Novel Dry-Lab Training Method for Totally Endoscopic Coronary Anastomosis: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Coronary artery anastomosis is a critical surgical skill.
• Traditional training methods may lack sufficient simulation for complex endoscopic procedures.
• Developing effective dry-lab models is essential for surgical proficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate an original dry-lab training system for nonrobotic and beating heart endoscopic coronary artery anastomosis.
• To assess the efficacy of the training system in improving surgical performance.

Main Methods:

• A dry-lab system was developed using commercially available materials, including a pulsatile artificial vessel model and a video camera.
• The training program consisted of four stages, progressing from conventional anastomosis to a beating heart model with fragile vessels.
• Trainees performed 100 fourth-stage anastomoses, recorded for analysis of learning curves and performance metrics.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in anastomotic time and vessel injury was observed during training.
• Anastomotic quality was deemed acceptable after 47 procedures.
• Anastomotic time decreased below 15 minutes by the 81st training session in the final stage.

Conclusions:

• The developed dry-lab system demonstrates potential as an effective training tool for endoscopic coronary anastomosis.
• The system facilitates skill acquisition, evidenced by reduced procedural time and improved surgical outcomes.