Skills training

Laparoscopy has undoubtedly advanced the field of surgery beyond the wildest dreams of the early pioneers. However, these advancements have not come without a price. It is clear that laparoscopy requires additional surgical skills that are not routinely used during conventional open operations and specialized training is required. Early in the advent of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, many surgeons were less than adequately trained, and the result was a high rate of ductal injuries. Efforts today are aimed at effectively training surgeons before they perform a new procedure so that complications may be minimized or avoided altogether. Although the surgeon must know the principles governing a specific disease process, the relevant anatomy, and the details of an operation, pivotal to the successful completion of a laparoscopic operation is having sufficient technical skill to perform the procedure. Therefore, in addition to traditional cognitive teaching, a major focus is now centered on laparoscopic skills training.