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New dimensions in surgical training: immersive virtual reality laparoscopic simulation exhilarates surgical staff

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Abstract

Introduction

Virtual reality (VR) and head mount displays (HMDs) have been advanced for multimedia and information technologies but have scarcely been used in surgical training. Motion sickness and individual psychological changes have been associated with VR. The goal was to observe first experiences and performance scores using a new combined highly immersive virtual reality (IVR) laparoscopy setup.

Methods

During the study, 10 members of the surgical department performed three tasks (fine dissection, peg transfer, and cholecystectomy) on a VR simulator. We then combined a VR HMD with the VR laparoscopic simulator and displayed the simulation on a 360° video of a laparoscopic operation to create an IVR laparoscopic simulation. The tasks were then repeated. Validated questionnaires on immersion and motion sickness were used for the study.

Results

Participants’ times for fine dissection were significantly longer during the IVR session (regular: 86.51 s [62.57 s; 119.62 s] vs. IVR: 112.35 s [82.08 s; 179.40 s]; p = 0.022). The cholecystectomy task had higher error rates during IVR. Motion sickness did not occur at any time for any participant. Participants experienced a high level of exhilaration, rarely thought about others in the room, and had a high impression of presence in the generated IVR world.

Conclusion

This is the first clinical and technical feasibility study using the full IVR laparoscopy setup combined with the latest laparoscopic simulator in a 360° surrounding. Participants were exhilarated by the high level of immersion. The setup enables a completely new generation of surgical training.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Y. Huber, L. Nola, S. Mädge, M. Pocha, and V. Tripke and for their support during the recording of the OR video sequence. The authors also thank B. Golla and M. Kosta for technical support. Finally, we appreciate the support from and discussions with H. Hecht, the Department of General Experimental Psychology, the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz.

Funding

Financial support for the laparoscopic simulator was provided by the medical education project “MAICUM” from the Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. Funding for the additional immersive virtual reality hardware was provided by intramural funding from the Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz and an educational intramural funding by the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Medicine of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany

    Tobias Huber, Markus Paschold, Hauke Lang & Werner Kneist

  2. Department of Simulation and Graphics, Faculty of Computer Science, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany

    Christian Hansen & Tom Wunderling

Authors
  1. Tobias Huber
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  2. Markus Paschold
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  3. Christian Hansen
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  4. Tom Wunderling
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  5. Hauke Lang
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  6. Werner Kneist
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Werner Kneist.

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Disclosure

The authors Tobias Huber, Markus Paschold, Christian Hansen, Tom Wunderling, Hauke Lang and Werner Kneist have no conflict of interest or financial ties to disclose.

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Huber, T., Paschold, M., Hansen, C. et al. New dimensions in surgical training: immersive virtual reality laparoscopic simulation exhilarates surgical staff. Surg Endosc 31, 4472–4477 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-017-5500-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-017-5500-6

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