“Simulation in Cardiac Valve Surgery and Cardiac Surgery Crisis Management”

2009 Simulation in Thoracic Surgery Education Award Winner ~ $18,000
James I. Fann, M.D.
Stanford University Medical Center

Like other surgical specialties, procedures in cardiac surgery can be partitioned into components and thus simulated suing partial-task trainers.  The TSFRE Simulation Grant has provided us with an opportunity to develop and evaluate a valve surgery simulation program and to refine our approach to crew resource and crisis management.  In particular, understanding assessment of the mitral valve complex and knowledge of reparative techniques are critical before entering the operating room.  Using models and tissues, the resident has the opportunity to put into practice their reading of the literature on the requisites of valve surgery.  The simulation effort thus emphasized teaching and assessing the cognitive and technical components of cardiothoracic surgery.  Crisis management training and team training have become increasingly important in the care of critically ill patients.  The addition of adverse conditions into the scenarios strengthens the value of the training exercise and provides a method to rehearse responses to emergency situations.  With the support of TSFRE, the proposed intensive interactive program will augment the resident and staff’s ability to effectively manage perioperative cardiac surgery events and to better communicate during such events by simulating specific and global crises in the OR and ICU.