Clinical Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery

Biography

Biography: Ann Scovia

Abstract

MIS(Minimally Invasive Surgical) is becoming increasingly main stream in paediatric Surgery. However, as a specialty we have the disadvantage of limited patient numbers particularly in neonatal surgical condition. This makes it all the more important that simulation is available to develop and maintain our MIS skills. There is extensive literature to support simulation as an effective means to developing MIS skills prior to clinical applications.
A MIS animal training facility commenced at the Children’s Hospital, Westmead in 2005, training workshops are arranged twice a year without cost to the participants. The protocol is approve by the Western Sydney Local Health District Animal Ethics Committee ( protocol number 3013.03.15) The training is consultant led and is funded by Convidien ( Medtronic & Covidien) from 2004 and also from 2012. The program is graded to suit the level of experience; the more the experienced surgeons train on a wide range of specific, live anaesthetized porcine models which realistically simulate a variety of clinical conditions in neonates and older children. The less experienced use the box trainers/lap simulator to develop suturing and knot tying expertise prior to progression to the live anaesthetized animal models. Over the last 8 years 297 participants have attended the workshops with an overall satisfsction rate of 75%. It is hoped that the data presented will encourage further discussion about the need for simulation based MIS training and skill maintenance in paediatric Surgery.