Cleft Palate Surgical Simulator: Improvement in Surgical Trainees' Knowledge and Confidence.

Educational Impact and Development of a Novel Cleft Palate Surgical Simulator: Improvement in Surgical Trainees' Knowledge and Confidence.

Trainees' experience in cleft surgery is limited due to the high-risk nature of the surgery and centralization of cleft care. Simulations allow trainees to learn complex surgical skills whilst ensuring patient safety. Existing cleft surgical simulators are over-simplified or prohibitively expensive. We developed and tested a high-fidelity yet cost-effective simulator for cleft palate repair. Skeletal elements were obtained through high-resolution scanning of a pathologic specimen, 3D printed and then molded in plastic. Soft tissue components were formed through molding layers of silicone. 26 UK specialty trainees performed a vomerine mucosal flap and intra-velar veloplasty in a one-hour workshop. Pre- and post-simulation questionnaires assessing cleft knowledge and surgical confidence were compared for statistical significance.

Background: Trainees' experience in cleft surgery is limited due to the high-risk nature of the surgery and centralization of cleft care. Simulations allow trainees to learn complex surgical skills whilst ensuring patient safety. Existing cleft surgical simulators are over-simplified or prohibitively expensive. We developed and tested a high-fidelity yet cost-effective simulator for cleft palate repair. Methods: Skeletal elements were obtained through high-resolution scanning of a pathologic specimen, 3D printed and then molded in plastic. Soft tissue components were formed through molding layers of silicone. 26 UK specialty trainees performed a vomerine mucosal flap and intra-velar veloplasty in a one-hour workshop. Pre- and post-simulation questionnaires assessing cleft knowledge and surgical confidence were compared for statistical significance.

26 UK specialty trainees performed a vomerine mucosal flap and intra-velar veloplasty in a one-hour workshop. Pre- and post-simulation questionnaires assessing cleft knowledge and surgical confidence were compared for statistical significance.

The knowledge questionnaire was a 10-part questionnaire, developed through consensus between a panel of expert cleft surgeons. Answers were marked by a single assessor according to the agreed marking criteria and participants received a score of 0-10

The confidence questionnaire was a 10-part questionnaire, each scored on a Likert scale of 1-5 that has previously been published and validated for use in cleft palate surgery(Appendix 3).(18) The total score ranged from 10-50, converted by division of 10 to an overall confidence score of 1-5 with 1 being not at all confident to 5 being very confident/at the level of an attending/consultant surgeon