Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial on a multimodal training curriculum for laparoscopic cholecystectomy...

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
• Virtual Reality (VR) Training

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) presents technical and psychomotor challenges for surgeons.
• Existing training methods include box-trainers, organ/animal models, and virtual reality (VR) simulators.
• These modalities aim to enhance visuospatial and psychomotor skills before patient contact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured, multi-modality laparoscopy training curriculum.
• To assess the impact of this training on surgical residents' skills.
• To explore guidelines for implementing such training programs.

Main Methods:

• Sixty junior and senior surgical residents participated, stratified by experience.
• A standardized curriculum involved box-trainer and VR-trainer exercises.
• Training effects were assessed during repeated laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) using a cadaveric model and the GOALS scoring system.

Main Results:

• The study focused on the training effect during repeated laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).
• Objective assessment using the Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) was employed.
• Intervention and control groups were compared to evaluate training efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Multi-modal training platforms offer value in surgical education and postgraduate training.
• The study provides insights for establishing effective surgical training curricula.
• Further evaluation is needed for diverse learner groups, including medical students.