A model to assist training in thoracoscopic surgery

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation

Background:

• Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is a standard for lung disease diagnosis and therapy.
• Limited literature exists on effective VATS education and training methods.
• A need for practical, skill-refining tools for thoracoscopic procedures is evident.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel thoracoscopic trainer for refining surgical skills.
• To provide a realistic simulation for minimally invasive lung surgery training.
• To reduce reliance on animal experimentation in surgical training.

Main Methods:

• Development of a thoracoscopic trainer simulating circulating pulmonary vessels within a life-sized body replica.
• Integration of a thoracoscope and minimally invasive instruments through trocars.
• The trainer incorporates disposable components: artificial pulmonary vessels, lung replica, and heart pump connections.
• Comparative testing against a Wet-Lab in a minimally invasive lung surgery seminar.

Main Results:

• The trainer accurately reproduced human anatomical situations during simulated video-assisted thoracic lobectomy.
• Demonstrated perfect simulation quality and simple handling.
• Exhibited economic benefits compared to traditional training methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed thoracoscopic trainer is a practical and effective tool for enhancing thoracic surgeon training.
• It offers a high-fidelity simulation, improving skill acquisition for thoracoscopic procedures.
• The trainer supports surgical education while decreasing the need for animal experiments, benefiting surgeons, students, and trainees.