Prior video game utilization is associated with improved performance on a robotic skills simulator

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
• Surgical Simulation Technology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS), including laparoscopic and robotic surgery, is increasingly utilized.
• Previous research linked video game experience (VGE) to improved laparoscopic skills.
• Data on VGE's impact on robotic surgery skills simulator (RSS) performance were limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the volume and timing of video game experience (VGE) and robotic surgery skills simulator (RSS) performance.
• To determine if VGE influences key performance metrics on the daVinci Si Skills Simulator.

Main Methods:

• Pre-clinical medical students completed questionnaires on VGE across different time periods.
• Seventy-five subjects performed 11 training exercises on the daVinci Si Skills Simulator.
• Performance metrics included overall score, completion time, economy of motion, instrument collisions, and skill improvement.

Main Results:

• Univariate analyses revealed significant differences in all five performance metrics between heavy and non-video game users.
• The positive association between VGE and RSS performance was stronger for more recent periods of use.
• Trends diminished when analyzing VGE from further back in time (e.g., high school).

Conclusions:

• Recent video game experience is positively associated with robotic surgery simulator proficiency.
• The findings suggest VGE may be a valuable factor in robotic surgery training programs.
• Implications for optimizing robotic surgery training curricula based on VGE are discussed.