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Published on: June 10, 2021
Eye Tracking Use in Surgical Research: A Systematic Review
Amalia M Gil1, Sharon Birdi2, Teruko Kishibe3
1International Centre for Surgical Safety, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
This review systematically evaluated eye tracking (ET) in surgical research, finding its common uses in skill assessment and visual attention analysis. Recommendations are provided to enhance future surgical eye tracking studies and improve surgical education.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Research
- Human Factors Engineering
- Medical Education Technology
Background:
- Eye tracking (ET) is increasingly utilized to understand surgical team visual behavior.
- A comprehensive review of ET's application in surgical research was previously lacking.
- This study addresses the need to evaluate the evidence and applications of ET in surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and assess the quality of evidence for eye tracking in surgical research.
- To synthesize the applications of eye tracking in informing surgical practice.
- To provide recommendations for improving future eye tracking surgical studies.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
- Searches were performed across major databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science) up to September 2020.
- Studies measuring surgical team visual behavior using ET during surgical tasks were included and assessed.
Main Results:
- 111 studies were included from 7614 identified.
- Key applications include skill assessment (41%), visual attention (22%), workload (17%), and training (10%).
- Three areas for improvement in future ET surgical studies were identified.
Conclusions:
- This review offers a comprehensive overview of ET applications in surgery.
- Eye tracking data can inform surgical practice and enhance surgical education.
- The findings will aid in the design and execution of future ET surgical research.
