Feasibility of initiating robotic console surgery during the early stages of gastrointestinal surgery education

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Minimally invasive surgery for gastrointestinal cancers is rapidly advancing; therefore, surgical education must be changed. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of early initiation of robotic surgery education for surgical residents. Methods The ability of staff physicians and residents to handle robotic surgical instruments was assessed using the da Vinci® skills simulator (DVSS). The short-term outcomes of 24 patients with colon cancer who underwent robot-assisted colectomy (RAC) by staff physicians and residents between August 2022 and November 2023 were compared. Results The performances of four basic exercises were assessed after implementation of the DVSS. Residents required less time to complete these exercises and achieved a higher overall score than staff physicians. There were no significant differences in the short-term outcomes, operative time, blood loss, incidence of postoperative complications, and length of the postoperative hospital stay of the two surgeon groups. Conclusions Based on the evaluation involving the DVSS and RAC results, it appears feasible to begin training with robotic consoles early during surgical education.