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Learning curve in open inguinal hernia repair: a quality improvement multicentre study about Lichtenstein technique

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Abstract

Purpose

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most performed procedure all over the world with more than 20 million procedures performed each year. Due to the lack of data in literature about the learning curve of the Lichtenstein procedure, we decided to reproduce a research on learning curves with the same methodology proposed in our previous study about laparoscopic hernia repair. The aim of this multicentre study was to analyse how many cases are required to achieve the learning curve for a Lichtenstein procedure.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of the first 100 Lichtenstein procedures performed by 4 trainees from three different institutions and compared them with the same number of procedures performed by 3 senior surgeons from the same institutions. The data about the achieving of learning curve were evaluated with CUSUM and KPSS test.

Results

No differences about biometrical features were found between the seven groups of patients. CUSUM analysis showed that the trainees achieve the learning curve after 37–42 procedures, reaching an operative time similar to that one of the senior surgeons.

Conclusions

In conclusion, we have shown that the number of procedures required to reach the learning curve from the beginning of surgical residency is around 40 hernia repairs. This number, produced in a controlled environment under strict supervision, could be the minimum requirement to start the procedure of accreditation and specialization in hernia surgery and is higher and steeper than previously reported.

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Author notes

  1. : should be considered as first author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Surgical Endoscopy, School of Medicine, University Hospital Federico II of Naples, Via Pansini 5, Naples, Italy

    G. Merola, E. Pontecorvi, F. Corcione & U. Bracale

  2. Department of Surgery “P. Valdoni”, School of Medicine, University Hospital “La Sapienza” of Rome, Rome, Italy

    G. Cavallaro & O. Iorio

  3. Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    M. Frascio & C. Stabilini

  4. Department of General and Mininvasive Surgery, “San Camillo” Hospital of Trento, Trento, Italy

    J. Andreuccetti

  5. Department of General Surgery II, Civil Hospital of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    G. Pignata

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  1. G. Merola
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  2. G. Cavallaro
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  3. O. Iorio
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  4. M. Frascio
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  10. U. Bracale
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Correspondence to U. Bracale.

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All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institute and regional research committee and with the 1694 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Moreover, ethical approval was sought but not deemed necessary by the hospital research committee, due to retrospective nature of the paper.

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Merola, G., Cavallaro, G., Iorio, O. et al. Learning curve in open inguinal hernia repair: a quality improvement multicentre study about Lichtenstein technique. Hernia 24, 651–659 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-019-02064-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-019-02064-x

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