Context
This study examined the effect of using laparoscopic simulation on the enhancement of psychomotor capabilities linked to performing laparoscopic appendectomy.
Participants and methods
Thirty surgical trainees carried out a laparoscopic appendectomy in the operating room (OR). The participants were then randomized to have a training course of six sessions (1 h each) on our simple simulator (MED-SIMU) or no training. Subsequently, all participants performed a further laparoscopic appendectomy in the OR. Both operations of each participant were recorded on video tapes, and assessed by two blinded laparoscopic senior surgeons using the predefined objective criteria such as time to complete the operation and the error counting.
Results
No differences in baseline variables were found between the two groups. Surgeons who received simulator training carried out laparoscopic appendectomy significantly faster than those in the control group (=0.0006) and showed a greater improvement in error (=0.0001).
Conclusion
Surgeons who had simulator training showed a greater enhancement in performance in the OR than those in the control group. Our simple surgical simulator is, therefore, a suitable tool for the training of laparoscopic motor skills and could be included in surgical training programs.