What came first: the egg or the microsurgery training? An ophthalmic model for developing basic skills in microsurgery

O que veio primeiro: o ovo ou o treinamento microcirúrgico? Um modelo oftalmológico para desenvolver habilidades básicas em microcirurgia

ABSTRACT

Purpose:

To describe a new accessible model of ophthalmological training using chicken eggs.

Methods:

With the aid of a spherical drill, the external calcified layer and the cuticle of the chicken eggshell were removed in a 2cm diameter circle. Using a video-magnification system, the film was dissected and cut to approximately 1.5 cm diameters. The film was removed and repositioned to make interrupted 12-0 nylon microsutures. The parameters analyzed were: cost, facility of acquisition and handling, time for making the model and the microsutures and number of possible uses.

Results:

In all simulators, it was possible to carry out separated and equidistant micro-sutures in the egg membrane, without the need for reintervention.

Conclusion:

The new chicken-egg model for ophthalmic surgery training is low-cost, easy to acquire and handle, and viable for the development of basic microsurgery skills.

Keywords:
Microsurgery; Simulation training; Education, medical; Egg shell; Ophthalmology