Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40957970›Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2025

Advancing laparoscopic surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): pilot implementation of the Global Laparoscopic Advancement Program (GLAP) with Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) certification in Ethiopia.

Fatmata Bah, Jesse Asiedu, Tulio Pacheco, Linda Zhang, Maria Marcela Bailez, Ana Carasquilla, Rohan Joseph

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Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Fatmata BahIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
Jesse AsieduDownstate Health Sciences University, New York, USA.
Tulio PachecoNYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA.
Linda ZhangIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA. linda.zhang@mountsinai.org.
Maria Marcela BailezGarrahan Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ana CarasquillaUniversidad de Ciencias Médicas, San José, Costa Rica.
Rohan JosephHCA Florida Capital Hospital & Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLaparoscopic surgery adoption in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) faces significant challenges due to limitations of resources and trained professionals. The Global Laparoscopic Advancement Program (GLAP) of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), through the Global Affairs Committee (GAC), aims to overcome these barriers through sustainable collaborative training in LMICs. Building on GLAP's success in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Namibia, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of GLAP training combined with FLS certification for surgeons in Ethiopia.

methodsIn December 2023, the GAC collaborated with the Surgical Society of Ethiopia and the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa to conduct two GLAP sessions. These sessions focused on simulation-based education, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), and other SAGES fundamental courses. Participants completed surveys assessing their surgical backgrounds, simulation experience, and curriculum development interest. Participants took the FLS exam at completion of the program.

resultsThe GLAP Ethiopia course trained 47 general, pediatric, urologic, and gynecologic surgeons with diverse training backgrounds in laparoscopic surgery-of those trained, 20.8% received formal training in residency and 8.3% in fellowship, whereas 23.4% had no experience. While most (70.2%) learned laparoscopy through observation, 60.4% rarely or had never practiced on simulators, and 36.1% lacked laparoscopic mentors. At the end of the training, 23 participants took the FLS exam; 65% passed both the cognitive and skills portions.

conclusionLaparoscopy adoption in Ethiopia remains limited by insufficient structured formal training programs, a shortage of expert trainers, and inadequate equipment. The implementation of GLAP has proven feasible and provides valuable additional training opportunities for the region. Furthermore, the GLAP curriculum and training platform may improve participant performance and success in FLS certification.

Indexed as

CertificationDeveloping CountriesLaparoscopySurgeonsAdultClinical CompetenceCurriculumEthiopiaFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMalePilot ProjectsSimulation TrainingFundamentals of Laparoscopic SurgeryGlobal surgeryLaparoscopic surgeryLow- and middle-income countriesSimulation-based learningSurgical educationTeaching laparoscopic skills

Identifiers

PMID40957970

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.