Evaluation of Hybrid-Training Box for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Abstract

Background: The training box is a simple tool for practice, but it does not use real tissue. The Hybrid-Training box for laparoscopic cholecystectomy simulator (LCS) was used in the laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) training. Objective: To evaluate its face validity and construct validity. Materials and Methods: Between January 2017 and December 2017, 30 participants were divided into two groups, an experienced group (EG) and a novice group (NV). There were 15 participants in each group, and each was asked to perform LC using the LCS. Face validity was evaluated after task completion using a questionnaire with scores ranging from one (very bad or unrealistic) to five (excellent or very realistic) on a five-point Likert scale. Operative time and accidental tearing of the gallbladder were used to evaluate construct validity. Results: The participants in the EG were staff working in general surgery, and subjects in the NV were third- and fourth-year surgical residents. Face validity showed no significant difference on the Likert scale in terms of resembling reality or haptic feedback from tissue (23.6±2.8, 21.7±3.8, p=0.13). The mean operative time of the EG was 15±2.4 minutes while that of the NV was 32±4.1 minutes (p<0.01), and more errors in the form of accidental perforation of gallbladder during LC were found in the NV (67%, 13%, p<0.001). Conclusion: The LCS is an all-in-one simulator that provides effective skill training for LC. The frozen pig gallbladder added realism and was convenient to use. Keywords: Simulator, Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, Training model