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MicrosimUC: Validation of a Low-Cost, Portable, Do-It-Yourself Microsurgery Training Kit
Alfonso Navia1, Rodrigo Tejos1, Sebastian Canahuate1
1Experimental Surgery and Simulation Center, Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Surgery Division, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery
|October 23, 2021
Summary
A new portable, low-cost microsurgery training kit was developed for remote skill acquisition. This innovative simulation tool demonstrated comparable skill improvement to traditional courses, making microsurgical training more accessible.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Education
- Medical Simulation
- Microsurgery Training
Background:
- Microsurgery skill acquisition heavily relies on simulated training.
- Current training courses are often short, intensive, and require physical laboratory access.
- A need exists for accessible, portable, and cost-effective microsurgery training solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a portable, low-cost microsurgery training kit.
- To assess the efficacy of home-based training using the developed kit.
- To compare skill acquisition with traditional laboratory-based microsurgery courses.
Main Methods:
- A miniature microscope was modified into a portable training kit (MicrosimUC).
- Twenty general surgery residents were divided into a home-based training group (MicrosimUC, n=10) and a traditional course group (MicroLab, n=10).
- Skill performance was assessed before and after training using blinded expert ratings, with statistical comparison via Wilcoxon's and Mann-Whitney tests.
Main Results:
- MicrosimUC residents showed significant performance score improvements (p < 0.05) post-training.
- No significant differences in skill acquisition were observed between the MicrosimUC and MicroLab groups.
- The MicrosimUC model was rated highly useful by experts, with 100% considering it for training; kit cost was $92.
Conclusions:
- A low-cost, portable microsurgical training kit and curriculum were successfully developed.
- The kit facilitated significant skill acquisition comparable to formal microsurgery courses.
- This portable solution enhances accessibility for microsurgical skill development.
