Virtual reality simulator's effectiveness on the spine procedure education for trainee: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Technology
• Virtual Reality in Medicine
• Interventional Pain Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated alternative teaching methods like virtual simulation.
• Traditional medical education faced challenges due to contact-minimizing guidelines.
• Virtual simulation offers a viable alternative for hands-on procedural training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a virtual reality (VR) simulator for lumbar transforaminal epidural block (LTFEB).
• To evaluate the efficacy of the VR simulator in training inexperienced medical professionals.
• To provide a safe and effective training tool for LTFEB procedures.

Main Methods:

• Developed a VR simulator using patient imaging, virtual X-ray, and spatial registration.
• Created a realistic virtual procedure room with essential equipment.
• Trainees used the VR simulator for LTFEB practice, with feedback mechanisms available.

Main Results:

• Trainees using the VR simulator demonstrated significantly higher global rating scores (P = 0.014).
• The simulator group showed reduced procedural time (P = 0.025) and fewer C-arm uses (P = 0.001).
• Overall satisfaction scores were significantly higher among trainees who used the simulator (P = 0.007).

Conclusions:

• An accessible and effective VR simulator for LTFEB training was successfully developed.
• The VR simulator enables training without radiation exposure.
• The proposed VR simulator is a valuable tool for teaching LTFEB to inexperienced trainees.