eP425 - Objective Performance Indicators to Assess Surgeon Performance in Colorectal Surgery

Purpose/Background: We aim to evaluate the feasibility of using Objective Performance Indicators to distinguish between expert and novice robotic colorectal surgeons in a pilot study using an ex-vivo animal model. We hypothesized that expert robotic surgeons would demonstrate objectively more efficient and proficient automated metrics than novice robotic surgeons while performing a simulated intracorporeal bowel anastomosis.Methods/Interventions: Kinematic and events data were recorded during a simulated intracorporeal anastomosis on bovine bowel performed by expert (100 or more robotic cases) and novice (less than 100 robotic cases) surgeons and trainees. Each session was divided into stapling and suturing tasks. Objective Performance Indicators were compared between the expert and novice groups using Mann-Whitney U test.Results/Outcomes: Twenty-three subjects were included in the study and 21 sessions were included in the final analysis. There were no significant differences between experts and novices during the stapling task. However, experts performed the suturing task faster (478.71 vs 910.45 seconds, p 0.003), with less total distance traveled (17.46 vs 26.57 meters, p 0.011), less total wrist movement (900.98 vs 1551.22 radians, p 0.002), a more proportional ratio of dominant to non-dominant wrist movement (1.19 vs 1.56, p 0.017), and with less total workspace volume (0.0084 vs 0.0113 m3, p 0.049) than novices.Conclusion/

Discussion: Objective Performance Indicators may be used as an objective method of evaluating robotic competency in colorectal surgery. Future studies are underway to correlate OPIs with clinical outcomes.