Jipmer has commissioned a surgery simulator at the Department of Ophthalmology that is expected to help trainees hone their skills.
According to a press note, the Kelman Ophthalmic Surgical Simulator Lab was inaugurated recently in the presence of Rakesh Aggarwal, director, Ashok Shankar Badhe, medical superintendent, Subashini Kaliaperumal, head of the department, and former heads of the department Vasudev Anand Rao and Renuka Srinivasan.
The installation of the ophthalmic surgical simulator (EyeSi manufactured by VRMagic, Germany), which simulates the environments of cataract and vitreoretinal surgeries, will be a boon to postgraduate residents of the institute.
The gadget will help perform defined and standardised surgical tasks in a virtual environment. It has a provision for the educators to create courses with varying levels of difficulty for trainees at different skill levels.
According to a statement from Jipmer, the trainees can practice the surgical steps repeatedly until they achieve a high level of proficiency in the skills involved.
This ability to practise the basics of handling intraocular instruments and a surgical microscope in the operation theatre setting in the absence of patients ensures that trainees are already skilled before they operate on a real patient, the statement also said.
The department plans to include this training in its competency-based surgical training curriculum for ophthalmology residents. This will enhance patient safety. Dr. Kaliaperumal said workshops to reach out to ophthalmology residents of other institutions were being planned as well.
Lab commissioned
A Ridley Wet Lab, used to train residents in performing corneal and scleral suturing techniques on goat and cadaver eyes, was also commissioned.
This facility will add to the ability of the department to train surgeons to perform cataract surgery more safely without putting patients at risk.
In addition, the department has also acquired a new Snellen Ophthalmology Seminar Hall which is equipped with technologically advanced equipment for teaching MBBS and postgraduate students, and for holding clinical case discussions and seminars, Jipmer said.
