title: Effectiveness of basic endoscopic surgical skill training for pediatric surgeons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pediatric surgeons require highly advanced skills when performing endoscopic surgery, but their experience with such cases tend to be limited in comparison to general surgeons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of basic endoscopic surgery training for less-experienced young pediatric surgeons and then compare their skills with those of general surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The surgeons (n = 477) subjected to this study underwent a 2-day endoscopic skill training program, consisting of lectures, box training, VR simulator training, tissue training, and live tissue training. The trainees were divided into two groups: P (pediatric surgeons, n = 33) and G (general surgeons, n = 444). The trainees were required to make a continuous suture along a circle measuring 2.5 cm in diameter and the findings were evaluated both before and after training. A statistical analysis was conducted using the unpaired t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of experienced cases totaled 20.8 ± 23.9 in P and 60.6 ± 80.5 in G (p < 0.001). The number of completed sutures before training was 1.4 ± 1.1 in P and 1.9 ± 1.5 in G (p < 0.05). The number of completed sutures after training was 4.1 ± 1.3 in P and 3.9 ± 1.9 in G (p > 0.05). The economy and speed of the forceps improved, however, the number of errors increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less-experienced pediatric surgeons improved their surgical skill and ability until reaching almost the same level as that observed in more experienced general surgeons during training, however, the number of errors after training increased in comparison to before training. As a result, this program needs to be modified to reduce the number of errors while enabling pediatric surgeons to master the safe and precise surgical techniques needed in this field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. satoshi@med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ieiri
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakatsuji
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
authors.forename: Munenori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Kouzou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onimaru
authors.forename: Kenoki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohuchida
authors.forename: Jaesung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Morimasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomikawa
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanoue
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies