The role of simulation in surgical skills training in gynaecological endoscopy

Minimal-access surgery has revolutionised diagnosis and management in many surgical specialties, including gynaecology. It is well known that the surgical skill set required to carry out endoscopic surgery is essentially different from open surgery, creating a longer learning curve. Fewer opportunities exist for trainees as a result of reduced working hours and also the use of less invasive procedures, such as endometrial ablation procedures, Mirena® intrauterine system, and methotrexate in treating ectopic pregnancies. Significant work has been undertaken to introduce simulation to enhance laparoscopic training and to test the construct validity and face validity of different simulators. In this chapter, we summarise the evidence on simulation training in minimal-access gynaecology, and provide practical recommendations to develop an evidence-based simulation-training curriculum.