Trauma Operative Skills in the Era of Nonoperative Management: The Trauma Exposure Course (TEC)

Abstract

A structured skills curriculum using fresh cadavers improved participants' self-confidence in operative skills required for surgical exposure of human anatomic structures for trauma. This model of training may be beneficial for surgical residents and fellows, as well as practicing trauma surgeons.

A fresh cadaver laboratory to conceptualize troublesome anatomic relationships in vascular surgery

“…This was reported using a Likert scale from 1 to 5, anchored at 1, not confident at all or never performed unsupervised; 3, average confidence or perform unsupervised half of the time; and 5, very confident at all times or always perform unsupervised. 12 Dissection technique. Because the cadaver exposure course was designed to be a learning opportunity for the residents to learn about and understand the complex vascular anatomic relationships, the residents were not evaluated on their operative skills or technique.…”

Perfused fresh cadavers: method for application to surgical simulation

“…This technique is still used, and its benefits to surgical training have been reported in vascular surgery, plastic surgery, and gynecology. [12][13][14][15][16][17] Despite the obvious benefits of fresh tissue dissection, all past applications have lacked physiologic parameters of blood flow and pressure.…”

Current US Military Operations and Implications for Military Surgical Training

“…The courses include American College of Surgeons-affiliated courses such as Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM), a widely-used porcine-injury trauma model, and Advanced Surgical Skills in the Exposure of Trauma (ASSET), a cadaveric exposure course currently in the final stages of development. Both the Advanced Trauma Operative Management and cadaveric exposure courses such as Advanced Surgical Skills in the Exposure of Trauma and the Trauma Exposure Course (TEC), described by Gunst and colleagues 14 in 2009, have been incorporated into general surgical training programs and shown to be advantageous in surgical education using both self-efficacy assessment instruments and objective measures such as written tests. [14][15][16][17] Although many general surgical training programs currently use porcine or cadaveric injury models, no standardized curriculum or organized military resident training program exists.…”