Validation of Bench Training Model for Cleft Palate Surgery

Abstract

Abstract Background Cleft palate is one of the most common congenital malformations worldwide. It can be non-syndromic or it can appear as a part of a syndrome or recurrence pattern. Aim of the Work To provide a valid life-size realistic training model of cleft palate surgery that aids in pre-operative training of residents and improvement of their skills in life surgery. Patients and Methods This interventional pilot study was done after approval of institutional ethics committee in Ain Shams University Hospitals operating theatres and in plastic surgery department’s skill lab for 6 months and obtaining an informed written consent from parents. It was designed to develop a bench model of cleft palate for pre-operative training of surgeons and assess its validity. Results In our study we found that the performance of trainees after using our developed bench model of cleft palate shows statistically significant improvement according to GRITS score by 63.2% compared to those who proceeded to live cases directly without training Conclusion This study further demonstrates the effective use of a novel cleft palate bench model as a training tool. After a single session, we observed improvement in cleft palate procedural skills, confidence, knowledge and time taken to finish the operation among trainees both with and without previous cleft experience. Additional research is needed to assess the durability of these improvements over time, and also the benefit of additional sessions with the bench model.