Surgical experience correlates with performance on a virtual reality simulator for shoulder arthroscopy

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Education Technology

Background:

• Traditional surgical education faces challenges from cost and patient safety concerns.
• Virtual reality (VR) simulators offer a protected environment for surgical training.
• The validity of VR simulation for surgical training remains a subject of debate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if performance on a virtual reality arthroscopy simulator correlates with actual surgical experience.
• To evaluate the potential of VR simulators as a tool for assessing surgical trainees.

Main Methods:

• A controlled laboratory study was conducted with 43 participants of varying shoulder arthroscopy experience.
• Participants were tested on a standardized arthroscopy simulator protocol.
• Performance metrics included completion time, path accuracy, probe velocity, and tissue collisions.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation was found between simulator performance and prior shoulder arthroscopy experience.
• Experienced surgeons completed the simulation faster and with fewer errors than novices.
• Video game experience did not significantly impact simulator performance.

Conclusions:

• VR simulator performance closely mirrors real-world surgical experience, validating its use in training.
• VR simulation is a promising tool for evaluating the skills of surgical trainees.
• Orthopaedic surgical training programs should consider adopting VR technology.