BACKGROUND: To help optimize the use of limited resources in trainee education, we developed a prospective randomized trial to determine the most effective means of teaching laparoscopic suturing to novices. METHODS:Forty-one medical students received rudimentary instruction in intracorporeal suturing, then were pretested on a pig enterotomy model. They then were posttested after completion of 1 of 4 training arms: laparoscopic suturing, laparoscopic drills, open suturing, and virtual reality (VR) drills. Tests were scored for speed, accuracy, knot quality, and mental workload (National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] Task Load Index). RESULTS: Paired t tests were used. Task time was improved in all groups except the VR group. Knot quality improved only in the open or laparoscopic suturing groups. Mental workload improved only for those practicing on a physical laparoscopic trainer. CONCLUSIONS: For novice trainees, the efficacy of VR training is questionable. In contrast, the other training methods had benefits in terms of time, quality, and perceived workload.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: To help optimize the use of limited resources in trainee education, we developed a prospective randomized trial to determine the most effective means of teaching laparoscopic suturing to novices. METHODS: Forty-one medical students received rudimentary instruction in intracorporeal suturing, then were pretested on a pig enterotomy model. They then were posttested after completion of 1 of 4 training arms: laparoscopic suturing, laparoscopic drills, open suturing, and virtual reality (VR) drills. Tests were scored for speed, accuracy, knot quality, and mental workload (National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] Task Load Index). RESULTS: Paired t tests were used. Task time was improved in all groups except the VR group. Knot quality improved only in the open or laparoscopic suturing groups. Mental workload improved only for those practicing on a physical laparoscopic trainer. CONCLUSIONS: For novice trainees, the efficacy of VR training is questionable. In contrast, the other training methods had benefits in terms of time, quality, and perceived workload.
Authors: Mona W Schmidt; Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski; Sarah M Trent; Laura Benner; Beat P Müller-Stich; Felix Nickel Journal: Surg Endosc Date: 2019-05-28 Impact factor: 4.584
Authors: Felix Nickel; Jonathan D Hendrie; Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski; Thomas Bruckner; Carly R Garrow; Maisha Mantel; Hannes G Kenngott; Philipp Romero; Lars Fischer; Beat P Müller-Stich Journal: Langenbecks Arch Surg Date: 2016-04-07 Impact factor: 3.445
Authors: Michael Boettcher; Johannes Boettcher; Stefan Mietzsch; Thomas Krebs; Robert Bergholz; Konrad Reinshagen Journal: Surg Endosc Date: 2017-06-22 Impact factor: 4.584
Authors: Javier R De La Garza; Mona W Schmidt; Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski; Laura Benner; Philip C Müller; Hannes G Kenngott; Lars Fischer; Beat P Müller-Stich; Felix Nickel Journal: Surg Endosc Date: 2018-09-12 Impact factor: 4.584
Authors: Mona Wanda Schmidt; Mirco Friedrich; Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski; Javier De La Garza; Thomas Bruckner; Beat-Peter Müller-Stich; Felix Nickel Journal: Int J Surg Protoc Date: 2017-01-23
Authors: Jonathan D Hendrie; Felix Nickel; Thomas Bruckner; Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski; Carly R Garrow; Maisha Mantel; Philipp Romero; Beat P Müller-Stich Journal: Trials Date: 2016-01-07 Impact factor: 2.279