title: Assessment of the microsurgical skills: 30 minutes versus 2 weeks patency.
abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the amount of training needed by a trainee, with no background in microsurgery, in order to achieve proper skills for microvascular anastomosis. A protocol based on the rat femoral artery was established to provide a quantitative representation. Five inexperienced subjects started performing microvascular anastomosis. Patency was assessed at 30 min. The final assessment was performed at 2 weeks when rats were reoperated and the patency below the anastomosis was checked. The experiment was discontinued for one subject when he/she succeeded to have two series of four anastomosis with 100% patency at 2 weeks. The results were: 47.5% patency rate at 30 min and 7.5% at 2 weeks (series 1-2); 67.5 and 32.5% (3-4); 82.5 and 35% (5-6); 100 and 70% (7-8); 100 and 87.5% (9-10). Two trainees obtained 100% patency at 2 weeks after series 9-10. Other three needed two more series. There is a significant statistic difference (P < 0.01) between the results at 30 min and 2 weeks for the series (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8). The patency rate at 2 weeks reflects in a better way the microsurgical skills of a trainee. For long term functioning anastomosis, the training period needs an extension beyond that necessary for 100% patency at 30 min.
authors.affiliation: Center for Simulation and Training in Surgery, Gr.T. Popa University of Medicine, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Vlad
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ilie
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ilie
authors.forename: Nicolae
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghetu
authors.forename: Sidonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grosu
authors.forename: Dragos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pieptu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004210:Dissection / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000193:education*; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000193:education; D013997:Time Factors; D014654:Vascular Patency