Tracking and evaluating motion skills in laparoscopy with inertial sensors

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Education Technology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Laparoscopic surgical skill assessment requires instrument motion analysis.
• Current tracking systems (optical, electromagnetic) are limited and costly.
• Inexpensive inertial sensors offer a viable alternative for tracking laparoscopic instruments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of inertial sensors for tracking laparoscopic instruments.
• To assess the learning progress of medical students using this new tracking system.
• To compare the performance of inertial sensors against commercial tracking solutions.

Main Methods:

• Calibrated inertial sensors to two laparoscopic instruments.
• Investigated sensor accuracy using a 3D-printed phantom.
• Conducted a one-week user study with medical students and physicians on a laparoscopy trainer, comparing a new tracking setup with a commercial system.

Main Results:

• Inertial sensors demonstrated good and valid performance in tracking instrument motion.
• Significant improvements in surgical task performance (rotatory angle sum, count of swings, count of rotations) were observed in students post-training.
• High correlation (Pearson's r = 0.79) found between learning success measured by inertial sensors and a commercial system.

Conclusions:

• Inertial measurement units are a promising, cost-effective tool for laparoscopic instrument tracking and surgical skill assessment.
• The developed sensor system can meaningfully evaluate learning progress in medical students in an ex-vivo setting.