New trends in translational microsurgery

Abstract Technological advances such as optical instruments and surgical tools have enabled the considerable contributions of microsurgery to surgical therapies. Accordingly, surgical therapeutics has provided the latest information across a wide range of medical specialties, including immunology and pharmacology, despite specialization according to organs and organ systems. The International Society for Experimental Microsurgery, an academic organization, has utilized experimental microsurgery technology in the identification of curative concepts for diseases that remain difficult to treat. For this publication to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Brazilian Surgical Society, I introduced the following types of technology related to the further development of microsurgical technological innovations in the future: high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) video and touch-sensitive microsurgery robots.

Efficacy of Eyesi surgical simulator training in improving high-tension capsules capsulorhexis performance / Eficácia do treinamento com simulador cirúrgico Eyesi em melhorar a capsulorrexe em cápsulas de alta tensão

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate if Eyesi cataract surgical simulator training using its standard course curriculum is effective in improving performance of cataract surgery trainees on creating capsulorhexis on high-tension capsules on the simulator. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed training reports of ophthalmic surgery trainees (2nd and 3rd year residents and cataract fellowship trainees) that have accomplished the standard Eyesi cataract surgery simulator training course version 2.1 between May 2012 and August 2013 at Instituto de Diagnostico e Terapia Ocular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We compared the mean score (from 0 to 100) attributed by the simulator on performing the same task, a capsulorhexis on a high-tension capsule, on the surgical simulator "before training" (during beginning of the course) and "after training" (at later stages of the course). Results: Thirty-seven trainees' reports were analyzed. Mean and standard deviation "before training" high-tension capsulorhexis score was 41.73 ± 27.08 points and the mean "after training" score was 72.55 ± 16.40 points, a difference of +30.82 points (p value <0.001 on Paired t test), representing a 73% improvement on performance. Conclusions: Eyesi surgical simulator training on course version 2.1 curriculum was effective in improving performance of cataract surgery trainees on creating capsulorhexis on high-tension capsules.

RESUMO Objetivos: Avaliar se o treinamento realizado com o simulador cirúrgico de catarata Eyesi e o seu currículo de exercícios padrão são efetivos em melhorar o desempenho de cirurgiões de catarata em formação na confecção de capsulorrexe em cápsulas de alta tensão realizadas no simulador. Métodos: Analisamos retrospectivamente relatórios de treinamento de residentes de 2º e 3º ano e fellows de catarata que realizaram o curso versão 2.1 de treinamento com o simulador cirúrgico de catarata Eyesi no período de maio de 2012 a agosto de 2013 no Instituto de Diagnóstico e Terapia Ocular, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Comparamos o escore médio (de 0 a 100 pontos) atribuído na confecção de capsulorrexe em cápsula de alta tensão no simulador "antes do treinamento" (durante início do curso) e "depois do treinamento" (nos estágios finais do curso). Resultados: Trinta e sete relatórios de cirurgiões em treinamento foram analisados. O escore médio e desvio padrão da capsulorrexe em cápsula de alta tensão "antes do treinamento" foi de 41,73 ± 27,08 pontos e "depois do treinamento" de 72,55 ± 16,40 pontos, uma diferença de +30,82 pontos (p <0.001 no teste t pareado), representando uma melhora de 73% no desempenho. Conclusão: O treinamento realizado com o simulador cirúrgico de catarata Eyesi seguindo o currículo do curso versão 2.1 foi eficaz em melhorar o desempenho de cirurgiões em treinamento na confecção de capsulorrexe em cápsulas de alta tensão.

Telementoring systems in the operating room: a new approach in medical training / "Telementoring" en el quirófano: un nuevo enfoque en la formación médica

This paper discusses the challenges and innovations related to the use of telementoring systems in the operating room. Most of the systems presented leverage on three types of interaction channels: audio, visual and physical. The audio channel enables the mentor to verbally instruct the trainee, and allows the trainee to ask questions. The visual channel is used to deliver annotations, alerts and other messages graphically to the trainee during the surgery. These visual representations are often displayed through a telestrator. The physical channel has been used in laparoscopic procedures by partially controlling the laparoscope through force-feedback. While in face to face instruction, the mentor produces gestures to convey certain aspects of the surgical instruction, there is not equivalent of this form of physical interaction between the mentor and trainee in open surgical procedures in telementoring systems. Even that the trend is to perform more minimally invasive surgery (MIS), trauma surgeries are still necessary, where initial resuscitation and stabilization of the patient in a timely manner is crucial. This paper presents a preliminary study conducted at the Indiana University Medical School and Purdue University, where initial lexicons of surgical instructive gestures (SIGs) were determined through systematic observation when mentor and trainee operate together. The paper concludes with potential ways to convey gestural information through surgical robots.

Este artículo discute los desafíos e innovaciones relacionadas al uso de sistemas de tutoría en telecirugía (telementoring). La mayoría de los sistemas presentados se basan en tres tipos de canales de interacción: auditivo, visual y físico. El canal auditivo permite al instructor instruir verbalmente al alumno, y a este último hacer preguntas. El canal visual es usado para transmitir al alumno anotaciones, alertas y otro tipo de mensajes gráficos durante la cirugía. Estas representaciones visuales aparecen en un marcador de vídeo (telestrator). El canal físico ha sido usado en cirugías laparoscópicas por medio de retroalimentador de fuerza (forcefeedback). Mientras que en la instrucción cara a cara, el instructor hace gestos para transmitir ciertos aspectos de la instrucción quirúrgica, esta forma de interacción no tiene un equivalente en la interacción entre instructor y alumno en sistemas de telementoring. Si bien la tendencia es conducir procedimientos mínimamente invasivos (MIS) con estos sistemas, se deben tener en cuenta cirugías de trauma, todavía necesarias, especialmente donde la resucitación inicial y estabilización del paciente es un tema crítico y urgente. Este artículo presenta un estudio preliminar conducido en la Escuela de Medicina de Indiana (EE.UU.) y en la Universidad Purdue, donde el vocabulario de gestos (lexicons) usados en instrucción quirúrgica (SIGs) se determinaron por medio de observaciones sistemáticas mientras el instructor y el alumno operaban juntos. Se concluye discutiendo maneras alternativas de presentar esta información de gestos por medio de robots quirúrgicos.