Virtual operation for hip joint replacement implemented by Sensable_FreeForm_Modelling: A surgical drill

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Medical Simulation
• Virtual Reality

Background:

• Traditional surgical training relies on cadavers and observation.
• There is a need for efficient, risk-free training methods for joint replacement surgery.
• Virtual reality offers a promising solution for surgical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a virtual operation for joint replacement surgery using a haptic device.
• To enhance surgeon efficiency and provide a virtual tutorial for interns.
• To utilize SenSable_FreeForm_Modelling (SFM) for surgical drill simulation.

Main Methods:

• A patient with hip osteoarthritis underwent CT scan for 3D hip joint modeling.
• DICOM images were processed in Mimics and exported to SFM in STL format.
• Virtual surgical toolkit and drill scenario were created using CAD software and a haptic device (Phantom).

Main Results:

• Accurate 3D models of the hip joint were generated.
• Virtual surgical instruments closely resembled real-world tools.
• A novel virtual simulation of Total Hip Replacement (THR) was successfully emulated.

Conclusions:

• The simulative operation provides valuable hands-on experience for orthopaedic students.
• This virtual training contributes to medical education and surgical planning.
• Virtual surgery enhances learning through practice, aligning with the principle of 'genuine knowledge originated from practice'.