ArticlePloS one2017
Determinants of operative time in thyroid surgery: A prospective multicenter study of 3454 thyroidectomies.
Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of wound closure techniques after thyroid and parathyroid surgery: an updated systematic review and network meta-analysis.Updates in surgery · 2022Pooled it
- Article
- Using Quantity of Service Data in Medicaid Claims to Estimate Anesthesia Time.Anesthesiology · 2025Article
- Sometimes Less Is More: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Commercially-Negotiated Price Variation for Thyroidectomy.Annals of surgery open : perspectives of surgical history, education, and clinical approaches · 2025Article
- TSH receptor antibody as a predictor of difficult robotic thyroidectomy in patients with Graves' disease.Journal of robotic surgery · 2024Article
- Quantifying the impact of surgical teams on each stage of the operating room process.Frontiers in digital health · 2024Article
- Assessing the Precision of Surgery Duration Estimation: A Retrospective Study.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2023Article
- Selecting the Right Plane of Dissection in Thyroidectomy: Along the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve or the Thyroid Capsule? A Retrospective Analysis.International archives of otorhinolaryngology · 2022Article
- The impact of operative duration and intraoperative fluid dynamics on postoperative hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy: a prospective non-randomized study.Langenbeck's archives of surgery · 2021Article
- Influence of Daily Variations in Individual Surgeon's Operative Time on Patient Outcomes.World journal of surgery · 2019Article
- Operating list composition and surgical performance.The British journal of surgery · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo identify the determinants of operative time for thyroidectomy and quantify the relative influence of preoperative and intra-operative factors.
backgroundAnticipation of operative time is key to avoid both waste of hospital resources and dissatisfaction of the surgical staff. Having an accurate and anticipated planning would allow a rationalized operating room use and may improve patient flow and staffing level.
methodsWe conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study between April 2008 and December 2009. The operative time of 3454 patients who underwent thyroidectomy performed by 28 surgeons in five academic hospitals was monitored. We used multilevel linear regression to model determinants of operative time while accounting for the interplay of characteristics specific to surgeons, patients, and surgical procedures. The relative impact of each variable on operative time was estimated.
resultsOverall, 86% (99% CI 83 to 89) of operative time variation was related to preoperative variables. Surgeon characteristics accounted for 32% (99% CI 29 to 35) of variation, center location for 29% (99% CI 25 to 33), and surgical procedure or patient variables for 24% (99% CI 20 to 27). Operative time was significantly lower among experienced surgeons having practiced from 5-19 years (-21.8 min, P<0.05), performing at least 300 thyroidectomies per year (-28.8 min, P<0.05), and with increasing number of thyroidectomies performed the same day (-11.7min, P<0.001). Conversely, operative time increased in cases of procedure supervision by a more experienced surgeon (+20.0 min, P<0.001). The remaining 13.0% of variability was attributable to unanticipated technical difficulties at the time of surgery.
conclusionsVariation in thyroidectomy duration is largely explained by preoperative factors, suggesting that it can be accurately anticipated. Prediction tools allowing better regulation of patient flow in operating rooms appears feasible for both working conditions and cost management.
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