Fundamental arthroscopic skill differentiation with virtual reality simulation.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Medical Simulation
• Orthopaedic Surgery

Background:

• Arthroscopy training is essential for orthopaedic surgery residents.
• Developing safe and effective training methods is crucial for patient safety and resident education.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the validity of virtual reality (VR) modules for assessing arthroscopic skills.
• Determine if VR modules can differentiate between experience levels (experts, intermediate, novices).
• Evaluate the relationship between surgical experience and ambidexterity in arthroscopy.

Main Methods:

• Three VR modules were developed to test fundamental arthroscopic skills: centering, image stability, triangulation, and coordinated movements.
• Thirty participants (10 experts, 10 intermediate, 10 novices) completed the VR exercises.
• Performance metrics included speed, accuracy, and efficiency to measure construct validity.

Main Results:

• Two VR modules (Steady and Probe, Track and Moving Target) demonstrated construct validity, showing better performance in experts and intermediate participants than novices.
• The Steady and Telescope module did not show validity.
• A trend indicated improved ambidexterity with increased surgical experience, with experts consistently outperforming novices.

Conclusions:

• VR modules offer a novel method for assessing basic arthroscopic skills through task deconstruction.
• Participants with more arthroscopic experience performed better and more consistently across modules.
• Further refinement of VR modules may enhance their ability to simulate skills and differentiate experience levels.