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Working volume: validity evidence for a motion-based metric of surgical efficiency
Anne-Lise D D'Angelo1, Drew N Rutherford2, Rebecca D Ray1
1Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 600 Highland Ave, K6/135 CSC, Madison, WI, 53792, USA.
Background:
The aim of this study was to evaluate working volume as a potential assessment metric for open surgical tasks.
Methods:
Surgical attendings (n = 6), residents (n = 4), and medical students (n = 5) performed a suturing task on simulated connective tissue (foam), artery (rubber balloon), and friable tissue (tissue paper). Using a motion tracking system, effective working volume was calculated for each hand. Repeated measures analysis of variance assessed differences in working volume by experience level, dominant and/or nondominant hand, and tissue type.
Results:
Analysis revealed a linear relationship between experience and working volume. Attendings had the smallest working volume, and students had the largest (P = .01). The 3-way interaction of experience level, hand, and material type showed attendings and residents maintained a similar working volume for dominant and nondominant hands for all tasks. In contrast, medical students' nondominant hand covered larger working volumes for the balloon and tissue paper materials (P < .05).
Conclusions:
This study provides validity evidence for the use of working volume as a metric for open surgical skills. Working volume may provide a means for assessing surgical efficiency and the operative learning curve.
