A microprocessor-controlled psychomotor tester for minimal access surgery.
BACKGROUND
There is little reported information on psychomotor performance in relation to minimal access surgery (MAS).


METHODS
A microprocessor-controlled endoscopic psychomotor tester (the Dundee Endoscopic Psychomotor Tester-DEPT) has been developed to evaluate psychomotor aspects of MAS. Experiments were conducted on 20 medical undergraduates to evaluate accuracy and reliability of the tester.


RESULTS
The study demonstrated a significant difference between subjects (p < 0.01). It also identified three individuals who enacted 16, 22, and 40 errors while the majority (85%) sustained less errors with a median of 4.5.


CONCLUSIONS
DEPT provides a standard, reproducible, objective real-time scoring system. It identifies individuals who cannot adjust to endoscopic viewing and therefore manipulate from endoscopic images.
Hanna
G B
GB
Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee Tayside DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK.
Drew
T
T
Clinch
P
P
Hunter
B
B
Shimi
S
S
Dunkley
M P
MP
Cuschieri
A
A
D002983:Clinical Competence; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011597:Psychomotor Performance