Origami Crane Training Improves Laparoscopic Surgical Skills for Gynecological Surgery

This study aimed to demonstrate the utility of origami crane training in enhancing laparoscopic skills.

This retrospective study was conducted at our hospital and involved a single participant: a gynecologist qualified in laparoscopy. For 44 months, the surgeon made 1000 origami cranes within a dry box; the time required to fold each crane was recorded. In addition, a review was conducted on 80 total laparoscopic hysterectomies (TLHs) performed by the surgeon during that period, assessing the time taken for vaginal cuff suturing and the frequency of technical errors.

The initial training time for making an origami crane was 35 min, with the fastest time achieved at 6 min and 38 s (No. 686). The learning curve demonstrated a gradual improvement over time. Among the 80 cases of TLHs, the mean time for vaginal cuff suturing was 778.3 ± 166.7 s. Moreover, the mean number of errors was 0.91 ± 1.17. A comparison between the first half of patients (first-half group) (n = 40) and the second half (second-half group) (n = 40) revealed significant differences in both the time taken (840.5 ± 188.0 s vs. 716.0 ± 115.6 s, P = 0.001) and number of errors (1.17 ± 1.46 vs. 0.65 ± 0.66, P = 0.042).

Origami crane training could be useful for improving laparoscopic surgical skills and bolstering surgeon motivation.