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World J Gastrointest Surg. Nov 27, 2016; 8(11): 735-743
Published online Nov 27, 2016. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v8.i11.735
Impact of laparoscopic surgery training laboratory on surgeon's performance
Fabio C M Torricelli, Joao Arthur B A Barbosa, Giovanni S Marchini
Fabio C M Torricelli, Joao Arthur B A Barbosa, Giovanni S Marchini, Department of Surgery, Hospital das Clinicas, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo SP04604-006, Brazil
Author contributions: Torricelli FCM wrote the paper; Barbosa JABA performed the research; and Marchini GS made the critical review of the manuscript for intellectual content.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Dr. Fabio C M Torricelli, Department of Surgery, Hospital das Clinicas, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Av. Vereador Jose Diniz, 3300, conj. 208, Sao Paulo SP04604-006, Brazil. fctorricelli@yahoo.com.br
Telephone: +55-11-55334900 Fax: +55-11-5531104
Received: March 22, 2016
Peer-review started: March 23, 2016
First decision: May 17, 2016
Revised: August 9, 2016
Accepted: September 13, 2016
Article in press: September 18, 201
Published online: November 27, 2016
Abstract

Minimally invasive surgery has been replacing the open standard technique in several procedures. Similar or even better postoperative outcomes have been described in laparoscopic or robot-assisted procedures when compared to open surgery. Moreover, minimally invasive surgery has been providing less postoperative pain, shorter hospitalization, and thus a faster return to daily activities. However, the learning curve required to obtain laparoscopic expertise has been a barrier in laparoscopic spreading. Laparoscopic surgery training laboratory has been developed to aid surgeons to overcome the challenging learning curve. It may include tutorials, inanimate model skills training (box models and virtual reality simulators), animal laboratory, and operating room observation. Several different laparoscopic courses are available with specific characteristics and goals. Herein, we aim to describe the activities performed in a dry and animal-model training laboratory and to evaluate the impact of different kinds of laparoscopic surgery training courses on surgeon’s performance. Several tasks are performed in dry and animal laboratory to reproduce a real surgery. A short period of training can improve laparoscopic surgical skills, although most of times it is not enough to confer laparoscopic expertise for participants. Nevertheless, this short period of training is able to increase the laparoscopic practice of surgeons in their communities. Full laparoscopic training in medical residence or fellowship programs is the best way of stimulating laparoscopic dissemination.

Keywords: Education, Laboratories, Laparoscopy, Robotics, Surgery

Core tip: Laparoscopic surgery has been replacing the open standard technique in several procedures. However, the learning curve required to obtain laparoscopic expertise has been an issue in medical community. Laparoscopic surgery training laboratory was developed to overcome this barrier. Although a short period of training can improve laparoscopic surgical skills, full laparoscopic training in medical residence or fellowship programs is the best way of stimulating laparoscopic dissemination.