Virtual vitreoretinal surgery: validation of a training programme

Abstract

ABSTRACT.Purpose: To test the validity of the EYESI SURGICAL SIMULATOR as an assessment tool in a virtual reality vitreoretinal training programme. Methods: In collaboration with an experienced vitreoretinal surgeon, a virtual vitreoretinal training programme was composed on the EYESI SURGICAL SIMULA-TOR, software version 2.9.2 (VRmagic GmbH, Manheim, Germany). It was completed twice by three groups: 20 medical students, ten residents of ophthalmology and five trained vitreoretinal surgeons. The programme contained six training modules: navigation level 2 (Nav2), forceps training level 5 (ForT5), bimanual training level 3 (BimT3), laser coagulation level 3 (LasC3), posterior hyaloid level 3 (PostH3) and internal limiting membrane peeling level 3 (ILMP3). The scores in each module were assessed from two to five different factors (tissue treatment, efficiency, target achievement, instrument handling and microscope handling), and it was possible to achieve 100 points in each module. Results: At the final training session, the highest overall median score was found for the vitreoretinal surgeons (vitreoretinal surgeons: 434 points, residents: 394.5 points, medical students: 272.5 points, p < 0.01). This was also found in four of the six modules. These were Nav2 (p = 0.03), BimT3 (p < 0.01), PostH3 (p < 0.01) and ILMP3 (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the three groups did not differ regarding ForT5 (p = 0.16) or LasC3 (p = 0.75). Conclusions: We developed a training programme with validity for the EYESI SURGICAL SIMULATOR as an assessment tool for overall score and for four of six vitreoretinal modules. These findings could potentially make the programme a useful tool in the training of future vitreoretinal surgeons.

EYESI surgical simulator: validity evidence of the vitreoretinal modules

“…; Vergmann et al. ). The navigation and the epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling modules were evaluated in two studies using the first versions of the simulator (Rossi et al.…”

“…Recently, Vergmann et al. () developed a training programme that had an overall ability to distinguish trained surgeons from untrained surgeons, although two out of the six modules included did not demonstrate validity. Similarly, in their study on procedure‐to‐procedure transferability, Thomsen et al.…”

Virtual vitreoretinal surgery: effect of distracting factors on surgical performance in medical students

“…The training programme used in this study consisted of four vitreoretinal modules formerly validated for the Eyesi surgical simulator (Vergmann et al. ). The first two modules, navigation level 2 (Nav2) and bimanual training level 3 (BimT3), allow basic surgical skills training.…”

“…This was based on the article of Vergmann et al. (), where the mean score of the five vitreoretinal surgeons included in that study was calculated. Target scores were 65, 78, 56 and 73 points for Nav2, BimT3, PostH3 and ILMP3, respectively.…”

Consensus on procedures to include in a simulation‐based curriculum in ophthalmology: a national Delphi study

“…It is widely recognized that training based solely on the apprenticeship model is not an ideal approach for technical skills training (Oetting 2009;Lorch & Kloek 2017). As a consequence, there has been a significant increase in the utilization of simulation-based models in resident education, extending from wet laboratory to virtual reality training (Henderson et al 2009;Spiteri et al 2014;Thomsen et al 2015b;Vergmann et al 2017).…”