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Virtual reality cricothyrotomy - a case-control study on gamification in emergency education
I Speck1, A Merk2, V Burkhardt2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Killianstraße 5, 79106, Freiburg, Germany. iva.speck@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
BMC Medical Education
|February 15, 2024
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) training significantly improved correct procedural steps for emergency cricothyrotomy. This innovative digital tool enhances medical education by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills for rare, invasive procedures.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Emergency Medicine
- Surgical Simulation
Background:
- Cricothyrotomy is a rare, invasive emergency airway procedure.
- Lack of routine leads to hesitancy in performing cricothyrotomy.
- Virtual reality (VR) offers a potential solution to improve training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of VR cricothyrotomy as a learning tool.
- To compare VR training with traditional educational videos.
- To assess both subjective and objective outcomes of VR training.
Main Methods:
- Developed a VR cricothyrotomy simulation using Unity and C#.
- Randomly assigned 149 students to a VR group or an educational video control group.
- Assessed performance by measuring time to completion and correct procedural steps on a model.
Main Results:
- The majority of students found VR improved speed (81%) and procedural steps (92%).
- No significant difference in time was observed between groups (p > 0.05).
- The VR group demonstrated significantly higher scores for correct procedural steps (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- VR is an innovative tool for teaching emergency procedures.
- VR cricothyrotomy improved both subjective and objective measures of procedural accuracy.
- Digital education, like VR, effectively enhances medical training by integrating theoretical and practical learning.
