Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills in Mastoidectomy Using 3D-Printed Temporal Bones

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Medical Simulation
• Otology & Neurotology

Background:

• Objective assessment of surgical skills is crucial for resident training.
• Traditional methods may lack standardization and objectivity.
• Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers a novel approach to surgical simulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate 3D-printed temporal bone models as an objective tool for assessing mastoidectomy technical skills.
• To analyze performance across different levels of otolaryngology residency training.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study involving 32 otolaryngology residents performing 64 mastoidectomies on 3D-printed temporal bone models.
• Independent, anonymous evaluation of each performance using a validated 14-item final product analysis checklist.
• Statistical analysis including linear regression, ANOVA, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for inter-rater reliability.

Main Results:

• Median performance scores significantly improved with resident training level (PGY1 to PGY5).
• Senior residents (PGY 4-5) significantly outperformed junior residents (PGY 1-3).
• Excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.9210) was achieved, and a proficiency cutoff score of 45/70 was established.

Conclusions:

• 3D-printed temporal bone models with final product analysis provide a fair, objective, and reliable assessment tool.
• This method supports formative and summative evaluations and competency-based surgical education.
• Longitudinal tracking of skill improvement is facilitated, differentiating performance across training levels.