Advanced cadaver‐based educational seminar for trauma surgery using saturated salt solution‐embalmed cadavers

Abstract

Aim Senior surgeons in Japan who participated in “cadaver‐based educational seminar for trauma surgery (CESTS)” subsequently stated their interest in seminars for more difficult procedures. Therefore, we held a 1‐day advanced‐CESTS with saturated salt solution (SSS)‐embalmed cadavers and assessed its effectiveness for surgical skills training (SST). Methods Data were collected from three seminars carried out from September 2015 to January 2018, including a 10‐point self‐assessment of confidence levels (SACL) questionnaire on nine advanced surgical skills, and evaluation of seminar content before, just after, and half a year after the seminar. Participants assessed the suitability of the two embalming methods (formalin solution [FAS] and SSS) for SST, just after the seminar. Statistical analysis resulted in P < 0.0167 comparing SACL results from seminar evaluations at the three time points and P < 0.05 comparing FAS to SSS. Results Forty‐three participants carried out surgical procedures of the lung, liver, abdominal aorta, and pelvis and extremity. The SACL scores increased in all skills between before and just after the seminar, but were decreased by half a year after. However, SACL scores of each skill did not change significantly, except for external fixation for pelvic fracture at just after and half a year after. The SSS‐embalmed cadavers were evaluated as being more suitable than FAS‐embalmed cadavers for each procedure. Conclusions Advanced‐CESTS using SSS‐embalmed cadavers increased the participants’ self‐confidence just after the seminar, which was maintained after half a year in each skill, except external fixation for pelvic fracture. Therefore, SSS‐embalmed cadavers are useful for SST, particularly for surgical repairs.

Repeated participation in the cadaver-based educational seminar for trauma surgery (C-BEST) could maintain training effects: skill retention at a 2-year follow-up

“…We previously reported that basic and advanced C-BEST were useful for trauma surgery training [6,7]. Nonetheless, the issue was that SACL at half a year after the seminar was decreased compared with SACL immediately after the seminar.…”

“…We previously reported that cadaver-based educational seminar for trauma surgery (C-BEST) and advanced C-BEST were useful for trauma surgery training. Furthermore, we highlighted the issue that the self-assessment of confidence levels (SACL) at half a year after the seminar decreased compared with SACL immediately after the seminar [6,7]. Regarding this issue, we also speculated that repeated participation in seminars would prevent the decline because other simulation seminars reported that repeated participation could maintain the skills.…”

The proposition of a new method to convert formalin cadavers to academic and museology purposes

“…Showed great financial advantage by using only water and salt, keeping the texture and color of the cadavers of humans and animals very close to the living ones. However, there are uncertainties about their durability and there is a need for refrigerators or containers for immersion and cadaver maintenance, creating the necessity for lifting equipment (Burns et al, 2018;Hayashi et al, 2014;Homma et al, 2019;Lombardero et al, 2017).…”

“…In the contexts of health colleges and biological museums, the use of human and animal cadavers occurs as a tool for education as well as to inspire future generations. Despite the modern virtual alternatives in education, the visualization and manipulation of cadavers remain as the gold standard in this matter, considered distinct, and there is still no viable alternative to change, especially in the surgical and clinical training (Burns et al, 2018;Hayashi et al, 2014;Homma et al, 2019;Patel & Moxham, 2008).…”

Workable Cadaveric Preservation for Developing Skills Training Models: A Review

“…(table:1) This solution was used in cadavers used for orthopedic surgical training, anatomy dissection and advanced trauma surgical training workshop model [42,43]. An advanced "cadaver based educational seminar for trauma surgery" found SSS method of fixation to be advantageous with reduced level of formaldehyde exposure [44]. Evaluation of comparative fixation efficacy in cadavers among the three common solutions, SSS, Thiel solution and formalin solution for skills training concluded that SSS exhibited a greater level of maintenance of tissue integrity.…”