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Analysis of eye gaze: Do novice surgeons look at the same location as expert surgeons during a laparoscopic operation?

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Abstract

Introduction

Eye-gaze technology can be used to track the gaze of surgeons on the surgical monitor. We examine the gaze of surgeons performing a task in the operating room and later watching the operative video in a lab. We also examined gaze of video watching by surgical residents.

Methods

Data collection required two phases. Phase 1 involved recording the real-time eye gaze of expert surgeons while they were performing laparoscopic procedures in the operating room. The videos were used for phase 2. Phase 2 involved showing the recorded videos to the same expert surgeons, and while they were watching the videos (self-watching), their eye gaze was recorded. Junior residents (PGY 1-3) also were asked to watch the videos (other-watching) and their eye gaze was recorded. Dual eye-gaze similarity in self-watching was computed by the level of gaze overlay and compared with other-watching.

Results

Sixteen cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy were recorded in the operating room. When experts watched the videos, there was a 55 % overlap of eye gaze; yet when novices watched, only a 43.8 % overlap (p < 0.001) was shown.

Conclusions

These findings show that there is a significant difference in gaze patterns between novice and expert surgeons while watching surgical videos. Expert gaze recording from the operating room can be used to make teaching videos for gaze training to expedite learning curves of novice surgeons.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to Dr. Atkins and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) to Dr. Zheng.

Disclosures

Drs. RS Khan, G Tien, MS Atkins, ON Panton and AT Meneghetti have no conflict of interests or financial ties to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street 5th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada

    Rana S. A. Khan, Ormond N. M. Panton & Adam T. Meneghetti

  2. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Geoffrey Tien & M. Stella Atkins

  3. Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, 3-002F Li Ka Shing Centre, 8440-112 St., NW Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1, Canada

    Bin Zheng

Authors
  1. Rana S. A. Khan
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  2. Geoffrey Tien
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  3. M. Stella Atkins
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  4. Bin Zheng
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  5. Ormond N. M. Panton
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  6. Adam T. Meneghetti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam T. Meneghetti.

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Khan, R.S.A., Tien, G., Atkins, M.S. et al. Analysis of eye gaze: Do novice surgeons look at the same location as expert surgeons during a laparoscopic operation?. Surg Endosc 26, 3536–3540 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-012-2400-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-012-2400-7

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