Comparing the effectiveness of augmented reality-based and conventional instructions during single ECMO cannulation...

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Training Technologies
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has high mortality rates, necessitating effective cannulation training.
• Augmented reality (AR) offers potential for enhanced information display in medical training.
• Few AR applications have focused on procedural training, particularly for complex interventions like ECMO cannulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the benefits of AR-based, contextual instructions for ECMO cannulation training.
• To compare AR training with conventional methods at a university hospital.
• To assess AR's impact on training efficiency and user experience.

Main Methods:

• Developed an AR step-by-step guide using Microsoft HoloLens 2 with integrated text, images, videos, and 3D models.
• Conducted a study with 21 medical students performing simulated surgical procedures.
• Employed a crossover design where participants used both conventional and AR instructions for different procedures, evaluating training times, error rates, and user experience.

Main Results:

• AR-based training resulted in significantly fewer errors, particularly for complex procedures, with a 66% reduction in knowledge-related errors.
• While training times were slightly higher with AR, user experience scores were significantly better in 5 out of 6 categories.
• Participants reported higher perceived clarity, faster information acquisition, and increased stimulation with AR instructions.

Conclusions:

• AR instructions demonstrate significant potential to improve ECMO cannulation training outcomes.
• Enhanced information acquisition during task execution is a key benefit of AR in this context.
• Further research is needed to correlate single-session performance improvements with long-term skill retention.