Airway management in a bronchoscopic simulator based setting: an observational study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Simulation Technology

Background:

• Flexible optical intubation training utilizes various simulation methods, from basic phantoms to advanced virtual reality.
• These tools can assess trainee competence before patient practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate airway simulation for assessing preclinical flexible optical intubation skills.
• To gauge anaesthetists' perspectives on airway simulation's utility.

Main Methods:

• An observational study conducted during an international airway course.
• Thirty-six anaesthesiology consultants and residents participated.
• Performances on three simulators were video-recorded, assessed by blinded experts, and participant opinions were surveyed.

Main Results:

• A significant learning effect was observed, with mean scores increasing after each attempt (P=0.021).
• Anaesthetists reported a highly positive attitude towards simulation-based training (mean score >4/5).
• Only 25% of procedures met satisfaction criteria, indicating a learning-by-testing effect (P=0.021); no correlation was found between prior clinical experience and test scores.

Conclusions:

• Simulator training enhances initial skill acquisition, allowing trainees to start at a higher proficiency level.
• Anaesthetists found simulation-based training beneficial across different fidelity levels.
• Practical considerations like cost and portability should guide simulator selection in teaching hospitals.