Virtual Operating Room Simulation Setup (VORSS) for Procedural Training in Minimally Invasive Surgery – a Pilot Study

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) training is widely used in several minimal invasive surgery (MIS) training curricula for procedural training. However, VR training in its current state lack immersive training environments, such as using head-mounted displays that is implemented in military or aviation training and even entertainment. The virtual operating room simulation setup (VORSS) is explored in this study to determine the effectiveness of immersive training in MIS. Twenty-eight surgeons and surgical trainees performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the VORSS comprising of a head-mounted 360-degree realistic OR surrounding on a VR laparoscopic simulator. The VORSS replicated a full setup of instruments and surgical team-members as well as some of the distractions occurring during surgical procedures. Questionnaires were followed by semi-structured interviews to collect the data. Experts and novices found the VORSS to be intuitive and easy to use (p = 0.001). The outcome of the usability test, applying QUESI and NASA-TLX, reflected the usability of the VORSS (p < 0.05), at the cognitive level, which indicates a good sense of immersion and satisfaction, when performing the procedure within VORSS. The need for personalized experience within the setup was strongly noted from most of the participants. The VORSS for procedural training has the potential to become a useful tool to provide immersive training in MIS surgery. Further optimizing of the VORSS realism and introduction of distractors in the OR should result in an improvement of the system.

Improving Medical Simulation Using Virtual Reality Augmented by Haptic Proxy

“…The actual OR environment of the system gives the simulation a sense of presence [12] and allows trainees to have a three-dimensional interaction with virtual objects. Another recent work by Ganni [13] on minimally invasive surgery training using virtual reality also proved that the adaption period was shortened with training in an immersive environment, and junior medical residents were better prepared to work in the OR.…”

The unpleasantness of thinking: A meta-analytic review of the association between mental effort and negative affect.

“…Most notably, occupational psychology has a long history of studying what task parameters promote motivation and job satisfaction. Specifically, job characteristics theory starts out from the assumption that tasks (or jobs) that provide people with meaning, responsibility, and knowledge of one's own performance should be most conducive to motivation and job satisfaction (Fried & Ferris, 1987;Hackman & Oldham, 1976;Oldham & Fried, 2016). Based on this theory, we examined six design features of tasks: whether a task requires a variety of different activities and skills (skill variety), whether it has a clear start and finish (task identity), whether performance affects other people or otherwise has meaningful consequences (task significance), whether a task involves some degree of autonomous decision making (control), whether a task provides feedback on the consequences of actions (monitoring feedback), and whether a task provides feedback on performance (performance feedback).…”

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Immersive Virtual Operating Room Simulation for Surgical Resident Education During COVID-19

“…The 360° virtual setting was developed using equipment from a real operating room, where the virtual application of the LapSim simulator is integrated. The virtual operating room simulation setup 5 is another immersive simulator, which consisted of 3 components: (1) a LapMentor III laparoscopic simulator (Simbionix™, 3D Systems Corporation, USA), (2) an HMD VR Oculus Rift 2016 with enabled stereoscopic imaging and integrated audio, and (3) a 360° virtual reality scenario developed from a real operating room, including complete surgical equipment, instruments and a virtual patient.…”