JOURNAL WATCH: SURG ENDOSC

A Lifelike Patient Simulator for Teaching Robotic Colorectal Surgery: How to Acquire Skills for Robotic Rectal Dissection. Marecik SJ et al. 2008;22:1876-1881 • The authors report on the creation and use of a cost-effective, portable, and reusable model for training in robotic rectal dissection. Various components were included or added to the device depending on the procedure being simulted, but the basis of the tool is a plastic model of the human pelvic skeleton mounted onto a sturdy laminate-covered base using an adjustable bracket to alter the pelvic angle. The authors concluded that the trainer provided an accurate simulation of true robotic rectal dissection.