Different training methods used to improve laparoscopic skills in veterinary surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is gaining popularity among the veterinary surgical community. Training in mini-mally-invasive surgery is nowadays recognized as a valid instrument for teaching surgeons about different laparoscopic procedures. Laparoscopic surgery re-quires a unique subset of surgical skills that, for the inexperienced, can significantly prolong the duration of surgery. However, its role as an evaluation test and self-assessment tool to verify basic laparoscopic surgical skills is still under discussion. A multimodality-in-tensive laparoscopic training course should become a standard requirement for veterinary surgeons, allowing them to acquire basic and advanced laparoscopic skills on a routine basis. In this study, we demonstrate the role of simulation and training as powerful tools to improve surgical technical skills. By gradually increasing the difficulty of the exercises, the trainees can improve their instrument handling and adapt to the conditions imposed by minimally-invasive surgery.