Fine motor and sensory proficiency: implications for simulator-based surgical assessments

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Surgical simulation technologies enhance motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and sensory acuity in surgical education.
• Assessing the relationship between fundamental sensory-motor skills and performance in virtual surgical environments is crucial for optimizing training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the correlations between specific sensory-motor skills and performance metrics on surgical simulator training modules.
• To determine if basic sensory and motor assessments can predict performance in simulated surgical tasks.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 50 novice surgical trainees.
• Sensory-motor assessments included the McKinnon two-point discrimination test, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, and Nine-Hole Peg test.
• Performance was evaluated using the Eyesi Surgical Simulator's forceps, anti-tremor, and bimanual training modules.

Main Results:

• The two-point discrimination test showed a significant negative correlation with bimanual simulator performance (r = -0.41, p = 0.0027).
• The Nine-Hole Peg test also correlated significantly with bimanual performance (r = -0.42, p = 0.002) and weakly with forceps scores (r = -0.24, p = 0.090).
• Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test scores did not show significant correlations with any simulator modules.

Conclusions:

• Surgical simulation effectively identifies sensory-motor deficits relevant to surgical training.
• Motor skills and sensory acuity, particularly tactile discrimination and dexterity, are associated with better performance in bimanual surgical tasks.
• These findings support individualized training approaches to optimize surgical simulator outcomes.