Purpose: This study assessed the efficacy of a high-impact, short-term workshop in honing the laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy technical skills and self-confidence of novice pediatric surgeons, focusing on vertical needle driving and knot tying.
Methods: Lectures, hands-on sessions, pre- and post-workshop evaluations, and training using porcine models were conducted to refine basic and advanced skills. The "hepaticojejunostomy simulator" was used for comparative analysis of precision in pre- and post-workshop vertical needle driving and knot tying. Participants self-evaluated their skills and confidence on a 5-point scale.
Results: After the workshop, eight inexperienced pediatric surgeons demonstrated a significant improvement in hepaticojejunostomy suturing task completion rates and needle-driving precision at the jejunum and hepatic duct. However, the A-Lap Mini Endoscopic Surgery Skill Assessment System indicated no significant improvements in most assessed parameters, except for the full-layer closure score (p = 0.03). However, a significant increase in participants' confidence levels in performing laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy was observed.
Conclusion: The workshop augmented technical proficiency and confidence in young pediatric surgeons. The combination of lectures, practical exposure, and model training is an effective educational strategy in pediatric surgical instruction.
Keywords: Confidence levels; Laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy; Pediatric surgeons; Surgical skills; Workshop program.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.