title: Retention of robot-assisted surgical skills in urological surgeons acquired using Mimic dV-Trainer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assess the retention of robot-assisted surgical skills among urologic surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The robot-assisted surgery skills of 20 urologic surgeons were assessed using a Mimic dV-Trainer program (Mimic Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA) consisting of 6 tasks. These 20 surgeons had no previous experience either using the Mimic dV-Trainer or acting as the main surgeon in robot-assisted surgery. The surgeons completed the program 4 times in a row; after 1 year, they completed it again for a fifth time. Performance scores were recorded using the Mimic dV-Trainer's built-in algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all 6 tasks, there were significant improvements to the scores in the fourth trials compared with those in the first trials. The scores in the fifth trials did not significantly decline compared with those in the fourth trials. There was no significant difference between the fifth trial scores of surgeons with laparoscopic surgery skills/experience and those without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that fundamental robot-assisted surgical skills can be retained in the long-term after they are acquired.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teishima
authors.affiliation: Advanced Medical SkillsTraining Center, Applied Life Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hieda
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.affiliation: Advanced Medical SkillsTraining Center, Applied Life Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; ; Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Applied Life Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Applied Life Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohdan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan;
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsubara