Materials
fenestrated gall bladder
COMPLICATIONS
The study was performed on a Szabo–Berci–Sackier Box Trainer and a standard laparoscopy tower (KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany). A study-specific task station was specifically constructed for this study. The iSurgeon was developed at the Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital within a federally funded EXIST program and was provided for this study. For the performed LCs, a fenestrated gall bladder grasper, curved scissors, clip applicators, and laparoscopic monopolar hook electrode were used (KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany).In this study, the training was conducted by a medical doctor who had reached proficiency by performing at least 30 ex vivo porcine LCs himself. Furthermore, the tutor was monitored by a board-certified surgeon. Evaluation of both groups was done by one and the same tutor to avoid potential bias when evaluating the student’s performance. The tutor was also trained on how to use the iSurgeon and gave instructions on it. Evaluation of the complications and difficulty of the LCs was directly done at the end of the training to review the condition of the used organs. Furthermore, all training sessions were captured on video recordings for later performance assessments by a blinded rater.