Virtual reality in orthopaedics: is it a reality?

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education Technology
• Medical Simulation
• Orthopaedic Surgery

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) simulation has been a long-standing requirement for pilot training.
• VR is increasingly adopted in surgical training but adoption in orthopaedics has been slow.
• Orthopaedic training programs have lagged in integrating VR simulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess VR's effectiveness in other surgical specialties.
• To identify available VR solutions for orthopaedic surgery.
• To determine if VR simulation should be integrated into orthopaedic curricula.

Main Methods:

• An informal literature review was conducted on VR surgical simulators in orthopaedics and general surgery.
• A comparative analysis of VR simulator availability across specialties was performed.
• An in-depth review of a VR simulator for knee arthroscopy was presented.

Main Results:

• Limited research exists specifically on VR in orthopaedics.
• VR is effectively used in other surgical fields, notably general surgery.
• VR simulators for shoulder and knee arthroscopy are available but not widely integrated into training.

Conclusions:

• VR technology is mature and available for surgical training.
• Integrating VR into orthopaedic curricula can reduce operating room time and errors.
• The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery should lead VR integration efforts.