Abstract
Introduction Recent efforts to standardize reporting of surgeon experience in novel technique
publications have recommended reporting of Tang level of expertise (LOE).
Question/Purpose The aim of this study was to document trends in LOE reporting for novel technique
articles published in the Journal of Wrist Surgery and evaluate whether author experience affects novel research outcomes.
Methods A total of 261 articles published from 2018 to 2020 were reviewed. Articles describing
novel surgical techniques were included and examined for Tang LOE. Author variables
were collected online.
Results Eight percent (21/261) of articles discussed novel surgical techniques and one reported
LOE. Nearly half (47.6%) of articles did not conduct statistical analysis. Four (19.0%)
reported insignificant statistical results and 7 (33.3%) reported significant findings.
All significant statistical findings were positive. Number of prior related publications
by the senior author did not affect new technique result significance (p = 0.34).
Discussion From 2018 to 2020, only one article documented LOE. Authors' variables, including
number of prior related publications, were not correlated with significant results
in their new publications. This may suggest that an author's established experience
in a novel technique, quantified by prior publications on the topic, does not make
one more likely to achieve significantly better or worse outcomes in their reviewed
Journal of Wrist Surgery study.
Conclusions Tang LOE is an important way for readers to classify expertise and should be reported,
and potentially modified to better define contributing variables.
Keywords
level of expertise - wrist surgery - expertise bias
