Three-Dimensional Versus Two-Dimensional Imaging in Adult Versus Pediatric Laparoscopy: A Simulator Box Study

Area of Science:

• Surgical Simulation and Training
• Medical Imaging Technologies
• Human Factors in Surgery

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) imaging enhances depth perception and surgical performance in adult laparoscopy and training box studies.
• Limited data exist on 3D vision's efficacy in the confined workspaces typical of pediatric surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of monoscopic versus stereoscopic (3D) visualization on surgical performance in large and small workspaces.
• To evaluate these effects across varying levels of surgical expertise.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-four participants (experts, residents, novices) performed standardized tasks in 2D and 3D within large and small training boxes.
• Performance time, error counts, and subjective depth perception were measured.

Main Results:

• Surgical novices demonstrated improved performance time and reduced errors with 3D imaging in both workspace sizes.
• Residents and experts also showed benefits with 3D vision, particularly in specific tasks and smaller spaces.
• Subjective depth perception was significantly better with 3D vision, especially in the small box.

Conclusions:

• 3D vision offers advantages in surgical simulation, particularly for less experienced surgeons, across different workspace sizes.
• Performance benefits were more pronounced in novices and residents compared to experts.
• Workspace size did not significantly alter the overall performance time or error rates between the two visualization methods.