Objective assessment for open surgical suturing training by finger tracking can discriminate novices from experts

ABSTRACTIt is difficult, time consuming and expensive to assess manual skills in open surgery. The aim of this study is to investigate the construct validity of a low-cost, easily accessible tracking technique for basic open suturing tasks. Medical master students, surgical residents, and surgeons at the Radboud University Medical Center were recruited between September 2020 until September 2021. The participants were divided, according to experience, in a novice group (≤10 sutures performed) and an expert group (>50 sutures performed). For objective tracking, a tablet with SurgTrac software was used, which tracked a blue and a red tag placed on respectively their left and right index finger. The participants executed four basic tasks on a suturing model: 1) knot tying by hand, 2) transcutaneous suturing with an instrument knot, 3) ‘Donati’ (vertical mattress suture) with an instrument knot and 4) continuous intracutaneous suturing without a knot. In total 76 participants were included: 57 novices and 19 experts. All four tasks showed significant differences between the novice group and expert group for the parameters time (p<0.001), distance (p<0.001 for Task 1, 2 and 3 and p=0.034 for Task 4) and smoothness (p<0.001). Additionally, Task 3 showed a significant difference for the parameter handedness (p=0.006) and Task 4 for speed (p=0.033). Tracking index finger movements using SurgTrac software on a tablet while executing basic open suturing skills on a simulator shows excellent construct validity for time, distance and motion smoothness in all four suturing tasks

Genetic modifiers of CHEK2*1100delC-associated breast cancer risk.

Purpose CHEK2*1100delC is a founder variant in European populations that confers a two- to threefold increased risk of breast cancer (BC). Epidemiologic and family studies have suggested that the risk associated with CHEK2*1100delC is modified by other genetic factors in a multiplicative fashion. We have investigated this empirically using data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). Methods Using genotype data from 39,139 (624 1100delC carriers) BC patients and 40,063 (224) healthy controls from 32 BCAC studies, we analyzed the combined risk effects of CHEK2*1100delC and 77 common variants in terms of a polygenic risk score (PRS) and pairwise interaction. Results The PRS conferred odds ratios (OR) of 1.59 (95% CI: 1.21–2.09) per standard deviation for BC for CHEK2*1100delC carriers and 1.58 (1.55–1.62) for noncarriers. No evidence of deviation from the multiplicative model was found. The OR for the highest quintile of the PRS was 2.03 (0.86–4.78) for CHEK2*1100delC carriers, placing them in the high risk category according to UK NICE guidelines. The OR for the lowest quintile was 0.52 (0.16–1.74), indicating a lifetime risk close to the population average. Conclusion Our results confirm the multiplicative nature of risk effects conferred by CHEK2*1100delC and the common susceptibility variants. Furthermore, the PRS could identify carriers at a high lifetime risk for clinical actions.</p

Strategic R&D Programme on Technologies for Future Experiments - Annual Report 2021

This report summarises the activities and main achievements of the CERN strategic R&D programme on technologies for future experiments during the year 2021