Surmounting the Learning Curve of Core Suture Placement with Tendon Repair Simulator

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Mastering suture placement at a precise distance from the juncture is crucial for effective tendon repair.
• Current training methods often rely on animal models in wet labs, limiting accessibility.
• A new tendon repair trainer was developed to enhance learning and skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel tendon repair trainer in improving surgical competency.
• To assess the impact of guided practice on suture placement accuracy.
• To provide an accessible training tool for tendon repair skills.

Main Methods:

• A 3D-printed tendon dock was used to simulate flexor tendon repair with silicon rods.
• Surgical residents (n=4) performed Kessler suture loops on marked and unmarked tendon models.
• Performance was assessed based on suture placement accuracy within 1 mm of the 10 mm target distance.

Main Results:

• In the initial session, 100% of residents using marked rods passed, compared to 25% with unmarked rods.
• In a subsequent session with unmarked rods, residents with prior marked rod experience achieved a 95% pass rate, versus 33.3% for those without.

Conclusions:

• Prior training with marked tendon models enhances and retains surgical skill in accurate suture placement.
• The developed tendon repair trainer serves as an effective adjunct to traditional training methods.
• This model offers a more accessible and cost-effective alternative for surgical skill development.