validation of a totally synthetic high fidelity laparoscopic duodenal atresia (da) surgical simulator

Conditions: Duodenal Atresia

Summary: surgeons with variable levels of experience in pediatric minimally invasive surgery (mis) will be recruited to test the laparoscopic da simulator. baseline characteristics regarding their experience level in pediatric surgery, open and laparoscopic da repairs and mis surgery will be obtained from all participants. prior to testing the simulator, participants will be provided with a video and book chapter describing how to perform the procedures and will be given an opportunity to practice on the simulators. participant performance during a da repair will be video recorded. their identity will be blinded. time to completion will be recorded. two expert assessors will score their performance using a checklist and global performance rating scale. the quality of the duodenal anastomosis will be scored. the performance of novice, intermediate and expert surgeons will be compared to determine if the da simulator is able to distinguish between performance of surgeons at various levels of experience. in addition, post-procedure survey will be completed by participants to rate the simulators based on its realism, usability and usefulness. recommendations for improvement to the simulator will be sought.

all participants will be provided with chapters from a surgical atlas outlining the steps of a laparoscopic da repair, as well as a video of a laparoscopic da repair prior to testing the simulator. on the day of testing, they will also be given an opportunity to practice on the da simulator. a pretesting survey will be completed to gather demographic information, surgical experience and self-reported comfort level at performing a laparoscopic da repair. the survey responses will be used to stratify participants into experts (pediatric surgeons with ≥3 laparoscopic da repairs and/or ≥5 advanced pediatric mis procedures), intermediates (pediatric surgeons with \<3 thoracoscopic tef/ea repair or laparoscopic da repairs and/or \<5 advanced pediatric mis procedures) and novices (general surgeons or trainees without advanced pediatric mis experience) for analysis of results. participants will then be asked to perform a laparoscopic da repair on the simulator. their performance will be video recorded. recordings include only the surgery being performed in the simulator, as a result there will be no identifying information in the recordings. time to completion will be recorded. two independent assessors will score the participants performance using the objective structured assessment tool (osat) global rating scale (grs) and a task specific checklist. the repaired da samples will be blinded and assessed for quality of anastomosis by scoring for completeness, patency, suture density, % of square knots, and leak pressures (see appendix 3). upon completion of the simulator testing a post-procedure survey will be completed by participants regarding their experience and to provide feedback on simulator.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * surgical resident with at least 3 years of training * surgical critical care fellow * pediatric surgery fellow * pediatric surgery attending exclusion criteria: * surgery trainee with less than 3 years of training * non-surgeon

Keywords: surgical simulator