Passive haptics in a knee arthroscopy simulator: is it valid for core skills training?

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Training Technologies
• Orthopaedic Surgery

Background:

• Haptic feedback is desirable for virtual reality arthroscopic training systems.
• Knee positioning is a critical skill in arthroscopic knee surgery.
• Commercial active haptic devices may compromise cost-effectiveness and existing interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Sheffield Knee Arthroscopy Training System (SKATS) with passive haptic feedback.
• To assess the system's effectiveness for arthroscopic knee navigation and triangulation training.
• To evaluate the impact of SKATS training on surgical skill acquisition.

Main Methods:

• Formal task analysis to identify core skills.
• Validation of SKATS using passive haptic feedback.
• Comparative performance analysis between experienced surgeons and novices using SKATS.
• Assessment of novice improvement after training sessions.

Main Results:

• SKATS demonstrated construct, predictive, and face validity for navigation and triangulation.
• Experienced surgeons outperformed novices in speed, pathology detection, and arthroscope path length.
• Novices showed significant improvements in task completion time, path lengths, and arthroscope contacts after training.
• Rapid skill acquisition observed, with main improvements after the first two practice sessions.

Conclusions:

• SKATS with passive haptic feedback is a valid tool for basic arthroscopic knee training.
• The system effectively enhances surgical skills in arthroscopic knee navigation and triangulation.
• SKATS provides a cost-effective and efficient training solution for orthopaedic surgery residents.