Validity assessment of a simulation module for robot-assisted thoracic lobectomy.

Area of Science:

• Robotic Surgery
• Surgical Simulation
• Virtual Reality

Background:

• Robot-assisted thoracic lobectomy training presents challenges.
• Virtual reality simulators offer a potential solution for surgical education.
• A new thoracic lobectomy module for the RobotiX Mentor simulator was developed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the construct and face validity of a new robotic surgery simulator module for thoracic lobectomy.
• To determine the acceptability and feasibility of this module for surgical training.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, observational study involving novice, intermediate, and expert surgeons.
• Participants completed familiarization tasks and the Guided Robotic Lobectomy module.
• Evaluation included performance metrics and a questionnaire assessing realism, acceptability, and feasibility.

Main Results:

• The module demonstrated moderate construct validity, with significant differences in performance metrics between skill groups.
• Participants rated the simulator and module as realistic, acceptable, and feasible for training.
• Key performance metrics showing differences included time, tissue injury, and instrument collisions.

Conclusions:

• The thoracic lobectomy module for the RobotiX Mentor simulator established face validity, acceptability, and feasibility.
• Moderate construct validity suggests its utility in surgical training.
• This simulation tool has the potential to improve the initial learning curve and reduce errors in live robotic surgeries.