Acquisition of Basic Microsurgical Skills Using Low-Cost, Readily Available Models: The Orange Model.

Background: Attainment of basic microsurgical skills in neurosurgery presents a departmental challenge worldwide. Models for teaching are either not readily available or expensive and are incompatible with a resident's busy schedule, requiring lengthy and proper setup. We present a model and a set of measurable tasks, based on a fruit (orange) that is cheap, easy to set up instantly when desired, and useful for training of basic microsurgical skills.