Acquisition and retention of laparoscopic skills is different comparing conventional laparoscopic and single-incision laparoscopic surgery: a single-centre, prospective randomized study.
Training in laparoscopic surgery is important not only to acquire and improve skills but also avoid the loss of acquired abilities. The aim of this single-centre, prospective randomized study was to assess skill acquisition of different laparoscopic techniques and identify the point in time when acquired skills deteriorate and training is needed to maintain these skills.



Sixty surgical novices underwent laparoscopic surgery (LS) and single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) baseline training (BT) performing two validated tasks (peg transfer, precision cutting). The novices were randomized into three groups and skills retention testing (RT) followed after 8 (group A), 10 (group B) or 12 (group C) weeks accordingly. Task performance was measured in time with time penalties for insufficient task completion.



92 % of the participants completed the BT and managed to complete the task in the required time frame of proficiency. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that SILS (P < 0.0001) and precision cutting (P < 0.0001) were significantly more difficult. Males performed significantly better than females (P < 0.005). For LS, a deterioration of skills (comparison of BT vs RT) was not identified; however, for SILS a significant deterioration of skills (adjustment of BT and RT values) was demonstrated for all groups (A-C) (P < 0.05).



Our data reveal that complex laparoscopic tasks (cutting) and techniques (SILS) are more difficult to learn and acquired skills more difficult to maintain. Acquired LS skills were maintained for the whole observation period of 12 weeks but SILS skills had begun to deteriorate at 8 weeks. These data show that maintenance of LS and SILS skills is divergent and training curricula need to take these specifics into account.
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Scott Michael
SM
Ellis
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Martin
M
Varley
Data Management and Analysis Centre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Stuart
S
Howell
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Markus
M
Trochsler
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Guy
G
Maddern
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Peter
P
Hewett
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Tina
T
Runge
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia. torge.mees@gmail.com.|Department of Gastrointestinal, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany. torge.mees@gmail.com.
Soeren Torge
ST
Mees
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D059032:Learning Curve; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors
LS; SILS; Skill acquisition; Skill retention; Surgical novices