Training minimally invasive surgery's basic skills: is expensive always better?

Area of Science:

• Surgical Simulation
• Medical Education Technology

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) training facilities are not universally available in hospitals due to cost and corporate priorities.
• Developing an effective, low-cost laparoscopic simulator is crucial for accessible surgical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct and validate a homemade laparoscopic simulator (HM trainer) comparable to commercial box trainers.
• To assess the content and construct validity of the HM trainer.

Main Methods:

• A wooden box trainer (HM trainer) was built using a webcam as an operative optic and connected to a PC.
• 20 students and 6 surgeons performed Fundamental Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) tasks on both the HM trainer and a commercial Karl Storz (KS) trainer.
• Performance times and participant feedback via Likert scale questionnaires were analyzed.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in task completion times were found between the HM trainer and the KS trainer.
• Both students and expert surgeons demonstrated significantly better performance on the HM trainer compared to their initial attempts (p < 0.01), indicating construct validity.
• Participants found the HM trainer to be a useful, easy-to-use tool that they would utilize at home.

Conclusions:

• A valid and effective MIS trainer can be constructed affordably using readily available materials.
• This study highlights innovative and resource-efficient approaches to surgical training programs.