Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Utilizing a 3D Printed Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication Model to Shorten a Resident's Learning Curve
Published on: August 15, 2025
The effects of video games on laparoscopic simulator skills
Maarten B Jalink1, Jetse Goris2, Erik Heineman1
1Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Background:
Recently, there has been a growth in studies supporting the hypothesis that video games have positive effects on basic laparoscopic skills. This review discusses all studies directly related to these effects.
Data Sources:
A search in the PubMed and EMBASE databases was performed using synonymous terms for video games and laparoscopy. All available articles concerning video games and their effects on skills on any laparoscopic simulator (box trainer, virtual reality, and animal models) were selected.
Conclusions:
Video game experience has been related to higher baseline laparoscopic skills in different studies. There is currently, however, no standardized method to assess video game experience, making it difficult to compare these studies. Several controlled experiments have, nevertheless, shown that video games cannot only be used to improve laparoscopic basic skills in surgical novices, but are also used as a temporary warming-up before laparoscopic surgery.
