Teaching of Microsurgery and Supermicrosurgery for Residents

Abstract

On the basis of our numerous years of experience in teaching residents without microsurgery experience and assisting in the initiation of microsurgery in clinical practice, we herein describe the general procedures and crucial aspects to consider regarding microsurgery and supermicrosurgery training for residents. The description focuses on training methods, surgical skills, and training time and effort. The target audience of the training is residents who have never performed microsurgery. We believe that any person, regardless of operative experience, can acquire the technique for microsurgery and supermicrosurgery by performing 4 to 5 hours of training per day over a total of 30 days within this program setting. Considering individual differences in learning and experience, the training can be completed in a shorter period by performing additional daily training. It is relatively simple for a well-trained microsurgeon to master the uncommon supermicrosurgery techniques. We hope that this report will help as many residents as possible in learning the art of (super)microsurgery.