SEP Basic

SEP - SimSurgery Education Platform

A product containing 25 exercises designed to learn and train a variety of laparoscopic skills ranging from basic to advanced skills.

This product includes a flexible surgical interface, an administrative framework, an application framework for structured training and a task training program. SEP Basic can be extended with additional learning modules.

Flexible surgical interface – The instruments are generic laparoscopic needle holders, pistol grips, and camera house. A height adjustable operating surface resembles the body surface. The trocars can be placed in any of the 54 positions on the operating surface.

The surgical interface can be provided either as a stationary system or as a portable system. The stationary system is a complete setup where all components are mounted on a generic and flexible stand. The portable solution uses the same instruments and operating surface.

Administrative framework - The software platform includes an administrative framework for user settings, result evaluation, curriculum administration, etc. A SQL database is used for storage of user data and training sessions.

The application framework for structured training gives a systematic approach with clear objectives, instructions, onscreen guidance and performance evaluation for structured training. For more information on structured training please refer to The SEP Learning Concept

Task training program - SEP Basic consists of a range of basic to advanced laparoscopic skill exercises organized into the following groups:

· Camera navigation – 4 exercises
· Tissue manipulation – 6 exercises
· Basic suturing – 7 exercises
· Advanced suturing – 8 exercises
 
The 25 default exercises can be customized with individual configuration parameters and difficulty levels. All exercises have a clear learning objective, additional educational content, performance metrics, and results presented numerically and graphically. The 25 exercises record 102 measures and 156 errors, all stored in the database for statistical analyzes.

SEP allows the novice, the advanced resident, and even the practicing surgeon to develop and test their technical, cognitive, and medical decision-making skills in a safe environment.

Camera Navigation Exercises

The objective of the camera navigation exercises is to learn how to use straight and angled scopes. These 4 exercises focus on surgical concepts like the fulcrum effect, horizon control, view angle, field of view, and steady view.

Tissue Manipulation Exercises

The objective of the tissue manipulation exercises is to learn complex bimanual tissue manipulation with gentle and precise movements. These 6 exercises focus on surgical concepts like respect for tissue, plane of dissection, gallbladder dissection, traction and counter traction, eye-hand coordination, and ambidexterity.

Basic Suturing

The objective of the basic suturing exercises is to learn how to obtain optimal needle orientation and to set precise stitches with minimal tissue damage. These 7 exercises focus on surgical concepts like needle orientation, respect for tissue, precision, and rotation of curved needle.

Advanced Suturing

The objective of the advanced suturing exercises is to learn how to perform correct surgical knots and sutures. These 8 exercises focus on surgical concepts like square knot and surgeon’s knot, suture management, tissue approximation, continuous and interrupted sutures.