European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery

IntroductionSince the introduction of laparoscopy, a variety of training sets and tasks have been introduced for surgical education of minimally-invasive surgery. The implementation of the European Basic Laparoscopic Urological Skills into the training and education program of future laparoscopic su...

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Main Authors: Nikolaos Liakos, Martin Janssen, Rudolf Moritz, Özlem Kayaci-Güner, Johannes Bründl, Arif Özkan, Burkhard Ubrig, Stefan Siemer, Christian Gratzke, Christian Wagner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Surgery
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2025.1566840/full
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author Nikolaos Liakos
Martin Janssen
Rudolf Moritz
Özlem Kayaci-Güner
Johannes Bründl
Arif Özkan
Burkhard Ubrig
Stefan Siemer
Christian Gratzke
Christian Wagner
Christian Wagner
author_facet Nikolaos Liakos
Martin Janssen
Rudolf Moritz
Özlem Kayaci-Güner
Johannes Bründl
Arif Özkan
Burkhard Ubrig
Stefan Siemer
Christian Gratzke
Christian Wagner
Christian Wagner
author_sort Nikolaos Liakos
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionSince the introduction of laparoscopy, a variety of training sets and tasks have been introduced for surgical education of minimally-invasive surgery. The implementation of the European Basic Laparoscopic Urological Skills into the training and education program of future laparoscopic surgeons created a new era and provided a standardized approach for urological surgical training. However, these tasks have not yet been evaluated in a setting of robot-assisted surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of the implementation of the four E-BLUS tasks into training modules of robot-assisted surgery.MethodsA cohort of 31 robotic surgeons (group A: experienced, group B: novices) performed these tasks in two different institutions by using the latest generation of robotic surgical platforms. Time performance and failure rate were assessed and statistically analyzed.ResultsThe groups demonstrated a statistically significant difference regarding time performance in half of the tasks involving fine surgical skills (cutting and knotting, p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively) but no significant difference in tasks involving manual ambidexterity (p = 0.14 and 0.12, respectively). A low failure rate during the attempts of the group of novice robotic surgeons could be observed.DiscussionThe use of the E-BLUS tasks in a training setting of robot-assisted surgery is feasible and can lead to the development of surgical skills needed during robot-assisted surgical procedures. It is a relatively low-cost dry lab option for the introduction of novice robotic surgeons.
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spelling doaj-art-9749b79f0cba4f60ac74460d5bdc60922025-08-20T02:11:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Surgery2296-875X2025-04-011210.3389/fsurg.2025.15668401566840European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgeryNikolaos Liakos0Martin Janssen1Rudolf Moritz2Özlem Kayaci-Güner3Johannes Bründl4Arif Özkan5Burkhard Ubrig6Stefan Siemer7Christian Gratzke8Christian Wagner9Christian Wagner10Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Münster, Münster, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Rhein-Ruhr-University, Herne, GermanyEuropean Robotic Institute, Gronau, GermanyDepartment of Urology, St. Josef Krankenhaus Regensburg, University Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Regenburg, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Augusta-Kranken-Anstalt Bochum, University Hospital of the Rhein-Ruhr-University, Bochum, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyEuropean Robotic Institute, Gronau, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Urologic Oncology and Robot-Assisted Surgery, St. Antonius Hospital Gronau, Gronau, GermanyIntroductionSince the introduction of laparoscopy, a variety of training sets and tasks have been introduced for surgical education of minimally-invasive surgery. The implementation of the European Basic Laparoscopic Urological Skills into the training and education program of future laparoscopic surgeons created a new era and provided a standardized approach for urological surgical training. However, these tasks have not yet been evaluated in a setting of robot-assisted surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of the implementation of the four E-BLUS tasks into training modules of robot-assisted surgery.MethodsA cohort of 31 robotic surgeons (group A: experienced, group B: novices) performed these tasks in two different institutions by using the latest generation of robotic surgical platforms. Time performance and failure rate were assessed and statistically analyzed.ResultsThe groups demonstrated a statistically significant difference regarding time performance in half of the tasks involving fine surgical skills (cutting and knotting, p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively) but no significant difference in tasks involving manual ambidexterity (p = 0.14 and 0.12, respectively). A low failure rate during the attempts of the group of novice robotic surgeons could be observed.DiscussionThe use of the E-BLUS tasks in a training setting of robot-assisted surgery is feasible and can lead to the development of surgical skills needed during robot-assisted surgical procedures. It is a relatively low-cost dry lab option for the introduction of novice robotic surgeons.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2025.1566840/fullE-BLUSroboticssimulationsurgical educationrobotic training
spellingShingle Nikolaos Liakos
Martin Janssen
Rudolf Moritz
Özlem Kayaci-Güner
Johannes Bründl
Arif Özkan
Burkhard Ubrig
Stefan Siemer
Christian Gratzke
Christian Wagner
Christian Wagner
European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery
Frontiers in Surgery
E-BLUS
robotics
simulation
surgical education
robotic training
title European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery
title_full European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery
title_fullStr European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery
title_full_unstemmed European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery
title_short European basic laparoscopic urological skills: a feasibility study in a setting for robot-assisted surgery
title_sort european basic laparoscopic urological skills a feasibility study in a setting for robot assisted surgery
topic E-BLUS
robotics
simulation
surgical education
robotic training
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2025.1566840/full
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