Ethicon, part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, has announced the first National roll-out of Video Assisted Thoracic (VAT) simulation training in collaboration with the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (SCTS) and the SAC in cardiothoracic surgery.
Cardiothoracic surgery is a speciality which requires significant craft, hand skills and hand-eye coordination, which determines the outcome of the surgery and the well-being of the patient. Cardiothoracic training has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and has resulted in trainees not having the opportunity to carry out live training in theatre or travel to simulation courses, which is essential to their development.
To support these trainees and offer sufficient surgical experience, SCTS has organised the first ever simulation training tour across the UK and Ireland in collaboration with Ethicon. Following two pilots that ran earlier in the year, feedback proved that the simulation training worked to improve the confidence and motor skills amongst trainees.
The simulators, which include the Stupnik basic VATS model, Stupnik anatomical VATS lobectomy simulators for thoracic surgery, Arroyo coronary anastomosis simulators, Devotini aortic valve simulators and Verberkmoes mitral valve repair simulators, will be sent to 14 designated deaneries across the UK and Ireland and is the first simulation training of its kind.
Simulated procedures will be delivered by local Ethicon surgeon trainers. Nationally appointed trainees and hospital appointed doctors will be given time to practice and then assessed in the various procedures.
The training roll-out will commence on Saturday 11th September starting in Wessex.
Alex Moore, Education Solutions Lead at Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies UK & Ireland, said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the ability of the trainees to get operative experience, so we are delighted to be collaborating with the SCTS to provide this simulator training to over 130 trainees over the next year. Our simulation pilots highlighted the value this training can bring in building confidence and preparing trainees for live surgery. Rolling it out nationally will play a key part in supporting cardiothoracic surgeons of the future to safely treat their patients.”
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