Identification and reduction of surgical error using simulation.

In recent years, the question of medical errors has received increasing attention. To minimize or avoid errors, it is important to understand both the error itself and the factors leading up to it, as well as the type of error that has been committed. Simulators, which have gained increasing importance in surgical training, can also be useful to "teach" errors, learn from them and develop strategies to avoid them - all of this in a safe environment free from any risk for patients. In this contribution, the nature of errors and their role in simulator training are discussed in detail.