543 - Analysis of Operating Room Times and Efficiency in a Pediatric Residency Program

Purpose/Objective
Access to operating room (OR) time for pediatric patients requiring full mouth oral rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA) is at a premium. The primary objectives of this study were to analyze OR case duration and turnover times of full mouth dental rehabilitation cases and to determine if the experience of the operator (PGY-1 vs PGY-2 residents) contributes to a decrease or increase in the overall time per case.
Methods
Retrospective chart review of pediatric (3-12 years) dental OR cases for full mouth oral rehabilitation under GA between 9/1/2022 to 12/31/2022 was conducted at a single site. Perioperative time points were collected and analyzed to determine OR case duration and OR room turnover time. Two-sample t-tests were used to assess significant differences (p < 0.05) among OR cases completed by PGY1 vs. PGY2 pediatric dental residents.
Results
Eighty pediatric dental OR cases were included in the study. Most of the patients were male (47, 58.7%) and the mean age was 5.8 years (SD: 2.19). PGY1 pediatric dental residents completed 39 (50.6%) of the OR cases and PGY2 residents completed 38 (49.4%) OR cases. The average elapsed time between start time and timeout was 31.47 minutes (SD: 6.34), and the average length of an OR case was 93.44 minutes (SD: 25.21). Additionally, the average elapsed time from time out of the room to recovery was 11.91 minutes (SD: 5.54), and the average turnaround time to the next OR case was 26.74 minutes (SD: 13.83). The OR case duration and turnover times were similar for PGY1 and PGY2 dental residents.
Conclusion
Based on the study’s results, the following conclusions can be made:
1.) The elapsed time for each perioperative time point assessed indicate no statistically significant results.
2.) The experience of the dentist performing the case had no impact on the length of the OR case or the OR room turnover time.
3.) Current literature focuses more about the actual work performed, type of intubation (oral vs endotracheal), ASA class and need for obtaining radiographs as factors that would increase or decrease operating room case times and turnover times. This study did not look at ASA classification, types of procedures performed or type of intubation. The cases reviewed in this study all had a complete set of radiographs taken prior to commencing treatment.
4.) Several factors not considered in this study (type of procedure, ASA classification, intervention of the attending or a co-resident) may have contributed to the statistically insignificant results.
5.) OR turnover times were similar to national averages.