A framework for laparoscopic simulations.

Due to their numerous advantages, laparoscopic surgical procedures are increasingly becoming common in the operation theatres over the past few decades. Virtual reality training simulators have played a significant role during this transition from traditional to laparoscopic procedures by enhancing surgical skills, such as hand-eye coordination in laparoscopy, and practising surgical scenarios that cannot be easily created using physical models. This paper presents a general framework for such a training simulator while identifying its key components and their specific roles in enhancing various laparoscopic skills. The paper also describes a laparoscopic simulator, developed in our lab, based on the proposed framework. The results are promising and open new doors for research and development.