Original Homebuilt Off-the-Job Training System for Vascular Surgeons: Assessment and Analysis of the System

Abstract

Objective: We assessed the effectiveness and appropriateness of our original Off-the-Job Training (Off JT) system using data acquired from recruited medical students and doctors. Materials and Methods: We presented our original homebuilt Off JT system, which is simple and inexpensive. In our unique system, we performed the anastomosis at the bottom of a plastic pot, which mimics the actual open surgical procedure in a deep site. There were 4 evaluation points: (A) the operative time, (B) the performance of the anastomosis evaluated by analyzing the image semi-automatically with the coefficient of variation (standard deviation/length) of the “bite” and the “pitch”, (C) the scoring of the total surgical skill evaluated by the trainers according to the Operative Performance Rating System (OPRS), and (D) the relationship of these 3 factors (A, B, and C). Results: The procedural time and the coefficient of variation of the bite and pitch decreased, and the OPRS increased after training. There was a strong correlation between procedural time, anastomotic performance, and OPRS. Conclusion: The effectiveness of our original homebuilt system was shown by the reduction in the procedural time, improvement in the anastomotic quality, and OPRS.