title: The effects of video games on laparoscopic simulator skills.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, there has been a growth in studies supporting the hypothesis that video games have positive effects on basic laparoscopic skills. This review discusses all studies directly related to these effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search in the PubMed and EMBASE databases was performed using synonymous terms for video games and laparoscopy. All available articles concerning video games and their effects on skills on any laparoscopic simulator (box trainer, virtual reality, and animal models) were selected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Video game experience has been related to higher baseline laparoscopic skills in different studies. There is currently, however, no standardized method to assess video game experience, making it difficult to compare these studies. Several controlled experiments have, nevertheless, shown that video games cannot only be used to improve laparoscopic basic skills in surgical novices, but are also used as a temporary warming-up before laparoscopic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: maartenjalink@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Maarten B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jalink
authors.affiliation: Wenckebach Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jetse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goris
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate School of Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Surgery, Medical Center Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands; Leeuwarden Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre E N
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pierie
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Post Graduate School of Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: ten Cate Hoedemaker
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D018910:Video Games
keywords: Education; Laparoscopy; Review; Video games