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Hand dominance and experience improve bimanual performance on arthroscopic simulator task.
Aoife A Feeley1,2, John P Gibbons3, Iain H Feeley4
1Department of Orthopaedics, Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore, Arden Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland. 115709615@umail.ucc.ie.
Summary
Surgical training using arthroscopy simulators enhances ambidexterity in experienced surgeons. Novice surgeons show hand dominance, highlighting the need for bimanual skill development in training curricula.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Surgical Simulation
- Motor Skill Acquisition
Background:
- Arthroscopy requires fine motor skills and bimanual coordination.
- The development of ambidexterity in surgeons is not well understood.
- Simulation-based training is increasingly used in surgical education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if arthroscopic experience leads to ambidexterity.
- To investigate the influence of baseline characteristics on simulator performance.
- To assess hand dominance and bimanual control in arthroscopic tasks.
Main Methods:
- Prospective comparative study across four training centers.
- Participants categorized into novice, intermediate, and experienced arthroscopy groups.
- Simulated bimanual task assessing camera control and instrument manipulation with both hands.
Main Results:
- Experienced surgeons showed no significant difference between dominant and non-dominant hand performance.
- Novice surgeons exhibited hand laterality, with superior grasping efficiency in the dominant hand.
- Significant difference in grasping efficiency between groups in the dominant hand (p=0.013).
Conclusions:
- Arthroscopic simulation is a valuable tool for orthopaedic training.
- Experienced surgeons demonstrate greater ambidexterity, likely from conventional training.
- Bimanual control tasks should be integrated into surgical curricula to reduce trainee laterality.
