Intensive laparoscopic laparoscopic training in live tissues – 11 years of experience in Pius Branzeu center from timisoara, Romania

Surgical Clinic II , University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Romania, Al XI-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova și cea de-a XXXIII-a Reuniune a Chirurgilor din Moldova „Iacomi-Răzeșu” 27-30 septembrie 2011Aims: To assess the effectiveness of intensive laparoscopic training on pigs during 10 years of training. Method: Between 2000 and 2010, 25 intensive (3 days) and 7 advanced (2 days) laparoscopic courses (gastric, biliary, colo-rectal and bariatric) on live tissue were organized, with 324 participants coming from 13 countries. This poster presents the effectiveness of the training of the 244 surgeons who followed the 3 days laparoscopy skills courses. At the beginning of the first day, during the training and at the end of each day the acquirement of the skills participants were evaluated. Three groups where studied: the first group with no experience in laparoscopic surgery; the second group with less than 10 laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the third group with more than 10 laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: The first group had a lot of difficulty and were able to acquire only less than 32% of the taught techniques, the second group performed better and acquired 62% of the taught techniques and the third group performed very well acquiring 95% of the taught techniques. Conclusion: Surgeons with no previous laparoscopic surgery experience take little benefit from these courses. They should be encouraged to acquire basic skills on trainer boxes or on virtual reality simulators before the training on pigs. Surgeons with very little experience in laparoscopic surgery acquire important skills, but the best benefit is taken by surgeons with some laparoscopic surgery experience