Abstract

Background: Currently, information and communications technology not only intervenes in the daily work of citizens but is used directly in the care of medical patients, making quick online consultations, evaluating and sharing paraclinics, this has changed as the people interact, learn, how they work and even how they take care of their health. It is in the interest of a group of researchers to develop not only low-cost laparoscopic surgery simulators but also a teaching mobile App for teaching and learning skills in laparoscopic surgery that is accessible and innovative, but above all the first of its kind.

Objective: To present a mobile application for tablets and cell phones (Smart Phones) for training and teaching in laparoscopic surgery in low-cost simulators.

Materials and Methods: The author has made 2 prototypes of simulators or pelvitrainers to train in laparoscopic surgery, a triangular prismatic standard and a new model generated by the research team that only consists of 2 tables, a base and a frontal or working table. The front table consists of a bracket and holes to fit a mobile device (tablet or cell phone) to use as a visual interface. Training “Kits” have been designed for these devices. An interchangeable basic and advanced training kit that we have presented at the 67^th Uruguayan Congress of Surgery. Mainly we have developed our mobile application for surgeon training, the first of its kind to be published in the Appstore and Playstore. The simulators and the application were tested and used by residents of general surgery, general surgeons from the city of Montevideo and Maldonado, Uruguay, and by resident physicians and Fellows of general surgery and Hepato-pancreatic-biliary of the Hospital Universitario Fundación Favaloro and also by Paraguayan surgeons through the Paraguayan society of endoscopic surgery, with great acceptance.

Discussion: We have thus improved the original designs, designed our own original simulator, lower cost than any other on the market, accessible, reproducible, portable and durable, including interchangeable training kits. We must continue to improve the design and add elements to be able to perform different and more varied exercises. The Mobile application that accompanies this trainer has been revolutionary of its kind because it is not only new in our environment but we also do not find on the web an application with the dynamics or characteristics of the one developed by our work group already integrated to surgeons since different geographic regions in the same system.

Therefore, it is concluded that in view of the need for ex-vivo training, in order to reduce the complications inherent to the learning curve of each surgeon, it was necessary to develop low-cost laparoscopic surgery simulators in our environment. We were able to develop a free and accessible mobile application for training in laparoscopic surgery that is one-of-a-kind, free and accessible, which is currently generating a web community for discussion and teaching between different geographical areas, we will have to measure the impact of this tool, which was achieved without public funding. nor private.

Keywords: Mobile App; Train; Laparoscopic Surgery