Manual Laparoscopic Skills Development Using a Low-Cost Trainer Box in Tanzania

ObjectivesTo explore the feasibility and effectiveness of guided practice using a low-cost laparoscopic trainer on the development of laparoscopic skills by surgeons in a resource-poor setting.DesignThis was a prospective trial involving a pretest/posttest single-sample design. Study participants completed a background survey and pretest on the 5 McGill Inanimate System for Training and Evaluation of Laparoscopic Skills (MISTELS) tasks using a simulator developed and validated by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco. On completion of a 3-month guided practice course, participants were again tested on the MISTELS tasks and completed an exit survey.SettingThe Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.ParticipantsFourteen Tanzanian surgery residents and specialists completed the study.ResultsMost of the subjects were surgical residents (64.3%). Only 2 participants (14.2%) had previous laparoscopic training, and baseline laparoscopic surgical experience was limited to intraoperative observation only. Study subjects practiced the MISTELS tasks for an average of 8.67 hours (range: 4.75-15.25) over the 3-month course. On the posttest, participants improved significantly in performance of each of the MISTELS tasks (p < 0.001). Total scores on the tasks increased from 24 ± 44 on the pretest to 384 ± 49 on the posttest (p < 0.001). All study participants were satisfied with the course, found the training personally valuable, and felt that their laparoscopic skills had improved on completion of the training.ConclusionsWe have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of training with a low-cost laparoscopic trainer box in Tanzania. Study participants achieved impressive posttest scores on the 5 MISTELS tasks with minimal baseline laparoscopic exposure. We feel that guided training by an expert was key in ensuring correct technique during practice sessions.