Microsurgical Training Using a Non-dominant Hand

Abstract

Fine movements of a non-dominant hand and coordination of both hands are essential for safe and reliable achievement of microsurgery. We carried out a microsurgical training exercise using a chicken wing artery, in which an end-to-side anastomosis was performed by a dominant or a non-dominant hand for 5 days running for each hand.
This practice demonstrated that the non-dominant hand training not only improved the fine movements of a non-dominant hand but also established skillful techniques of a dominant hand. This may be explained by the bilateral motion transfer phenomenon seen in mirror image learning applied for rehabilitation of apoplexy patients with hemiplegia.