Transfer of virtual reality endoscopy training to live animal colonoscopy: a randomized control trial of proficiency vs. repetition-based training

Abstract

Background Low first-time pass rates of the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) exam stimulated development of virtual reality (VR) simulation curricula for test preparation. This study evaluates the transfer of VR endoscopy training to live porcine endoscopy performance and compares the relative effectiveness of a proficiency-based vs repetition-based VR training curriculum. Methods Novice endoscopists completed pretesting including the FES manual skills examination and Global Assessment of GI Endoscopic Skills (GAGES) assessment of porcine upper and lower endoscopy. Participants were randomly assigned one of two curricula: proficiency-based or repetition-based. Following curriculum completion, participants post-tested via repeat FES examination and GAGES porcine endoscopy assessments. The two cohorts pre-to-post-test differences were compared using ANCOVA. Results Twenty-two residents completed the curricula. There were no differences in demographics or clinical endoscopy experience between the groups. The repetition group spent significantly more time on the simulator (repetition: 242.2 min, SD 48.6) compared to the proficiency group (proficiency: 170.0 min, SD 66.3; p = 0.013). There was a significant improve-

State of the Art and Future Prospects of Virtual and Augmented Reality in Veterinary Medicine: A Systematic Review

“…Cassidy et al (2022) [ 37 ] studied the effect of VR training on real endoscopic surgical outcomes in the porcine model. They used a virtual reality endoscopic simulator (GI Mentor; 3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, USA) in their study on colonoscopy training.…”

“…Of the articles we included in our review, 11 and 13 studies were based on VR and AR, respectively. Among the VR studies, one of them was based on non-immersive VR and was performed using a monitor or a screen [ 52 ], four articles were based on semi-immersive VR [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ], and six of them were based on full-immersive VR [ 3 , 12 , 39 , 46 , 47 , 51 ].…”

“…Most of the simulations with semi-immersive VR were performed using one or several monitors and a surface or platform to perform surgical maneuvers such as VIST simulator (Mentice, Gothenburg, Sweden) for endovascular training [ 36 ], LAP Mentor (Simbionix, Cleveland, OH, USA) for laparoscopic surgery [ 34 ], VitraMed Pelvicsim and HystSim simulators (Zurich, Switzerland) [ 35 ] or GI Mentor (3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, USA) [ 37 ]. The most frequently used full-immersive VR gadgets in the articles consisted of HTC Vive (High Tech Computer Corporation, Taiwan) [ 12 , 47 , 51 ] and Oculus Go (Meta Platforms, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA) [ 46 ].…”

“…Generally, the VR/AR articles we included in our review can be divided into studies that focus on pedagogy and undergraduate education, such as those developing new platforms for education regarding the anatomy [ 38 , 47 , 51 ], animal handling training [ 12 ], or venipuncture training [ 40 ] and studies that focus on postgraduate education or professional/clinical training, such as those that provide laparoscopic simulations [ 32 , 34 , 37 , 44 ] or dentistry training [ 39 , 53 ], or report new or alternative diagnostic/therapeutic methods [ 42 , 43 , 45 ]. These articles explored methods for the use of VR or AR in medical science.…”

Not All Porcine Intestinal Segments Are Equal in Terms of Breaking Force, but None Were Associated to Allometric Parameters

“…Modelling the biomechanics of the living organism is crucial for the acceptance of ex vivo simulators [35]. They have been evaluated and thoroughly tested, including a randomized controlled trial, and found to be helpful in gaining experience, training, and even proficiency, irrespective of the level of experience at the start of the training [32,78]. Trainees and even advanced and experienced endoscopists felt that they gained additional experience and proficiency from using ex vivo simulators, especially if they were using them in a structured manner [79].…”