The Impact of Surgery Resident Participation on the Outcome of Carotid Endarterectomy

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the in-hospital stroke rate plus deaths (SD) was adversely impacted by the participation of surgery residents during carotid endarterectomy. METHODS: A single board-certified vascular surgeon performed 5,663 carotid endarterectomies (CEAs) from September 1982 through December 2016. The surgeon prospectively recorded the data used in this report during the patient’s hospital stay. These cases were done at five hospitals, three of which had general surgery residents participating in procedures and two that did not. RESULTS: Of the 5,663 CEAs, residents participated at three hospitals in 4,974 CEAs. In the two hospitals that did not have surgery residents participating, 689 CEAs were performed. Fifty-seven strokes and 12 deaths occurred in hospitals with resident participation (SD 1.39%). Six strokes (0.9%) and no deaths occurred in hospitals without resident participation. No significant difference in stroke rate, death rate, or combined stroke plus death rate (SD) were identified in comparing hospitals with or without resident participation. CONCLUSION: This report corroborates others that senior general surgery residents did not have a significant impact on SD in patients undergoing CEA.