Surgical Skills Training For Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy (RALP) For Residents And Fellows

Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 06 Jul 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - (Reported from the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association) Three studies showed that surgical skills training for robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for residents and fellows can be done effectively with no adverse impact on patient outcomes.

The Durham, North Carolina Group (abstract 1816), Duarte California Group (abstract 1817) and the Houston Texas Group (abstract 1819) all demonstrated that by breaking down the RALP procedure into steps of the procedure with progressive involvement of trainees in the less difficult to the more difficult steps allowed good acquisition of the skills. More importantly, compared to the experienced surgeons, many of whom were in their early learning curve of the procedure, there was negligible difference in operative times, intra- and post-operative complications and surgical margin rates.

These reports show that using a similar training curriculum as has been traditionally associated with the open radical retropubic prostatectomy can also effectively train the RALP procedure.

Further experience with these training curricula will be important as this surgical technique matures in its experience and clinical outcomes. However, residents and fellows can learn this new surgical technique within their present respective training programs.

ABST #1816
"Don't Let Them Touch Me"? Trainees do not Negatively Impact the Institutional Learning Curve for Robotic Prostatectomy as Characterized by Operative Time, Estimated Blood Loss and Positive Surgical Margin Rate
Florian R. Schroeck, MD, et al.

ABST #1817
Training the Urologic Oncology Fellows Does not Adversely Impact Outcomes of Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
Brian A. Link, MD, et al.

ABST #1819
Transfer of Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy to Multiple Trainees: A Preliminary Curriculum-Based Approach
John W. Davis, MD, et al.

Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) - May 17 - 22, 2008. Orange County Convention Center - Orlando, Florida, USA. Reported by UroToday.com Contributing Editor Elspeth M. McDougall, MD, FRCSC

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