J Reconstr Microsurg 2014; 30 - A042
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1373944

Microsurgical Training Model of the Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre

M.C. Calles Vázquez 1, E. Abellán Rubio 1, A. Ballestín Rodríguez 1, F.M. Sánchez Margallo 1, J. Usón Gargallo 1
  • 1Fundación Centro de Cirugía de Mínima Invasión Jesús Usón Cáceres, Spain

Introduction: The main objective of the Microsurgery Unit of the “Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Center” in Cáceres (Spain) is the education and training of professionals in medicine and surgery worldwide and focuses the development of their activities toward the service of society.

Methodology and Material: While the past 27 years and from the idea of a pyramid training model with four levels of teaching, we have been imparting training courses. The learning program plans the gradual shift from synthetic materials to biological structures, concluding with working on experimental animals, tele-education and hospital application at the last level.

This program is based on an ethical and teaching basis: Before working with living beings the maximum performance must be obtained on simulators, this is the goal of the Microsurgery Unit and of the Centre. Until today 1881 professionals have benefited by this goal.

We have designed different simulators with synthetic and organic materials for different specialties that use microsurgery.

We also have took good care about the technology in microsurgery training, designing an experimental operating theater with a special system of education: the “multi-station system” for microsurgery teaching: where images of each microscope are collected in a central plasma monitor where the teacher is and from where he can communicate with each student through an audio system.

Results: The pyramidal training model and the “multi-station system” provides an ethical and teaching learning method with a teacher-student interaction on an individualized way, it is made in real time without having to move around the room, allowing the monitoring of activities with the same magnifications which are working the students and improving the satisfaction degree of them.

Conclusions: The experience of 27 years utilizing this pyramidal model and the “multi-station system” gives us enough data that prove and validate this way of teaching and learning.