Face, content, and construct validity of a novel VR/AR surgical simulator of a minimally invasive spine operation

Mixed-reality surgical simulators are seen more objective than conventional training. The simulators' utility in training must be established through validation studies. Establish face-, content-, and construct-validity of a novel mixed-reality surgical simulator developed by McGill University, CAE-Healthcare, and DePuy Synthes. This study, approved by a Research Ethics Board, examined a simulated L4-L5 oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLLIF) scenario. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used. Chi-square test verified validity consensus. Construct validity investigated 276 surgical performance metrics across three groups, using ANOVA, Welch-ANOVA, or Kruskal-Wallis tests. A post-hoc Dunn's test with a Bonferroni correction was used for further analysis on significant metrics. Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Lab, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. DePuy Synthes, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, research lab. Thirty-four participants were recruited: spine surgeons, fellows, neurosurgical, and orthopedic residents. Only seven surgeons out of the 34 were recruited in a side-by-side cadaver trial, where participants completed an OLLIF surgery first on a cadaver and then immediately on the simulator. Participants were separated a priori into three groups: post-, senior-, and junior-residents. Post-residents rated validity, median > 3, for 13/20 face-validity and 9/25 content-validity statements. Seven face-validity and 12 content-validity statements were rated neutral. Chi-square test indicated agreeability between group responses. Construct validity found eight metrics with significant differences (p < 0.05) between the three groups. Validity was established. Most face-validity statements were positively rated, with few neutrally rated pertaining to the simulation's graphics. Although fewer content-validity statements were validated, most were rated neutral (only four were negatively rated). The findings underscored the importance of using realistic physics-based forces in surgical simulations. Construct validity demonstrated the simulator's capacity to differentiate surgical expertise.