Assessment of Micro-TRAIN simulation in otologic microsurgery

Temporal bone drilling simulators are valuable tools for developing anatomical knowledge and drill handling motor skills. However, there are currently no simulators focusing on learning fine microsurgical gestures using micro-instruments. The aim of this study was to validate a training kit and simulation program dedicated to otologic microsurgery.

A prospective single-center comparative study was conducted. The Micro-TRAIN kit comprised a mannequin and six interchangeable exercise modules. Two simulation sessions were conducted two months apart, with debriefing for two selected subgroups after the first session. Progression in performance, assessed by task completion time, execution time and technical skills, was evaluated in three groups: 10 novices, 10 intermediate level and 5 experts. Content validity, face validity and participant satisfaction were also assessed.

In session 1, there were significant differences in performance between the three groups (P<0.005). Both the novice and intermediate groups showed improvement between sessions. Improvement in total score in the intermediate group was statistically significant (P=0.0019) and suggestive in the novice group (P=0.0059). Participants who received debriefing tended to improve more (novices: P=0.012; intermediate: P=0.036). Experts rated the simulator's realism and relevance as above 8/10.

This study confirmed the content, face and construct validity of the Micro-TRAIN simulator. It is an effective tool for acquiring microsurgical skills in otologic surgery.