Abstract Objectives Ex-vivo models may be useful in shortening the learning curve and increasing proficiency in robotic surgery. Our team developed an ex-vivo Porcine Liver Model (PLM) for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) robotic surgery training we aimed to validate it. Design The model was used in a robotic HPB surgery course. A Likert scale survey was administered to participants, investigating reliability, face validity, content validity and operator confidence. Results 25 surgeons responded to the survey: 11 residents (median training 4 years), 14 consultants (median practice 5 years). The PLM was used on a step-by-step chain of exercises including cholecystectomy, hepatic hilum dissection, liver mobilization, transection and hepato-jejunal anastomosis. The model was costless and easy to prepare. The average results on the survey were above 4 for reliability, face validity and content validity (4.3, 4.2, 4.5 respectively) and 3.9 for operator confidence; The model scored better among residents, in particular in terms of reliability (4.5 vs 4.1, p=0.05) and face validity (4.4 vs 3.9, p=0.03). Conclusions We developed an ex-vivo liver model that may be a valuable tool for robotic surgery training in HPB. This is particularly useful for surgeons with no prior experience with the Da Vinci platform or with minimally invasive liver surgery.
Poletto et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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