The role of structured surgical planning in the learning process of functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Introduction There is a multitude of recommendations and checklists for operation planning of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) based on computed tomography (CT). This may lead to uncertainties and consequently a lack of preparationfor FESS procedures during residency. The use of structured operation planning (SOP) offers a promising approach to overcome these obstacles. Thus, the present study’s purpose is to compare the completeness of CT-based operation planning for FESS using SOP and conventional operation planning (COP) during residency.

Materials and Methods Preoperative CTs of 15 patients were assessed by residents (n = 4) with regard to relevant structures for FESS using SOP and COP. Findings were evaluated for completeness by a highly experienced FESS surgeon. Additionally, user satisfaction was evaluated by a questionnaire.

Results The use of SOP resulted in a significantly increased completeness of CT-based operation planning with respect to FESS-relevant findings (90.3% vs. 51.7%, p<0.001). Furthermore, participating residents had a clear preference for SOP and felt better prepared for FESS procedures (VAS 8.9 vs. 3.8, p< 0.001).

Conclusion SOP of FESS facilitates an improved preparation for the surgery. Residents favor SOP and feel better prepared for possible obstacles during the procedure. Therefore, SOP could be a new tool to improve FESS training during residency.

Poster-PDF A-1486.PDF

Publication History

Article published online:
10 June 2020