title: Proposal for a "European Scoring System for Laparoscopic Operations in Urology".
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To propose a scoring system of difficulties for the most currently performed laparoscopic procedures in urology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each current laparoscopic procedure has been evaluated according to three different criteria: technical difficulty, operative risk and the attention required. Each criterion is scored from 1 (minimal impact of the criteria) to 7 (maximal impact of the criteria). The sum of the 3 criteria is used to classify each operation according to an increasing level of global difficulty, classified into 6 levels: easy (E: sum of criteria between 3 and 5), slightly difficult (SD: sum of criteria between 6 and 8), fairly difficult (FD: sum of criteria between 9 and 11), difficult (D: sum of criteria between 12 and 14), very difficult (VD: sum of criteria between 15 and 17), extremely difficult (ED: sum of criteria greater than 18).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Procedures currently performed by laparoscopy have been selected for evaluation according to the above criteria, and retrospectively validated by European experts in laparoscopic urology according to their experience and the international literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This proposal of a scoring scale system is a basis for discussion, teaching and learning of urological laparoscopy. By necessity, this scale is evolving and will be regularly reconsidered and updated every 5 years.
authors.affiliation: European Society of Uro-Technology, European Union. bertrand.guillonneau@imm.fr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillonneau
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Abbou
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Doublet
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaston
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Janetschek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandressi
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rassweiler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vallancien
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*