Objective improvement in dexterity for trainees undergoing a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery simulation program,...

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is the recommended approach for the management of early-stage operable non-small cell lung carcinoma as well as for other pathologies of the thoracic cavity. Although VATS approaches have been largely adopted in Europe and North America, teaching the technique to novice thoracic surgery trainees remains challenging and non-standardized. Our objective was to assess the impact of a VATS simulation training program on the dexterity of thoracic surgery residents in a prospective single institution study.

We developed a 6-month VATS simulation training program on two different dry-lab simulators (Johnson & Johnson Ethicon Stupnik^® lobectomy model; CK Surgical Simulation^® Crabtree perfused lobectomy model) and assessed the skills of first year thoracic surgery residents (study group, n=7) before and after this program using three standardized exercises on the Surgical Science Simball^® Box (peg placement on a board, rope insertion in loops, precision circle cutting). The results were compared to those of last-year medical students who performed the same Simball^® Box exercises at a 6-month interval without undergoing a training program (control group, n=5). For each participant, the travel distances of instruments, operation time and absences of periods of extreme motion were assessed for each exercise by the use of the computer-based evaluation of the Simball^® Box.

After the 6-month VATS training program, all residents revealed a significant increase of their performance status with respect to instrument travel distances operation times and absence of periods of extreme motion in all three exercises performed. The performance of the control group was not different from the study group prior to the training program and remained unchanged 6 months later, for all exercises and parameters assessed.

Our results suggest that the implementation of a VATS simulation training program objectively increases the dexterity of thoracic surgery residents and could be an interesting training tool for their surgical education.