Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
Utilizing a 3D Printed Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication Model to Shorten a Resident's Learning Curve
Published on: August 15, 2025
A different approach to assess resident phacoemulsification learning curve: analysis of both completion and
1Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. leejsh@adm.cgmh.org.tw
Purpose:
To assess phacoemulsification learning curve by analysing residents' surgical completion and complication rates.
Methods:
This prospective study included 226 cases of phacoemulsification performed by 11 senior residents under a single supervisor during a 27-month period. Both completion and complication rates were collected to assess their surgical results. 'Short-term completion rate (STCR)', the frequency of the surgeries completed exclusively by the residents during every five consecutive cases, was used in the evaluation of the learning curve parameter.
Results:
These residents could complete phacoemulsification independently in 101 surgeries (44.7%). Intraoperative complications occurred in 62 cases (27.4%), of which 11 cases were complicated with vitreous loss (4.9%). By tracing different residents' individual STCRs, we found that the learning curve for phacoemulsification surgery to be of an exponential pattern, and the first STCR of 60% to be a good representation of the exponential point. Before the residents' first STCR of 60%, their average completion rate was only 16.7% and complication rate was as high as 39.2%. While after that point, the average completion rate accelerated to 76.4% and complication rate decreased to 14.2%.
Conclusion:
The learning curve of phacoemulsification is of an exponential pattern and the trainees' STCR can be a useful parameter to evaluate their surgical performance.
