Who estimates operating times in ear, nose and throat medicine better – surgeons or OTA (Operating Technical Assistent) and anaesthetists?

Introduction The maximum utilization of operating rooms is economically essential for operative departments. The planning is mostly based solely on the surgeon's estimation of times. It has already been shown that the assessments of ENT specialists and assistant doctors differ significantly. The comparison of the estimation of operating times between anaesthetists and OTA to ENT doctors serves to clarify whether the determination of the expected operating times should be carried out on an interdisciplinary basis.

Methods In a retrospective analysis at the ENT department at Mannheim university medical centre, real times of 1809 operations (22 types of operations) by 31 surgeons were evaluated. They were compared with incision to suture, preparation and postprocessing times estimated in questionnaires by ENT specialists (n = 10) and by a group (n = 8) of anaesthetists and OTA (AA / OTA).

Results Postprocessing time estimated by ENT doctors and also by AA/OTA was in 2 of 22 types of surgery (p <0.05) significantly lower than the objective time. ENT doctors overestimated incision to suture time in 7 of 22 (p <0.05) types of surgery. AA/OTA overestimated this in only 1 (p <0.05) and underestimated it in 3 types of surgery (p <0.05). Preparation time estimated by ENT doctors was significantly lower than the objective time in 16 of 22 types of surgery (p <0.05), the time estimated by AA/OTA in 14 types (p <0.05). Surgeons miscalculated at 25 times, AA/OTA at 20.

Discussion ENT doctors underestimated preparation and postprocessing times, and overestimated incision to suture times. Anaesthetists and OTA underestimated almost all times. Anaesthetists and nurses valued the times similarly, if not better than surgeons, and should therefore be better involved in the planning.

Publication History

Article published online:
24 May 2022