ADVANCED NONANIMAL MICROSURGICAL EXERCISES

For the novice microsurgeon, suturing simple lines on a static model i ll prepares them for the technically difficult live model that is to f ollow. A practice card was therefore designed to make the transition e asier. The basic building block is rubber glove sutured to form a simp le tube, From this point, progressive exercises are carried out. These are (1) simple suturing, (2) tube anastomosis, (3) end-to-end anastom osis, (4) end-to-side anastomosis, (5) side-to-side anastomosis, (6) i nequality of diameters, and (7) free graft placement. Since the studen t is faced with problems that are challenging and progressively comple x, a noticeable improvement is seen in their skills. These models intr oduce the student to planning and instrumentation that they would deal with in the clinical situation, Once the student has mastered these e xercises, he/she is ready to advance to the rat model. (C) 1995 Wiley- Liss, Inc.