Residents as primary surgeons do not affect the complication rate in reduction mammaplasties and mastopexies-a 10-year single-center experience

Background: Reduction mammaplasty and mastopexy are an ideal teaching opportunity for residents. While residents benefit from teaching operations, it is essential to evaluate whether this poses risks for the patient. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of hands-on training for residents as primary surgeons in reduction mammaplasties and mastopexies. Methods: The data of 1103 patients who underwent surgery between January 2000 and December 2010 at Innsbruck Medical University were extracted and analyzed by training status of the primary surgeon. Results: A total of 833 patients were included in the study. The overall complication rate was 4.9%. For surgeries conducted by specialists, the rate was 4.8% and for those performed by residents 5.1% (p = 0.85). No significant difference in complication rates between senior residents and junior residents was found (p = 0.58). Analysis for major and minor complications demonstrated no statistically significant difference between specialists or residents (p = 0.054). A three-way comparison between specialists, senior and junior residents showed significantly more major complications occurring in the junior resident cohort (p = 0.018). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that having a resident under supervision as a primary surgeon does not increase the complication rate, establishing hands-on residents' training in plastic surgery as a safe training method. Level of evidence: Level III, Risk/Prognostic.