Critical design and validation considerations for the development of neonatal minimally invasive surgery simulators
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Read the article on jpedsurg.org ↗Article · Jun 2019 · 1 min read
In brief
In brief
This review examines design principles for developing validated neonatal MIS simulators, addressing the gap in trainee exposure to complex procedures like EA/TEF repair. Authors identify key requirements including high fidelity, low cost, synthetic materials, and validated metrics for measuring technical skill acquisition in thoracoscopic and laparoscopic procedures.
Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.
Background/Purpose
Pediatric surgical trainees have limited exposure to advanced minimally invasive surgery (MIS) during their clinical training, particularly for cases such as esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF). Simulation on validated neonatal models offers an alternative means of training that may augment traditional forms of training; but to be useful, they must fulfill certain criteria.
Methodology
Review of the currently available MIS, thoracoscopic and laparoscopic, simulators for pediatric surgery, and identification of those factors that contribute to their fidelity and validity as a training tool that must be incorporated in the design of future simulation models.
Results
There are few neonatal laparoscopic and thoracoscopic models currently available, or in the research stage. To our knowledge, there is no commercially available, synthetic, high fidelity and low cost thoracoscopic model in existence. Use of animal tissue has disadvantages of ethical dilemmas, cost, and logistic and procurement issues. Newer synthetic models need to be validated for fidelity, to replicate those components of the operation that pose the greatest technical challenge, and incorporate means of measuring acquisition of technical expertise.
Conclusion
This review describes the principles that need to be considered to develop low cost, validated high-fidelity MIS simulator that can be used for training, and that is capable of measuring the acquisition of the technical skills that can be applied to the repair of complex procedures such as esophageal atresia.
Level of evidence III