The effect of cadaveric hands-on training model on surgical skills and confidence for transobturator tape surgery

Abstract

Objective: To demonstrate the role of cadaveric hands-on training model on surgical skills and confidence levels of surgeons duringtransobturator tape (TOT) surgery.Material and Methods: A pre-test and post-test evaluation to measure skills during the practice of the steps of TOT surgery was performed ona total of 15 postgraduate urologists and gynecologists during a urogynecologic cadaveric dissection course. The course was shaped with regardto theoretical lessons, full pelvic cadaveric dissection and TOT surgery on cadavers.Results: Good handling of the TOT needle, identifying the right place for groin incision, adequate size of groin incision, identifying the rightplace for incision at the anterior vagina, dissection of bladder pillars from the vagina, identifying the right place at the vaginal foramina for TOTneedle exit, and good placement of mesh were reviewed. The post-test scores were statistically significant for all parameters and also for selfconfidence level (p