Validation of Task-Specific Rating Scale for Open Balloon Catheter Arterial Embolectomy: An Assessor-Blinded...

Objective: To develop and validate a task-specific rating scale (TSRS) by comparing with the Global Rating Scale (GRS) for the evaluation of brachial artery embolectomy (BAE). Methods: Participants were divided into expert and novice groups who were oriented on the locally developed simulator model. The following day, an embolectomy procedure was performed independently by the participants and graded by two independent assessors using the GRS and TSRS. Validity was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r), reliability by the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and agreement by Bland-Altman plots. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Thirty-two participants were enrolled in this study. The overall TSRS was found to be a valid assessment tool (r=0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66, 0.91; p<0.001). Domain-specific analyses showed a moderate positive association between all domains (p<0.05), except for instrument handling (r=0.09; 95%CI: -0.27, 0.42; p=0.642). The ICC for overall scores showed excellent reliability for both instruments, GRS and TSRS, with values of 0.97 and 0.92, respectively. Conclusion: The TSRS was found to be a valid and reliable assessment tool for BAE; however, for some domains, such as instrument handling and time and motion, it has limited reliability.