Cumulative summation analysis of learning curve for endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection of craniopharyngiomas

Background To evaluate the cumulative summation (CUSUM) analysis of the learning curve for Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal resection of craniopharyngioma (EETC). Methods Retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 113 patients who underwent EETC by the same neurosurgery team of the first affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June 2012 to November 2020. The learning curve was created by the CUSUM method and analyzed, which was divided into two groups: the learning stage and stable stage based on the learning curve trend. The median operation time and minimum surgical case number was calculated and the operation time and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results The median operation time was 318 min. The best fitting curve equation was y = 227.72 + 49.06 x + 0.14 x 2 − 0.05 x 3 , R 2 = 0.949, ( p < 0.001). The minimum number of surgical cases was 65. Between the two groups, the operation time decreased from 360.8 ± 106.4 min in the learning group to 281.6 ± 69.9 min in the stable group ( p < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications (intracranial infection, cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and diabetes insipidus) was significantly reduced ( p < 0.05). Conclusion The CUSUM learning curve of craniopharyngioma resection via endoscope endonasal transsphenoidal approach could better describe the learning process for a neurosurgeon. The frequency of surgery could be a good factor for strengthening the learning effect and help to shorten the learning time. After 65 cases of EETC, the surgical skills can reach a stable stage, the operation time is obviously shortened, and the postoperative complications are significantly reduced.