Development and usability testing of a fully immersive VR simulation for REBOA training.

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Trauma Surgery
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) is a critical intervention for severe bleeding trauma.
• Training for REBOA is essential due to its complexity and rare application.
• Current REBOA training guidelines are lacking, and simulation methods can be costly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and acceptance of immersive virtual reality (VR) for REBOA training.
• To evaluate trainee confidence in performing REBOA before and after VR simulation.
• To determine the usability, immersion, workload, and satisfaction with VR REBOA simulation.

Main Methods:

• Prospective feasibility pilot study involving prehospital emergency physicians and paramedics.
• Utilized a fully immersive VR REBOA simulation.
• Assessed usability, presence, workload, user satisfaction, and confidence levels.

Main Results:

• VR REBOA training was feasible with no significant side-effects.
• High usability, immersion, user satisfaction, and manageable workload were reported.
• Trainee confidence in performing REBOA significantly increased post-training.

Conclusions:

• Immersive VR simulation is a viable and well-accepted method for REBOA procedural training.
• VR training offers advantages like time and instructor independence for REBOA curricula.
• This technology can enhance the preparedness of medical teams for critical trauma interventions.