The Southern Medical Journal (SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists.

SMJ // Article

Letter to the Editor

The PC Mouse as a Learning Tool for the Development of Eye-Hand Coordination for Trainees in Laparoscopic Surgery

Authors: Robert B. Sanda, FRCSI, Omer A. Omer, MD

Abstract

To the Editor:


The introduction of laparoscopic surgery brought with it psychomotor challenges to the surgeon; notably, eye-hand coordination.1 This phenomenon is caused by a combination of field-video displacement, instrument movement distortion, depth misperception and tactile stimulus deprivation.2 Skill acquisition in laparoscopic surgery is time-dependent, as it is an adaptive reorientation of the brain to the unusual. Since much of the training period in laparoscopic surgery is used for mastering eye-hand coordination, it is conceivable that exercises that mimic the actual situation would cut down on the time required to attain expertise.

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References

1.Gallagher AG, Smith CD, Bowers SP, et al. Psychomotor skills assessment in practicing surgeons experienced in performing advanced laparoscopic procedures. J Am Coll Surg 2003;197:479–488.
 
2.Gould JC, Frydman J. Reverse-alignment surgical skills assessment. Surg Endosc 2007;21:669–671.
 
3.Eye-hand coordination in laparoscopy—an overview of experiments and supporting aids. Minim Invasive Ther Allied Technol 2001;10:155–162.
 
4.Rosenberg BH, Landsittel D, Averch TD. Can video games be used to predict or improve laparoscopic skills? J Endourol 2005;19:372–376.
 
5.Rosser JC Jr, Lynch PJ, Cuddily L, et al. The impact of video games on training surgeons in the 21st century. Arch Surg 2007;142:181–186; discussion 186.