Archives of Plastic Surgery (May 2013)

Evaluation of the Microvascular Research Center Training Program for Assessing Microsurgical Skills in Trainee Surgeons

  • Seiji Komatsu,
  • Kiyoshi Yamada,
  • Shuji Yamashita,
  • Narushi Sugiyama,
  • Eijiro Tokuyama,
  • Kumiko Matsumoto,
  • Ayumi Takara,
  • Yoshihiro Kimata

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 40, no. 3
pp. 214 – 219

Abstract

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Background We established the Microvascular Research Center Training Program (MRCP)to help trainee surgeons acquire and develop microsurgical skills. Medical students wererecruited to undergo theMRCP to assessthe effectiveness oftheMRCP fortrainee surgeons.Methods Twenty-two medical students with no prior microsurgical experience, who completed the course from2005 to 2012,were included. TheMRCP comprises 5 stages oftraining,each with specific passing requirements. Stages 1 and 2 involve anastomosing silicone tubesand blood vessels of chicken carcasses,respectively,within 20minutes. Stage 3 involves anastomosing the femoral artery and vein oflive ratswith a 1-day patency rate of > 80%. Stage4 requires replantation of free superficial inferior epigastric artery flaps in rats with a 7-daysuccessrate of > 80%. Stage 5 involvessuccessful completion of one case ofratreplantation/transplantation. We calculated the passing rate for each stage and recorded the number ofanastomosesrequired to passstages 3 and 4.Results The passing rates were 100% (22/22) for stages 1 and 2, 86.4% (19/22) for stage3, 59.1% (13/22) for stage 4, and 55.0% (11/20) for stage 5. The number of anastomosesperformedwas 17.2± 12.2 in stage 3 and 11.3± 8.1 in stage 4.Conclusions Majority ofthemedicalstudentswho undertook theMRCP acquired basicmicrosurgicalskills. Thus,we conclude thatthe MRCP is an effective microsurgery training programfortrainee surgeons.

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