Establishment of educational program for multiorgan procurement from deceased donors

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Transplant Surgery
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Multiorgan procurement demands specialized skills and training.
• Limited donor availability in Japan necessitates innovative educational approaches.
• Establishing effective training programs for organ procurement is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an e-learning and simulation-based educational program for multiorgan procurement.
• To enhance the training of surgeons in organ procurement techniques.
• To address the shortage of on-site training opportunities.

Main Methods:

• Created e-learning modules with 3D computer graphics (3DCG) animations, donor criteria, and procurement procedures.
• Analyzed risk factors for recipient survival in liver transplantation to refine donor criteria.
• Implemented a simulation using pigs and compared examination results before and after incorporating 3DCG animation.

Main Results:

• Identified cold ischemia time (≥ 10 hours), Model for End-stage Liver Disease score (≥ 20), and donor age (≥ 55 years) as risk factors for early recipient outcomes.
• Exam scores significantly improved with the 3DCG animation (48.3% correct answers in 2013 vs. 32.7% in 2012, P = .0001).
• Trainees found the multiorgan procurement simulation highly useful and recommended its continuation.

Conclusions:

• The developed educational program enables precise assessment and procedural execution in multiorgan procurement for young surgeons.
• This innovative training method enhances surgical proficiency in organ donation.
• The program offers a viable solution for surgical education in resource-limited settings.