Simulation Based Training Improves Laparoscopic Surgical Skills in Trainee Surgeons

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of laparoscopic simulation training on surgical skills of trainee surgeons.
 Study Design: Comparative prospective study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Jinnah Sindh Medical University Karachi, for one month October 2019.
 Methodology: Total thirty surgical trainees of FCPS year four (R4) were studied. The cases group (fifteen trainees) were given one month laparoscopy training on a LAP Simulator (LAPSim), surgical science Sweden) and the control group (fifteen trainees) were not trained. Their laparoscopic skills were then compared. Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) specific and general was used to assess their performance. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS-23.
 Results: On LAP Sim Scoring, post-test scores were significantly better than pre-test for all skills in the trainedresidents (p<0.01 for all subscales) and total post-test score was also significantly better for trained surgeonsas compared to untrained (77.45 ± 7.78 vs. 31.70 ± 2.48; p<0.01). On Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills for specific tasks, post-test scores were significantly better than pre-test for all tasks in the cases (p<0.01 for all subscales) and for none in the controls. On Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills general, posttest scores were significantly better than pre-test for all tasks in the cases (p<0.01 for all subscales) and for clip application (p<0.01) and suturing with intracorporeal knot tying (p<0.01) in the controls.
 Conclusion: This study demonstrated significantly improved levels of performance for all skill sets for novicesurgical residents trained on LAP Sim for minimally invasive surgical procedures.