Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods
Summary:. Numerous effective techniques for primary tendon coaptations exist. However, these techniques are complex and require a substantial amount of training to become proficient. Recently, a novel tendon stapler device (TSD) was developed that could potentially diminish the discrepancies among s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| Online Access: | http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005167 |
| _version_ | 1827855952510976000 |
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| author | Russell J. Hendrycks, MD Evelyn R. Reed, MD Emily M. Graham, MD Niki K. Patel, MD, MSc Megan Rosales, MS, MStat Shaun D. Mendenhall, MD |
| author_facet | Russell J. Hendrycks, MD Evelyn R. Reed, MD Emily M. Graham, MD Niki K. Patel, MD, MSc Megan Rosales, MS, MStat Shaun D. Mendenhall, MD |
| author_sort | Russell J. Hendrycks, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary:. Numerous effective techniques for primary tendon coaptations exist. However, these techniques are complex and require a substantial amount of training to become proficient. Recently, a novel tendon stapler device (TSD) was developed that could potentially diminish the discrepancies among surgeons of varying levels of training. We hypothesized that the TSD would be easier to learn and would demonstrate improved learning curve efficiencies across participants of differing tendon repair experience compared with traditional suture methods. Participants included a novice, intermediate, and expert in tendon repairs. Comparisons were performed on wrist-level flexors and extensors from human donor arms. The suture repairs were performed with a modified Kessler with a horizontal mattress and were performed in one session on two donor arms by each participant. In a second session, each participant performed the TSD repairs on the matched, contralateral donor arms. Scatterplots fitted with Loess curves, one-way analysis of variance, Tukey pairwise comparisons, two-sided independent samples t test, and Fisher exact test were used to analyze findings. Results of our study showed that TSD repair times did not vary significantly by experience level. Suture repairs reached a stable “learned” level around repair #30, whereas the TSD repairs showed a more efficient curve that stabilized around repair #23. The TSD required less educational time, demonstrated a more efficient learning curve, and showed less variability across participants and repair order. Overall, the TSD is easy to adopt and may carry positive implications for surgeons and patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:18:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-26ef49dd5f274855aba86500860ae2b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2169-7574 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:18:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-26ef49dd5f274855aba86500860ae2b62023-08-30T06:13:50ZengWolters KluwerPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open2169-75742023-08-01118e516710.1097/GOX.0000000000005167202308000-00029Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture MethodsRussell J. Hendrycks, MD0Evelyn R. Reed, MD1Emily M. Graham, MD2Niki K. Patel, MD, MSc3Megan Rosales, MS, MStat4Shaun D. Mendenhall, MD5From the * Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UtahFrom the * Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UtahFrom the * Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah† Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Oral Surgery, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.‡ Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.† Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Oral Surgery, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.Summary:. Numerous effective techniques for primary tendon coaptations exist. However, these techniques are complex and require a substantial amount of training to become proficient. Recently, a novel tendon stapler device (TSD) was developed that could potentially diminish the discrepancies among surgeons of varying levels of training. We hypothesized that the TSD would be easier to learn and would demonstrate improved learning curve efficiencies across participants of differing tendon repair experience compared with traditional suture methods. Participants included a novice, intermediate, and expert in tendon repairs. Comparisons were performed on wrist-level flexors and extensors from human donor arms. The suture repairs were performed with a modified Kessler with a horizontal mattress and were performed in one session on two donor arms by each participant. In a second session, each participant performed the TSD repairs on the matched, contralateral donor arms. Scatterplots fitted with Loess curves, one-way analysis of variance, Tukey pairwise comparisons, two-sided independent samples t test, and Fisher exact test were used to analyze findings. Results of our study showed that TSD repair times did not vary significantly by experience level. Suture repairs reached a stable “learned” level around repair #30, whereas the TSD repairs showed a more efficient curve that stabilized around repair #23. The TSD required less educational time, demonstrated a more efficient learning curve, and showed less variability across participants and repair order. Overall, the TSD is easy to adopt and may carry positive implications for surgeons and patients.http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005167 |
| spellingShingle | Russell J. Hendrycks, MD Evelyn R. Reed, MD Emily M. Graham, MD Niki K. Patel, MD, MSc Megan Rosales, MS, MStat Shaun D. Mendenhall, MD Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| title | Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods |
| title_full | Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods |
| title_fullStr | Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods |
| title_short | Learning Curve of Wrist-level Tendon Repairs Using a Novel Tendon Stapler versus Traditional Suture Methods |
| title_sort | learning curve of wrist level tendon repairs using a novel tendon stapler versus traditional suture methods |
| url | http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005167 |
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