Alternative Magnification Devices for Microsurgical Training: Comparative Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Education
• Surgical Skills Training

Background:

• Microsurgical skills are crucial for neurosurgery.
• Access to traditional surgical microscopes for training can be limited and costly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if low-cost magnification devices (USB microscope, smartphone) facilitate microsurgical skill acquisition and maintenance.
• To compare skills learned with low-cost devices versus a surgical microscope.
• To assess the transferability of skills from low-cost devices to a surgical microscope.

Main Methods:

• Twelve neurosurgical participants were divided into three training groups: surgical microscope, smartphone, or USB microscope.
• Participants performed pre- and post-training evaluations of suturing and anastomosis skills using a surgical microscope.
• Training involved 10 exercises using the assigned magnification device, with pre- and post-training task completion times and quality compared.

Main Results:

• All training groups demonstrated significant improvements in both task completion time and quality.
• No significant differences in skill improvement or transfer were observed between the low-cost device groups and the surgical microscope group.
• Skills acquired using smartphones and USB microscopes were comparable to those gained using a surgical microscope.

Conclusions:

• Training with smartphones or USB microscopes is equivalent to surgical microscope training for acquiring basic microsurgical skills.
• Skills learned with low-cost devices successfully transfer to the surgical microscope.
• Inexpensive magnification devices offer a viable and affordable alternative for microsurgical skills education and practice, particularly when access to operative microscopes is restricted.