System Innovation in Laparoscopic Simulation Training for intra-corporeal tissue re-approximation, knot tying and suturing technologies

System Innovation in Laparoscopic Simulation Training for intra-corporeal tissue re-approximation, knot tying and suturing technologies

Murugankutty Gopalan
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala, India

Minimally invasive procedures rule the domain of surgery worldwide. The simulator-based training in psychomotor skills necessary for doing ‘Intra-corporeal tissue re-approximation’ remains, the hardest obstacle, the greatest challenge and barrier for all the budding laparoscopic surgeons across the globe; especially in the areas of knot tying and suture placement techniques. As a solution to this issue, we offer our newly developed- hustle free, “trainee end- tool kit- with direct 3D vision as well as the 2D camera vision, with which one can have their psychomotor skills up- gradation within the comforts of their own home.

“Learn from Home” is the proposed system innovation here: As a practical solution to address the above issues, we have developed ‘Learn from Home Gear’ consisting of a Box Simulator + 24 x7 hours of web-based mentorship in combination. The new simulator box is foldable, lightweight, with no cables attached. And a web-based self-monitoring system, consisting of easy to-follow instructions, and well-defined checkpoints for easy self mentoring. These teaching contents shall be circulated to the registered trainees as short video clips.

We have started this training program since the last 6 years, on “one to one basis”- in our Amrita Clinical Skill simulation center and found to be very effective. We would like to diffuse and scale up to the maximum by opening an avenue for sharing this knowledge to the surgical fraternity all over the world taking advantage of the advancement in information- technology, which in turn will result in enhancing the healing power for the patients even at the remotest corner of the globe. With this we could achieve our aim to establish the easiest , simplest, remote skill learning with checkpoint aided self mentoring – the proposed system innovation –“Learn from Home Gear in Laparoscopic Simulation ”