Impact of virtual reality training on mastoidectomy performance: a prospective randomised study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Surgical training opportunities are declining due to resource limitations and patient safety concerns.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising avenue for enhancing surgical skills and anatomical knowledge.
• VR provides realistic 3D models for interactive learning, complementing operating room experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if virtual reality (VR) anatomy training improves novice performance in mastoidectomy compared to traditional methods.
• To assess the impact of VR on anatomical and topographical knowledge acquisition for surgical procedures.
• To evaluate trainee satisfaction and surgical outcomes using VR versus conventional training materials.

Main Methods:

• Thirty medical students were randomized into VR training and traditional training groups for mastoidectomy.
• Training involved a VR temporal bone model for one group and anatomy books for the other.
• Performance was assessed via mastoidectomy on 3D-printed models, with feedback collected.

Main Results:

• Participants in the VR group reported higher satisfaction and required less guidance during the procedure.
• No significant differences were observed in operative time, injury occurrence, or self-assessed scores.
• Surgical outcomes were comparable between the VR and traditional training groups.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality (VR) training is a valuable tool for complete novices, enhancing trainee satisfaction.
• VR-based surgical education leads to outcomes as effective as traditional methods.
• The study supports the integration of VR into surgical training curricula for improved learning experiences.