Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD): how do Western endoscopists value animal models?

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Endoscopy
• Surgical Training and Simulation

Background:

• Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) adoption in the West lags behind the East.
• Understanding Western endoscopists' training pathways for ESD is crucial.
• Assessing the perceived value of animal models in ESD training is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the training methods of Western endoscopists performing ESD.
• To determine the perceived utility of animal models in ESD training among Western endoscopists.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to Western endoscopists specializing in advanced resection techniques.
• The survey focused on their training experiences and views on animal models for ESD.

Main Results:

• 50 of 58 respondents (21% of 279) perform clinical ESD, with a median of 15 years of endoscopic experience.
• 92% utilized ex vivo or live animal models pre-clinically; 84% and 78% respectively considered them prerequisites.
• Live animal models received a median usefulness score of 10/10, with 60% of trainers using them post-clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• Western endoscopists possess substantial endoscopic experience before undertaking ESD.
• Pre-clinical training with ex vivo and live animal models is widely adopted and highly valued.
• Animal models are considered essential prerequisites for ESD training by the majority of surveyed endoscopists.