title: [Low cost simulator for acquiring basic laparoscopic skills].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic surgery requires a different set of skills than conventional surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a low-cost simulator and camera for the acquisition of basic laparoscopic skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomised trial involved 48 subjects (32 students and 16 surgeons). Two exercises were used, object transfer and cutting. Students were divided into two groups (n=8). One group performed the exercises in the operating theatre with the conventional laparoscopic camera. The second group performed the exercises in a classroom with a low cost micro-camera. Both groups were evaluated before and after five training sessions. Two groups of students were used as controls (n=8), and were evaluated two times without training. The surgeons were divided in two groups (n=8), one was evaluated in the theatre and the other one in the classroom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The trained groups showed significant improvements in the first exercise (P <0.001) compared with non-trained groups. There were no differences in scores between the groups with different cameras. The surgeons had better scores than students (P <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvements in laparoscopic skills on this simulator with a low-cost camera were not significantly different from those gained using the simulator with the conventional laparoscopic camera. This simulator was able to differentiate between experienced and inexperienced subjects.
authors: Unidad de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Pere Virgili IISPV, Hospital Universitario de Sant Joan, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, España.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Morandeira Rivas
authors: Arancha
authors: A
authors: Cabrera Vilanova
authors: Fátima
authors: F
authors: Sabench Pereferrer
authors: Mercè
authors: M
authors: Hernández González
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: del Castillo Déjardin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult