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Laparoscopic surgical procedures were first practiced almost three decades ago, and have become more common to treat a variety of medical conditions with every passing year. When the choice is available, many patients prefer laparoscopic surgery to the traditional, "open" alternative: among the advantages are faster recovery times, shortened hospital stays, minimized appearance of scar tissue, and less bodily stress. However, laparoscopic surgery is skill-intensive, often requiring would-be practitioners to train to the point of specialization. How can hospitals train residents and meet the demand for highly skilled laparoscopic surgeons without putting patients at risk? Through the use of laparoscopic surgical simulators. Simply put, laparoscopic surgical simulators improve surgeons' performance in the operating room, and improved performance means better outcomes for patients. Both residents and practicing surgeons can grow accustomed to working within an altered frame of vision, expand hand-eye coordination skills, and enhance their range of movement by training on laparoscopic surgical simulators. Also, because laparoscopic procedures require the use of specially designed instruments, it's necessary for surgeons to boost familiarity (and eventually gain mastery) through simulator-based training. This leads to proficient use of instruments in the operating room. In their most basic form, laparoscopic surgical simulators can be a homemade, unwired box. With such simulators, actual laparoscopic instruments are inserted into a box containing carefully placed physical objects, including plastic or latex tubes, string, pegs, and rings. The user then works the instruments to manipulate the objects in a simulated procedure, exercising and refining motor coordination skills. Scoring and results on such "box trainers" are measured manually, as is procedure completion time. More recently, hospitals and surgical institutions have made the move to upgrade from box trainers to electronic and virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic surgical simulators. VR simulators combine the latest technology with intuitive curricula programming to expand surgeons' range of laparoscopic skills. Like box trainers, VR laparoscopic surgical simulators may use realistic laparoscopic instruments. However, the instruments are wired and each movement is recorded, making it much easier for instructors to track and assess skill development. Users also appreciate the video game-like challenges offered by VR laparoscopic surgical simulators. A 2012 Neilson study found that 56% of U.S. households have an up-to-date video game console, whereas only 40% had one in 2009: many modern surgical residents are among those driving the video game boom. Just as video games require gamers to score points and clear levels, VR laparoscopic surgical simulators encourage repeated completions of increasingly challenging training exercises. They also provide competitive metrics for individuals and user groups, much like a video game scoreboard. Ideally, a group of users will earn an identical, perfect score after practicing on laparoscopic surgical simulators – each user would have mastered the use of the instruments to manipulate virtual objects or 3D, computer-generated representations of human organs and tissue. Those without perfect scores will find sufficient motivation to practice and match or best their peers! Use of laparoscopic surgical simulators doesn't have to end once a surgical resident or practicing surgeon completes a course of exercises. Simulators are also valuable for continued skill-honing, and because laparoscopic procedures are being developed all the time, surgeons have the opportunity to train in new techniques. This helps ensure both surgical proficiency and patient safety are improved. About the Author : Medical & Nursing Simulation Center – Ems-works provide all the tools & software you need to run training in Laparoscopic Surgical Simulators and Laparoscopy Surgical Training assessment sessions in an effective, streamlined way.
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