Effectiveness of Surgical Skills Training for Surgical Wound Debridement using Animal Tissue as Simulator

Abstract

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical skills training for wound debridement using animal tissue as simulator.
Methods: House officers (HOs), Senior House officers (SHOs) and Medical Officers (MOs) were taught basic surgical skills during a 3-day intensive course at the Tamale Teaching Hospital Basic Surgical Skills Training centre. Wound debridement forms part of the
training. Results of treatment of dirty wounds by participants were compared with those of a control group.
Results: Eighty-three (83) patients with dirty wounds were randomised for treatment by the study group and the control group. General characteristics of patients in both groups were comparable: the median age was 25.5±13.1SD; sex and age was similar between groups. Wound infection was found in 3(7.9%) patients treated by simulation-trained participants and 18 (40%) patients in the control group p<0.0001. Simulationtrained doctors prescribed antibiotic for less than five days in 33 (86.8%), as compared to 2 (4.4%) in the control group (p<0.001). Mean hospital stay in the study group and control group was 1.55 ± 2.35 and 2.29 ± 1.16 days respectively (p=0.07). 
Conclusion: Surgical skills training for wound debridement, using animal tissue as simulator is effective. It is suggested that all HOs, SHOs and MOs should undergo similar training before undertaking any surgical rotation or before they start surgical residency.
Simulation of surgical procedures using animal tissues, if incorporated at each level of the curriculum, would make significant impact.