Building Your Future Holographic Mentor: Can We Use Mixed Reality Holograms for Visual Spatial Motor Skills Acquisition in Surgical Education?

Abstract

Learning surgical skills require critical visual-spatial motor skills. Current learning methods employ costly and limited in-person teaching in addition to supplementation by videos, textbooks, and cadaveric labs. Increasingly limited healthcare resources and in-person training has led to growing concerns for skills acquisition of trainees. Recent Mixed Reality (MR) devices offer an attractive solution to these resource barriers by providing three-dimensional holographic representations of reality that mimic in-person experiences in a portable, individualized, and cost-effective form. We developed and evaluated two holographic MR models to explore the feasibility of visual-spatial motor skill acquisition from a technical development, learning, and usability perspective. In our first, a pair of holographic hands were created and projected in front of the trainee, and participants were evaluated on their ability to learn complex hand motions in comparison to traditional methods of video and apprenticeship-based learning. The second model displayed a 3D holographic model of the middle and inner ear with labeled anatomical structures which users could explore and user experience feedback was obtained. Our studies demonstrated that scores between MR and apprenticeship learning were comparable. All felt MR was an effective learning tool and most noted that the MR models were better than existing didactic methods of learning. Identified advantages of MR included the ability to provide true 3D spatial representation, improved visualization of smaller structures in detail by upscaling the models, and improved interactivity. Our results demonstrate that holographic learning is able to mimic in-person learning for visual-spatial motor skills and could be a new effective form of self-directed apprenticeship learning.

Future of autologous breast reconstruction: a review of novel technological innovations

“…As trainees progress in their understanding of perforator anatomy, they require consistent and realistic methods for tactile practice outside the operating room. While the chicken thigh model is frequently used given its similar vessel caliber to that of humans, it falls short in mimicking the actual clinical environment and anatomical precision needed for successful technical execution [60] . For instance, during chest wall dissection and microvascular anastomosis, the depth at which the internal mammary vessels are located poses significant training challenges in accessing and visualizing the anastomosis site, a complexity not adequately represented by standard animal and simulation models.…”

“…Papavisiliou et al addressed this limitation by creating a 3D-printed chest wall that could be integrated with the chicken thigh model [Figure 5A] to more accurately reflect their operative field, thereby enhancing the clinical realism of the simulation. Trainees who utilized this novel combined model reported substantial improvement in their microsurgical technique [60] .…”

“…Traditional training methodologies encompass a range of approaches, including the Halsted apprenticeship model from the late 1,800s, didactic learning, instructional videos, and simulations using both living and non-living animal models [60,61] .…”

“…Additionally, the anastomosis of perforator pedicles to the internal mammary vessels within the chest wall is especially difficult due to limited access and depth, which creates significant spatial challenges for trainees. Currently, common microsurgery simulation models fail to adequately reflect these challenges [60] .…”