Editorial Comment on: Learning Curves and Timing of Surgical Trials: Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia by Ahlawat et al. (From: Ahlawat RK,Tugcu V,Arora S,et al. J Endourolo 2018;32:1160–1165;DOI: 1089/end.2017.0697)
Available accessEditorialFirst published online December, 2018
Editorial Comment on: Learning Curves and Timing of Surgical Trials: Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia by Ahlawat et al. (From: Ahlawat RK,Tugcu V,Arora S,et al. J Endourolo 2018;32:1160–1165;DOI: 1089/end.2017.0697)
This article describes the learning curve of an experienced robotic and open kidney transplant (OKT) surgeon who applied the robotic technique to kidney transplantation.1
Is robotic kidney transplantation (RKT) a remarkable technical achievement? Yes.
Make a grid.
Variable
OKT
RKT
Learning curve
Surgeon anxiety
Recipient morbidity
Kidney transplant function
Hospital expense
Marketing advantage
Sum of the scores
Rank of the procedures
Assign each variable a score of 1 or 2, or, in the case of a tie, 1.5.
Add the scores and rank the procedures. Then answer the following question: Is Marketing advantage the trump card?
The value of the article is the application of the Learning Curve Cumulative Summation Method to develop the number of cases required for a surgeon learn a new procedure. The problem is that all surgeons do not have the same native abilities.
References
1.
AhlawatRK, TugcuV, AroraS, et al.Learning curves and timing of surgical trials: Robotic kidney transplantation with regional hypothermia. J Endourol, 2018 [Epub ahead of print]; doi:10.1089/end.2017.0697.
