An affordable laparoscopic surgery trainer for trainees in poor resource settings

Laparoscopic surgery requires acquisition of new skills such as hand eye coordination of instruments whose working tips can only be seen in two dimensions on a monitor screen and depth perception. Simulators have been demonstrated as necessary to acquire these skills safely. However these simulators are expensive and not readily available in developing countries.

I describe a cheap homemade adaptation of a laparoscopic trainer using a polyethylene fluid container, a webcam and a laptop computer as a monitor. This simulator can be easily be assembled by any surgical resident for use in his private time.

This simulator for laparoscopic surgery is cheap and can be readily assembled. A major limitation is the fixity of the camera which limits the working area to within ten to thirty centimeters of the camera. On the contrary the inability to alter the camera position eliminates the need for an assistant to hold the camera.