Validation of virtual-reality-based simulations for endoscopic sinus surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) simulators offer a patient alternative for surgical skills practice.
• Validation is crucial to ensure the accuracy of VR simulators for medical training.
• This study focuses on validating a VR sinus surgery simulator with haptic feedback for Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate a virtual reality sinus surgery simulator for training in Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS).
• To assess the face, content, and construct validity of the VR simulator across different experience levels.

Main Methods:

• Participants included medical students, interns, resident medical officers (RMOs), OHNS registrars, and consultants.
• Four simulation tasks were performed, followed by an online questionnaire.
• Statistical analysis used ANOVA with post hoc correlation to compare validity across groups.

Main Results:

• Face validity showed significant differences between consultants and other groups.
• Content validity indicated a need for further development for registrar-level training.
• Students, interns, and RMOs found the simulator useful for learning anatomy and basic ENT procedures.

Conclusions:

• VR sinus surgery simulators are validated for teaching anatomy and nasendoscopy to medical students, interns, and RMOs.
• Further development is needed for VR simulators to be considered valid for advanced surgical training in OHNS.