Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess tubal patency rates after microsurgical tubal anastamosis in a residency program. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. Primary outcome measurement was tubal patency rates. RESULTS: Twenty-seven of the forty-nine patients (55.1%) had bilateral tubal patency and twenty-one of the forty-nine (42.9%) had only one tube open after surgery. No statistical difference in tubal patency rate was noted between the REI staff (85.7%) and the resident (71.4%) (p=0.09). No statistical difference was noted when comparing the patency rate of the residents' first procedure (68.6%) to subsequent procedures (72.8%) (p=0.99). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that with appropriate guidance, residents without prior experience are able to perform microsurgical procedures under direct supervision. Residents completed the procedure with patency rates similar to the REI staff. Additionally, tubal patency rates were not significant different in comparing the residents' first or subsequent procedures.