Implantable port insertion simulator
Abstract:
Total implantable venous access port (TIVAP) by cephalic vein cut down (CVCD) is one of the first procedures surgery residents can performed independently under supervision. There is currently a lack of affordable simulators for teaching and assessing TIVAP competency to improve patient safety. A panel of 10 experts divided the TIVAP by CVCD procedure into 9 steps. A home-made, low-cost ($3 USD) simulator was then designed for practicing standardized procedural steps in the context of a simulation-based mastery learning course. Residents were given a simulator for at-home practice and completed a survey evaluating the simulator and their learning experience. Twenty-eight first-year surgery residents participated in the course and completed the survey. They were highly satisfied with the simulator (mean score=8.7 out of 10) and generally agreed with its anatomical appearance and functional fidelity. They also appreciated the educational value of using this simulator to learn and practice basic techniques and procedural steps. Our novel, home-made simulator of CVCD TIVAP implantation is a cost-effective way of achieving procedural competence of a basic operation for inexperienced surgery residents. We envision the same principle can be applied to other procedures to enhance resident education.
Reference:
Chen CL, Yeh VJ, Yeh YT. A Novel Home-Made Simulator for Training and Assessing Competency of Totally Implantable Venous Access Port Implantation via Venous Cut Down. J Chin Med Assoc. 2021 Dec 21. doi: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000654. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34974508.