Application of virtual reality for developing a ventriculostomy simulator: Concept and initial results

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Simulation
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly utilized in medical training for complex procedures.
• Neurosurgical training, particularly for high-precision tasks like external ventricular drainage (EVD) placement, can benefit significantly from VR simulation.
• This study aimed to develop and assess a VR simulator for EVD placement training across different surgeon experience levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a VR simulator for external ventricular drainage (EVD) placement.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this VR simulator in training surgeons with varying levels of experience (experts, residents, students).
• To assess the construct validity of VR simulation for neurosurgical training.

Main Methods:

• A VR simulator was created using Meta Quest 3 headsets and specialized software for 3D visualization of anatomical data.
• Fifteen surgeons (5 experts, 5 residents, 5 students) performed virtual EVD placement.
• Outcomes measured included catheter placement accuracy, procedure time, error types and rates, and participant feedback via surveys.

Main Results:

• Experienced surgeons demonstrated higher accuracy and fewer errors (6% error rate) compared to residents and students (28% error rate).
• The most frequent errors involved incorrect catheter placement (36%) and wrong entry point selection (24%).
• A significant majority of participants (93%) reported a positive training effect and recommended the simulator for practice.

Conclusions:

• VR-based simulation for EVD placement is a feasible and valid training tool for neurosurgery.
• The VR simulator provides a risk-free environment for surgeons to enhance precision and potentially reduce errors in real procedures.
• Further research is warranted to explore broader clinical applications of this VR simulation technology.