Hey followers! The research part of my SRP has started to become more concrete, as we’ve obtained all the materials we need to start running trials. We were able to buy pig uteri from a local supermarket. I was really surprised (and a little grossed out) that they were selling pig tongues and even pig hearts in the meat section. Thankfully, I didn’t have any need for those.

My research is dealing with laparoscopic anastomosis, which is the joining of two tubes by stitching their openings together. This will be done in laparoscopic simulators with the pig uteri, which will be pinned down so the material does not move around as much when being handled. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been learning how to use sutures when I’m not in the OR, and now I’ve started practicing anastomoses on the pig uteri outside the simulators. But it’s extremely important that anything the pig meat touches is sanitized, because raw meat has a significant chance of carrying salmonella. I’m not supposed to let the cleaning wipes touch my skin, because their chemicals are harmful to it.

As one may imagine, laparoscopic tasks are much more difficult than regular tasks, and here are some of the reasons:

1.      The tools are extended, so the user must be very steady with his or her movements

2.      The tools must be placed through small openings that restrict their movement, so they cannot approach the material from the opposite side of the user

3.      The 3-dimensional material is being displayed on a 2-dimensional screen, so it is more difficult to determine depth

4.      The user cannot use his or her hands to tie knots or correct the suturing needle

These restrictions can make for a very long, very tiresome laparoscopic anastomosis. But that’s what practice is for.