microsurgery skill training

[Morton]

I was just wondering if there are any simple training exercises that can be done on a daily basis to improve one's ability at microsurgery.

I poked around on google and found some microsurgery skill courses that cover things like tremor control, maneuvering dexterity, object grasping/manipulation, and knot tying, but, for obvious reasons, didn't discuss any exercises they taught.

Obviously the best would be actual surgery, and next best a microsurgical lab, but I'm wondering more about things that can be done at home.

Any ideas?

 

[JR]

I was wondering about this myself. Maybe current residents can answer this?

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Practice under a microscope with cadaver eyes and pig eyes. Also work with your loupes and work on suturing.

 

[JR]

Practice under a microscope with cadaver eyes and pig eyes. Also work with your loupes and work on suturing.

Now I wish I had that microscope at home

 

[mdkurt]

Now I wish I had that microscope at home

Pay attention to suturing basics when you're finishing med school or during your intern year; it's very important to understand different techniques and why some hold better than others in certain applications before you get to the OR, and learning to lay a knot down flat is imperative. Don't sweat the scope yet; you'll have plenty of access wherever you are during your first year. Cadaver and pig eyes are nice to practice with when you can, but suture on anything just to get the feel of the instruments.

That being said, everybody has a tremor starting out under the scope. Good surgical technique is 95% mental, and visualizing exactly what you need to do prior to picking up any instruments will help you build confidence, which is eventually what gets rid of the tremor.

 

[f_w]

Pharmacia has a nice teaching lab at their campus in Peapack, NJ. They do courses including lamb-eyes, lenses, phaco-sets etc. If one of your attendings has grants from them, he/she might be able to hook you up for one of the courses for free.