Hand Motion Analysis Illustrates Differences When Drilling Cadaveric and Printed Temporal Bone

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Education Technology

Background:

• Temporal bone simulation is increasingly used in surgical education.
• Existing haptic models show motion pattern differences compared to cadavers, raising concerns about maladaptive skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if trainee drill motion patterns differ between 3D-printed temporal bone models and cadavers.
• To assess the potential impact on surgical skill acquisition.

Main Methods:

• Resident surgeons performed dissections on 3D-printed temporal bones and cadavers.
• A magnetic position tracking system recorded drill position and orientation.
• K-cos metrics analyzed drill stroke duration, curvature, and length.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in drill stroke frequency was found (cadaveric=1.36/s, printed=1.50/s).
• Printed bone dissection showed significantly shorter stroke duration (printed=0.16s vs. cadaveric=0.37s) and a higher percentage of curved strokes (printed=67% vs. cadaveric=31%).
• Junior staff exhibited more short and curved strokes than senior staff.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences in hand motions exist between 3D-printed and cadaveric temporal bone simulations.
• These dissimilarities suggest that 3D-printed models may not be optimal as the primary training tool.
• Further research is needed to clarify the clinical significance of these motion pattern differences.