A newly designed portable ergonomic laparoscopic skills Ergo-Lap simulator

Objective: The cost of laparoscopic simulators restricts the wide use of simulation for training of basic psychomotor skills. This paper describes the scientifically-based development of an inexpensive and portable Ergonomic Laparoscopic Skills (Ergo-Lap) simulator with multiple tasks. Material and methods: The design of this Ergo-Lap simulator and related training task panel was based on scientific research regarding the representative skills and the ergonomic guidelines for laparoscopic surgery. A user-centred design approach was followed. Fifty-three surgical participants with variable laparoscopic experience (14 medical students, 27 surgeons in training, and 12 experienced laparoscopic surgeons) performed several tasks on the prototype and gave their feedback by filling out a 5-point scale Likert scale questionnaire. Results: The results of the usability evaluation showed that the participants regarded the Ergo-Lap simulator as a useful device to practice the basic and advanced skills effectively. Forty-three of the 53 participants indicated they would like to purchase this simulator since it is easy to use and challenges their laparoscopic skills. Conclusions: For laparoscopic skills training, this inexpensive Ergo-Lap simulator with diverse task choices offers a simple training opportunity for trainees who want to practice laparoscopic skills at home or at the office.