title: Teaching three-dimensional surgical concepts of inguinal hernia in a time-effective manner using a two-dimensional paper-cut.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because inguinal hernia repair is difficult for third-year students to comprehend, a 2-dimensional paper-cut was developed to teach the concepts of inguinal hernia in a time-effective manner before students' observation of herniorrhaphy in the operating room.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using Adobe Illustrator 5.5 for MacIntosh, a 2-dimensional inexpensively printed paper-cut was created to allow students to perform their own simulated hernia repair before observing surgery. The exercise was performed using a no.15 scalpel or an iris scissors and was evaluated by comparing 10-question pre-tests and post-tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-five students performed the exercise, most completing it within 15 minutes. The mean pre-test score was 7.4/10 and the mean post-test score was 9.1/10. Students performing the paper-cut reported better understanding when observing actual herniorrhaphy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 2-dimensional paper-cut ("surgical origami") may be a time-effective method to prepare students for the observation of hernia repair.
authors.affiliation: Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haley
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
mesh_terms: D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013664:Teaching Materials