Category: Other, Miscellaneous
VS8-3 - Smartphone based trainer- An inexpensive and effective way to laparoscopic skill acquisition
Introduction & Objective :
Many laparoscopy training modalities have been developed for skill acquisition. There are expensive laparoscopic simulators that can limit institutional training programs especially in developing countries.
There is less expensive alternative that created a simplified, less expensive model based on the use of a tablet to overcome the greatest obstacle to home training, the cost of the laparoscopic stack and camera. We developed a smartphone based trainer that is an inexpensive and effective way to laparoscopic skill acquisition.
We aim to show the steps to build an effective smartphone-based trainer that is simple and cheap to reproduce.
Methods :
We used a S5 smartphone by Samsung Inc. as a replacement for the laparoscopic stack and camera. The S5 smartphone has a 5.1 inch wide screen, touch-screen display, and a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. On the back of the S5 smartphone there is a 16 megapixels video camera. To create the cavity, we used a alveolar plastic school folder. We added a hole for the smartphone camera and 2 holes were added directly below to allow for instrument placement.
To evaluate the effectiveness we asked five robotic and laparoscopic fellows if the trainer can help develop hand-eye coordination and whether or not the trainer can help develop laparoscopic skills after performing 4 European basic laparoscopic skills (EBLUS) modified exercises. The questionnaire had 4 yes/no questions and 8 questions marked with a Likert scale (where 1 represented poor, 3 was fair, and 5 was very good).
Results :
For training capacity, participants rated the trainer at a mean of 4,6. Participants found that the trainer was simple to set up (4.2), and had fair quality Video (3), and lighting (3.8). The trainer scored 3,8 for developing hand-eye coordination, 3,8 for developing laparoscopic skill, and 3,4 for maintenance of laparoscopic skills. For utility of the tablet, it rated a mean 75% positive rating.
Conclusions :
A smartphone based trainer can be simple to reproduce and a inexpensive alternative for trainees looking to develop their laparoscopic skills.
- OC
Oliver Claros
– urologist, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil 
Rafael Sanchez-Salas
– L'Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, Ile-de-France, France- AC
Arie Carneiro
– Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil - FK
Fernando Korkes
– Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil - AV
Alessandra Vitalli
– Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil - OF
Oscar Fugita
– Universidade Estadual Paulista, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil - GL
Gustavo Lemos
– Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil