Since 1993, we have used a clinical clerkship method in an attempt to improve the undergraduate clinical training in our department. At first, the students were given the opportunity to learn adequate basic clinical procedures (levels 1 to 3), but data on the effect of their training were lacking. Therefore, we conducted a survey to obtain the necessary information. Twenty-nine students (29 % of students in the sixth academic year) participated and wrote their survey reports at the end of the course. The reports were designed to evaluate their problem-solving skills and the effects of self-directed learning in clinical anesthesia and to obtain an overall impression of the training. The results revealed that the educational effect was insufficient for almost all students who participated because they were unable to fully solve the problems of anesthetic management from either a pathophysiologic or pathobiochemical standpoint. From these results and our further experiences from 1994 through 1996, we decided to reform our educational procedures. The important improvements are as follows. 1) Trainees must record the anesthesia course during the assigned anesthetic case and participate in the postoperative ward discussion. 2) A member of the teaching staff must discuss ways to manage and solve problems with trainees at the end of each case. 3) After the discussion, trainees must write a report about how and what they have learned.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) poses a major complicating factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. To identify patients with IHD, we evaluated patients scheduled to undergo AAA repair with dipyridamole-thallium scintigraphy (DTS) and coronary angiography (CAG). If indicated, coronary revascularization was performed. Finally, an assessment of the effectiveness of these preventive measures was made. One hundred and ten patients scheduled to undergo AAA repair were identified and treated accordingly over a 20-year period. As the pre-operative evaluation and prophylactic surgical revascularization strategies were instituted in 1983, the patients were divided into 2 groups: 25 patients between 1973-1982 (group A) and 85 patients between 1983-1992 (group B). The mean age of patients in group A was 65.3 years. The male/female ratio within this group was 21:4. One patient in the group had a history of IHD and 9 had hypertention. The mean age of patients in group B was 67.7 years. The male/female ratio within this group was 77:8. Fourteen patients in this group had a history of IHD and 27 had hypertension. Screening and treatment of IHD in group B was as follows. All patients with a history of IHD underwent CAG. Of the 32 patients with cardiac risk factors, including hypertension and hyperlipidemia, or ECG abnormalities who underwent DTS, 8 were referred for CAG. Thirty-nine patients with no risk factors and a normal ECG proceeded to AAA repair without further workup. Perioperative myocardial infarction occurred in 2 patients in grouzp A, leading to death in 1 patient. Coronary revascularization was performed in 5 patients in group B. No perioperative myocardial infarction occurred in this group. Pre-operative identification of high-risk cases with DTS, CAG, and coronary revascularization in patients with IHD may prevent cardiovascular complications in patients undergoing AAA repair.