Amsterdam UMC – Advanced Laparoscopy Course

The Advanced Laparoscopy Course is offered to surgery, gynecology and urology residents who already master basic laparoscopic technical skills. The learning objectives of the Advanced Laparoscopy Course consist of laparoscopic needle positioning, suturing and knot tying, improving bimanual dexterity and performing laparoscopic intestinal anastomosis using sutures, barbed sutures, and surgical staplers.

The Advanced Laparoscopy Course consists of 3 parts:

1. Introduction day in the Amsterdam Skills Centre with hands-on training in the dry lab on the Lapron box trainers (The Lapron Box Trainer by ASC & ForceSense). Trainees receive personal training and feedback from two surgeons.

2. Next, the trainees train 4 weeks at home using the laparoscopic box trainers. The Lapron box trainer is equipped with the built-in ForceSense measuring system that provides objective Force, Motion and Time feedback which mimic tissue handling skills. The trainees perform 3 laparoscopic tasks (suture and knot tying, intestinal anastomosis, and the needle track) and every attempt is recorded and uploaded to an online database. This enables tailored feedback from the surgeons and the measuring system.

3. Finally, the trainees receive another hands-on training in the Amsterdam Skills Centre where the skills of the box training are applied and examined. The trainees perform an intestinal anastomosis on gastrointestinal animal models and receive hands-on training using surgical staplers.