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Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Training in Orthopaedic Surgery
Florence Aïm1, Guillaume Lonjon2, Didier Hannouche1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hopital Lariboisière, AP-HP, Paris, France.
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) training improves technical skills in orthopaedic surgery. Further research is needed to confirm if these VR-trained skills transfer to the operating room (OR).
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Medical Education
- Surgical Simulation
Background:
- Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising tool for surgical training.
- The effectiveness of VR training in orthopaedic surgery requires systematic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) training in orthopaedic surgery.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive systematic review of studies published up to November 2014 from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.
- Included 10 trials (Level I-IV) involving 303 participants, focusing on arthroscopic surgery training.
- Extracted 32 outcomes, primarily skills assessment, with five studies establishing construct validity.
Main Results:
- Nine studies assessed skills on a simulator; one study assessed skills in the operating room.
- Three studies reported a statistically significant improvement in technical skills after VR simulator training.
- No studies reported patient-related outcomes; one study focused on anatomic learning, another on technical task performance.
Conclusions:
- Virtual reality (VR) training demonstrates effectiveness in improving technical skills for orthopaedic surgery.
- Additional trials are necessary to determine the transferability of VR training to the actual operating room environment.
