Reducing the number of animals used for microsurgery training programs by using a task-trainer simulator

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Animal Research Ethics

Background:

• Microsurgery requires extensive training, including complex in vivo procedures on animal models.
• Current training methods often necessitate a high number of animals, raising ethical concerns.
• The 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) guide efforts to minimize animal use in research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel simulation program for microsurgery training.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in reducing animal usage during vascular anastomosis training.
• To demonstrate a cost-efficient and user-friendly simulation tool for surgical residents.

Main Methods:

• A task-trainer simulation program was developed with progressive difficulty levels and a scoring system.
• Two groups of surgical residents (Group A: traditional training, Group B: simulation-first training) were compared.
• The number of animals (rats) used and the success rate of vascular anastomoses were recorded for both groups.

Main Results:

• Group B, utilizing the simulation program, required significantly fewer animals (77 rats) compared to Group A (149 rats).
• Both groups successfully achieved permeable vascular anastomoses.
• The simulation program required an average of 6 hours for validation before in vivo training.

Conclusions:

• The developed simulation program effectively reduces animal use in microsurgery training.
• This approach aligns with ethical guidelines for humane experimental techniques.
• Integrating simulation tools is crucial for efficient and ethical mastery of microsurgical skills.