STELA (Smart TV and smartphone-basEd Laparoscopy TrAiner): a no-cost home-based trainer for beginners.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Proficiency in laparoscopy is gradually achieved. After initial simulation, it is safe to move to real patients. Simulation improves the basic attributes of laparoscopy, and its non-availability hampers training. Virtual reality and commercial simulators are exorbitantly expensive. Cheaper non-commercial latest, mobile phone-based simulators appear ergonomically unsuitable. A need for a no-cost, home-based laparoscopic endotrainer was felt by authors. METHODS: The authors proposed the concept of smart TV and smart phone-based laparoscopy trainer (STELA), an almost zero cost, lightweight indigenous, cable-less box-type endotrainer, with a smart phone housed on the model, projecting to smart TV via Wi-fi direct. The simulation timings on STELA were compared with Universal Beetel endotrainer by a group of surgeons and residents using identical tasks like object transfer (OT) and knot making (KM). RESULTS: Data were analysed using SPSS, version 23.There was no significant difference in the mean timings of the residents (p > 0.05) on two endotrainers, for both tasks, and of surgeons for OT. Surgeons took significantly longer time (p < 0.05) in KM on STELA. Highest correlation (r = +.848) (<.05) was seen for KM on both devices by residents. CONCLUSION: STELA is a viable, technologically advanced, no cost alternative to the non-commercial cumbersome simulators especially for beginners.