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Research article
Time management in operating rooms (ORs) – a retrospective study to evaluate estimated and objective durations of surgical procedures in the field of ENT
Anne Lammert
Universitatsklinikum Mannheim
Corresponding Author
License:
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Background
Accurate planning of operating times in a surgical clinic is essential. High capacity utilization of operating rooms (ORs) is necessary for economic efficiency. Variable working hours of different team members on a surgical team (such as the anesthesiologist, surgeon, and OR-assistant) must also be respected. In this regard, incorrect planning may lead to conflicts between team members, thus disturbing daily work routine. Most planning of operating times is performed by surgeons. Here, objective and estimated times by surgeons were compared to detect sources of error.
Methods
In a retrospective analysis, durations of 1809 operations under general anaesthesia (22 different types) by 31 surgeons (12 specialists (S) and 19 residents (R)) of the ear nose throat department at Mannheim University Medical Centre were compared. Incision to suture and preparation and post-processing times of 10 specialists and 17 residents estimated based on questionnaires were compared to objective times. Both comparisons were analyzed by Mann-Whitney-U-tests.
Results
Comparison of objective times of surgical action showed significant differences between specialists and residents in 6 of 15 types of surgeries. Post-processing times estimated by specialists deviated from objective times in 2 out of 22 surgery types. Post-processing times estimated by residents deviated in 7 out of 15 types. Specialists misjudged incision to suture times in 7 of 22 surgery types, and residents misjudged in 3 out of 15. Preparation times estimated by specialists deviated from objective times in 16 of 22 types of surgeries and in 7 out of 15 estimated by residents.
Conclusions
A surgeon’s routine must be considered to estimate operating times. Specialists underrated the preparation and post-processing and overrated incision to suture times. Residents underestimated all of these times. Preparation and post-processing times must be considered in the planning and, ideally, determined together with anesthesiologists and OR-assistants.
Keywords
Surgery, time duration, surgeon, operating room, OR
Figure 1
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Revision
Version 1
Posted 09 Jun, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 04 Jan, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 25 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 15 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 15 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 31 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 31 May, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Surgery. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Time management in operating rooms (ORs) – a retrospective study to evaluate estimated and objective durations of surgical procedures in the field of ENT
Anne Lammert
Universitatsklinikum Mannheim
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Revision
Version 1
Posted 09 Jun, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 04 Jan, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 25 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 15 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 15 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 31 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 31 May, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
Accurate planning of operating times in a surgical clinic is essential. High capacity utilization of operating rooms (ORs) is necessary for economic efficiency. Variable working hours of different team members on a surgical team (such as the anesthesiologist, surgeon, and OR-assistant) must also be respected. In this regard, incorrect planning may lead to conflicts between team members, thus disturbing daily work routine. Most planning of operating times is performed by surgeons. Here, objective and estimated times by surgeons were compared to detect sources of error.
Methods
In a retrospective analysis, durations of 1809 operations under general anaesthesia (22 different types) by 31 surgeons (12 specialists (S) and 19 residents (R)) of the ear nose throat department at Mannheim University Medical Centre were compared. Incision to suture and preparation and post-processing times of 10 specialists and 17 residents estimated based on questionnaires were compared to objective times. Both comparisons were analyzed by Mann-Whitney-U-tests.
Results
Comparison of objective times of surgical action showed significant differences between specialists and residents in 6 of 15 types of surgeries. Post-processing times estimated by specialists deviated from objective times in 2 out of 22 surgery types. Post-processing times estimated by residents deviated in 7 out of 15 types. Specialists misjudged incision to suture times in 7 of 22 surgery types, and residents misjudged in 3 out of 15. Preparation times estimated by specialists deviated from objective times in 16 of 22 types of surgeries and in 7 out of 15 estimated by residents.
Conclusions
A surgeon’s routine must be considered to estimate operating times. Specialists underrated the preparation and post-processing and overrated incision to suture times. Residents underestimated all of these times. Preparation and post-processing times must be considered in the planning and, ideally, determined together with anesthesiologists and OR-assistants.
Figure 1