It is the ultimate excuse for every video-gamer accused of spending too long hunched over a console: "I'm not addicted. I'm just honing my surgical skills."

A study has found a direct link between skill at video gaming and skill at keyhole, or laparoscopic, surgery. Young surgeons who spent at least three hours a week playing video games in the past made 37% fewer errors, were 27% faster, and scored 42% better overall than surgeons who had never played a video game at all.

The research, conducted at the Beth Israel medical centre in New York, focused on 21 junior doctors with an average of three years' experience, and 12 more senior with almost 13 years.

Each was questioned on their video-game playing habits and then assessed as they took part in a one-and-a-half day course that scores surgeons on time and errors during simulated surgery drills. Gaming skills were also assessed as they played three video games for 25 minutes.

Of those taking part, 42% had never played a video game but 30% had played almost every day at one time.

There was a direct correlation between playing video games and skill at laparoscopic surgery, with those who scored highest on the video games performing the best on the simulated surgical course.

"Current video game players made 31% fewer errors, were 24% faster and scored 26% better overall than their non-player colleagues." Those in the top third of video gaming skill made 47% fewer errors, performed 39% faster and scored 41% better overall than those in the bottom third.

This has led the authors to suggest that video games may be a practical teaching tool to help train surgeons. But the Royal College of Surgeons said research, conducted by Professor Ara Darzi, from the surgical unit at St Mary's Hospital, London, showed no correlation between video games and performance in surgery.