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Overlapping surgery occurs when a single surgeon is the primary surgeon for >1 patient in separate operating rooms simultaneously. The surgeon is present for the critical portions of each patient’s operation although not present for the entirety of the case. While overlapping surgery has been widely utilized across surgical subspecialties, few large studies have compared the safety of overlapping and nonoverlapping orthopaedic surgery.
no not safe!!!!
I have been a great benefactor of this method.
I have found this method to be safe, efficacious, reproducible and of high-yield with regards sharpening trainees operative and decision making skills and their early acquisition of “flow” in a somewhat controlled setting. The overlap must be tailored to suit the level of trainee competence, and thus aimed to be gradually reduced with the trainees increasing competence.
As a caveat, I believe this technique should only be performed with the trainee playing an integral part in preoperative planning together with the trainer, so as to optimise learning and minimise risk of operative complications.