Getting it right first time
Stakes are rarely higher than this. Babies born with a congenital anomaly like oesophageal atresia (OA) need surgery in their first days to survive, so they can swallow safely and go on to thrive. But this abnormality is exceedingly rare, its surgery is highly-complex, and just to make matters worse, complications can cause long-term morbidity and life-long problems. The surgery must be spot-on right from the get-go.
The Challenge
But while the stakes are high, the opportunities to train are few and far between. Until now, the surgeon’s first attempts at this surgery have been with actual patients. This leaves paediatric surgeons in a serious bind—how to develop the highly-advanced open or thoracoscopic surgical skills and confidence that such a rare and complex repair demands, without significant stress and unnecessary risk to vulnerable newborns?
Until now, training has involved spending precious time and money for expensive flights overseas to practice on animal models at a wet lab, or extended close supervision from an experienced colleague. While not just costly, using animal models raises significant ethical concerns, not to mention that surgeons might not get a chance to actually put the skills to practice until years later. Learning under an experienced colleague is good where possible, but not every hospital or practice will have the experienced people there or the number of cases required for teaching. This surgery is challenging enough, let alone training being so unaffordable, inconvenient, and stressful.
Our Team
Ending this challenge for surgeons is where the Symulus story begins. A group of leading paediatric surgeons including Dr. Jonathan Wells and Prof. Spencer Beasley saw the need for a simulator, and worked closely with Rory Jones, a plastics engineer, and Nick Cook, a medical physicist, towards a multi-disciplinary solution. Our founders have significant experience in OA/TOF repair, with one literally writing the book on the subject. This blend of experience, diverse expertise, and regard for quality has led to a simulator that is realistic, clinically-validated, and built for surgeons by surgeons.
High Fidelity
The Symulus surgical simulator is high-fidelity—as realistic as they come. It accurately resembles the anatomy, conditions, and procedural difficulty the surgeons encounter in the operating theatre—and we’ve got the peer-reviewed research to back it up. It facilitates training in both open and thoracoscopic techniques, and in our research, surgeons validated that our simulator was both valuable and relevant.
Going Above and Beyond
Take, for example, the double soft-tissue inner mucosal layer in the model. Through testing, getting the optimal strength and elasticity to replicate what is actually encountered during an operation was critical. Mastering the oesophageal anastomosis with these distinct layers reduces the chance of later leaks or structures. It would be easier to leave this out, but it is this attention to detail that sets our simulator apart.
Our Development Process
Our simulator has been co-designed with surgeons like you and scientifically-validated with peer-reviewed published research. We started by asking surgeons what key features should be in a simulator like this, and our research showed it needed to be accessible, affordable, ethical, reusable, portable, and scientifically validated. The Symulus EA/TEF model has been clinically validated through research. The design was refined through increasingly sophisticated iterations with input from trainers and trainees from around the world.
Affordable and Portable
This means our simulator is low-cost, low-hassle, and low-stress. Making sure the model was affordable and portable were key factors during the design process, ensuring more surgeons could be able to access to it and develop their skills no matter where they are in the world. Replaceable inserts means there are savings over time too. The simulator’s portability means surgeons can develop complex techniques anywhere, at anytime, at their pace, creating a safe and convenient learning environment.
Join a Training Community
Not only can trainee surgeons learn the skills using the Symulus simulator, but they can also upload videos using the Symulus Vision App so peers and supervisors can provide feedback. Supervisors can monitor their trainee’s technical skill and progress. Skills that might have taken years to develop can be learnt over multiple sessions with a mentor. No need to fly across the world, confront ethical challenges, or require an expert in the hospital to gain expertise.
Invest in Confidence
With our experienced team and our robust development process, you can trust that this is the best surgical simulator available for gaining the skills surgeons need, wherever and whenever they want. Invest in confidence and be up to the challenge with the Symulus surgical simulator for OA/TOF. Get in touch with us here to find out more.
