Cervical cerclage training: Development and assessment of a simulator

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Education

Background:

• Cervical cerclage is crucial for preventing spontaneous preterm birth in high-risk pregnancies.
• Simulation training offers a safe environment for skill acquisition in obstetrics and gynecology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cervical cerclage simulator.
• To validate the simulator's effectiveness for skill assessment.
• To identify performance metrics for successful cerclage insertion.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative design of the simulator by obstetricians and industry professionals.
• Survey of obstetricians and gynecologists on simulator utility and training needs.
• Comparative analysis of novice and expert performance using the simulator.

Main Results:

• The simulator was deemed realistic and suitable for training by surveyed professionals.
• Novice users reported increased confidence after using the simulator (P=.016).
• Observed differences in cerclage placement metrics between novice and expert groups.

Conclusions:

• The developed cervical cerclage simulator is suitable for obstetric training.
• Further research is needed to validate performance markers and correlate simulation outcomes with clinical results.
• Simulation is a valuable and growing modality for surgical skills training.