Collaborative Effort Enhances Simulator Metrics for CVD Training
Collège de Chirurgie Générale, Viscérale et Digestive (CVD)
In 2017 Doctor Perrenot wanted to develop a standardized simulation training program to implement into the French nationwide residency curriculum, with the opinion that VR simulation training would be an integral part of this program.
Doctor Cyril Perrenot is a young academic surgeon specializing in surgical simulation training with the French society Collège de Chirurgie Générale, Viscérale et Digestive (CVD).
Evaluating Simulator Metrics
When evaluating laparoscopic VR simulators for the surgical training program, Doctor Perrenot needed a simulator that could objectively measure and assess surgical techniques that met the requirements of the CVD program. His initial assessment found that most VR training simulators could measure and assess basic laparoscopic skills (camera training, navigation, pattern cutting, handling intestines), but they could not fully assess more complicated surgical skills, such as ‘Cut and Clip Applying’ and ‘Dissection Cholecystectomy’, metrics required during a Cholecystectomy procedure. Modifications and additions to the assessment metrics and parameters in the simulator software were needed.
The whole Surgical Science team work together… and there is a willingness to do a good job.
– Dr. Cyril Perrenot
The CVD Requirements
Knowing Surgical Science to have excellent simulators with a good reputation, Dr Perrenot decided to contact them to see if it was possible to make changes to the LapSim simulator software and after a number emails, phone calls and some interesting, demanding workshops with the Surgical Science development team. they established how they could meet the needs of the CVD and how they could adapt the LapSim software to fulfil them.
Collaborative Partnership
Working collaboratively over a 12-month period, Surgical Science and Dr Perrenot developed improvements and additions to the LapSim metrics. Focusing mainly on fundamental instrument handling, clip applying, seal and cut exercises, and correct dissection/flagging of the gallbladder during the cholecystectomy procedure. See details:
A Richer and More Advanced Simulator
In September 2019 LapSim CVD was officially released with two new specially adapted courses which were included in the year 1 and 2 training curricula in Paris. It is fantastic that LapSim could be adapted to meet Doctor Perrenot’s requirements to become a richer and more advanced simulator that will hopefully become an integral part of the CVD and French surgical community. Up until 2013 in France, practical training for DES/DESC (advanced level) residents in visceral and digestive surgery was not standardized and now the curriculum will include a practical training program by means of simulation outside the operating room, and will hopefully become structured, uniformized and standardized nationwide.
We will follow the work of the CVD closely, there are plans for further updates later this year for the 3rd year course but for now it will be really interesting to see how well it works and how integral VR simulation becomes in France over the coming years. And now anyone can use the CVD curriculum course on their LapSim as part of your own surgical training program.
