Validation of virtual reality simulation for percutaneous renal access training.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Skills Training

Background:

• Percutaneous renal access is a critical skill in urology.
• Acquiring proficiency requires extensive training and practice.
• Virtual reality (VR) simulators offer a potential solution for standardized skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity of a VR simulator for percutaneous renal access (PRA) training.
• Assessed face, content, construct, convergent, and predictive validities.
• Determined the simulator's efficacy in improving novice performance.

Main Methods:

• 24 participants (15 novices, 9 experts) performed PRA tasks on the PERC Mentor VR simulator.
• Construct validity was assessed via objective performance metrics.
• Face and content validity were evaluated through expert questionnaires.
• Convergent validity was established by comparing pre- and post-training novice performance.
• Predictive validity was assessed by comparing porcine model outcomes before and after VR training.

Main Results:

• Experts showed significantly better performance than novices in time and attempts.
• Novices demonstrated significant improvements post-VR training in time, fluoroscopy, perforations, and attempts (p < 0.001).
• VR training led to a reduction in complications in a porcine model (1 vs. 3 complications).

Conclusions:

• The VR simulator is a valid tool for percutaneous renal access skill acquisition.
• It effectively improves novice performance and reduces procedural complications.
• VR simulation provides a safe and effective training environment for urological procedures.