Data were available from seven microsurgical courses of the middle ear, inner ear and lateral skull base in four cities (Berlin, Halle, Munich, Rostock, all Germany) between 2015 and 2020. A total number of 112 participants completed the questionnaire. A total of 112 participants answered question 1, 4, 5 and 6, 111 participants answered question 2, and 110 participants answered question 3 (Table 2). Figure 1 shows an overview of the participants responses. Eighty-four participants (75%) fully agreed (5 points) to the statement that 3D visualization of the surgical field was superior to perceive the anatomical topography and structures better compared to 2D representation. Twenty-four participants (21.4%) agreed (4 points), 3 participants (2.7%) were indecisive (3 points), and 1 participant (0.9%) rather disagreed (2 points) to this statement (Fig. 2a).
Table 2 Descriptive statistics of the participants’ answers to the individual questions Seventy-four participants (66.7%) fully agreed (5 points) to the statement that 3D visualization supported to follow the course and preparation of the surgical field compared to 2D representation. Twenty-eight participants (25.2%) agreed (4 points), 6 participants (5.4%) were indecisive (3 points), and 3 participants (2.7%) rather disagreed (2 points) to this statement (Fig. 2b).
Seventy-three participants (66.4%) fully agreed (5 points) to the statement that the possibility to see the surgical field as a co-viewer in 3D provided additional value for surgical courses. Thirty-two participants (29%) agreed (4 points), 4 participants (3.6%) were indecisive (3 points), and 1 participant (1%) rather disagreed (2 points) to this statement (Fig. 2c).
Fifty-three participants (47.3%) fully agreed (5 points) to the statement that the possibility to see the operation live via 3D video transmission at home would add value to online distance learning courses. Thirty-five participants (31.2%) agreed (4 points), 19 participants (17.0%) were indecisive (3 points), 4 participants (3.6%) rather disagreed (2 points), and 1 participant (0.9%) disagreed (1 points) to this statement (Fig. 2d).
Fifty-eight participants (51.8%) fully agreed (5 points) to the statement that 3D video data of a surgery should be archived for self-study and made available online for registered users. Thirty-nine participants (34.8%) agreed (4 points), 11 participants (9.8%) were indecisive (3 points), 3 participants (2.7%) rather disagreed (2 points), and 1 participant (0.9%) disagreed (1 points) to this statement (Fig. 2e).
Sixty-three participants (56.2%) fully agreed (5 points) to the statement that they had no problems such as indisposition, dizziness or headaches watching 3D films and videos. Twenty-nine participants (25.9%) agreed (4 points), 10 participants (8.9%) were indecisive (3 points), 5 participants (4.5%) rather disagreed (2 points), and 5 participants (4.5%) disagreed (1 points) to this statement (Fig. 2f).