubertal development and the future reproductive potential.