SimSpine: A Cost-Effective Spinal Endoscopy Training Prototype for Neurosurgical Residents Skills Training

To compare the SimSpine (indigenously developed, low-cost model) and EasyGO! (Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany) systems for simulation of endoscopic discectomy.

Twelve neurosurgery residents, 6 in postgraduate years 1-4 or equivalent (junior) and 6 in postgraduate years 5-6 or equivalent (senior), were randomly allocated (1:1) to either EasyGO! or SimSpine endoscopic visualization systems for endoscopic lumbar discectomy simulation on the same physical simulator. After the first exercise, the participants switched over to the other system, and the exercise was repeated. Time taken to dock the system, time to reach annulus, time required for task completion, dural violation, and volume of disc material removed were used for calculating objective efficiency score. Subjective scoring (Neurosurgery Education and Training School [NETS] criteria) was performed by 4 blinded mentors based on recorded video on 2 separate occasions 2 weeks apart. Cumulative score was calculated based on efficiency and Neurosurgery Education and Training School scores.

Performance metrics were similar across the 2 platforms, regardless of participant seniority (P > 0.05). Time to reach disc space and discectomy time improved for both EasyGO! (P = 0.07 and P = 0.03, respectively) and SimSpine (P = 0.01 and P = 0.04, respectively) between first and second exercises. Efficiency and cumulative scores were better (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03 respectively) when EasyGO! was used as the first device compared with SimSpine.

SimSpine is a cost-effective viable alternative to EasyGO for endoscopic lumbar discectomy simulation-based training.