A training tool to assess laparoscopic image navigation task performance in novice camera assistants

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Existing tools for assessing laparoscopic camera assistant performance are limited, particularly for novice skill acquisition.
• There is a need for objective assessment methods to evaluate proficiency in novice laparoscopic camera assistants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simulated objective assessment tool for novice laparoscopic camera assistants.
• To evaluate the learning curve and proficiency gain in novice camera assistants using the developed tool.

Main Methods:

• A 10-cycle image navigation task was designed using a laparoscopic box trainer with a 30° laparoscope and a geometric target.
• Novice medical students performed rotation maneuvers, focusing on maintaining neutral horizon, optimal distance, and centering.
• Task accuracy and completion time were objectively measured from video recordings at 3-second intervals.

Main Results:

• Twenty-nine novices demonstrated significant improvement in mean total errors and task completion time from the first to the fifth cycle.
• Further significant improvements were observed between the sixth and tenth cycles.
• Specific error reductions included centering and horizon maintenance, with optimal distance improvement reaching significance by the sixth cycle.

Conclusions:

• The developed assessment tool effectively demonstrates an objective proficiency-gain curve for laparoscopic camera navigation tasks in novices.
• Novice surgical trainees showed measurable improvements in key performance metrics, including error reduction and decreased task completion time.
• This tool can serve as a valuable supplementary method for assessment and training in surgical education.