How to build your own coronary anastomosis simulator from scratch

Gaining cardiac surgical competence is a complex, multifactorial process that may take years of experience and on-the-job training. It is critical to provide suitable educational opportunities to gain the necessary knowledge, judgment and skills. In response to the multitude of factors (e.g. European Working Time Directive) currently influencing cardiac surgical training, there have been concerted efforts to reform training practices. Simulation plays an increasingly important role in the educational process and serves to fill the most important gap in the current training model, i.e. operative exposure. Therefore, a contest has been written out for cardiac surgical trainees to construct their own coronary anastomosis simulator using everyday materials.

Cardiac surgical trainees were invited to construct their own coronary anastomosis simulator. An international jury of cardiac surgeons assessed the simulator and its presentation according to preset developmental criteria (low fidelity concept, innovative character, general presentation and description, general attractiveness to the scholar, ergonomical issues, perceived haptics, number of applicable components, transportability, ease of construction, repeatability and overall costs of the simulator).

Six prototypes of simulators built by cardiac surgical trainees were generated. A general evaluation of each simulator prototype is provided according to the preset developmental criteria.

All simulator prototypes have provided a considerable contribution to the field of surgical simulation. By designing simulator prototypes, the trainees have demonstrated their 'out of the box' thinking capability, which is of paramount importance for the development of future innovative surgical techniques and procedures. The Valladolid cardiac team coronary anastomosis simulator box was selected for the EACTS Ethicon Simulation Award 2011. This project will be mass produced and distributed to the participants of structured simulation sessions for coronary anastomoses.