Arthroscopic Skills Acquisition Tools: An Online Simulator for Arthroscopy Training.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate correlations between objective performances measured by a new online arthroscopic skills acquisition tool (ASAT, in which "shape match" with inverted controls requires lifting shapes and releasing them into their corresponding silhouettes) and a validated virtual reality (VR) shoulder arthroscopy simulator (Insight Arthro VR; GMV, Madrid, Spain). METHODS: Forty-nine medical students familiarized themselves with 5 ASATs. They were then assessed using a sixth ASAT (shape match with inverted controls) and 4 VR tasks (operating room, visualize, locate and palpate, and pendulum) on the VR simulator. Correlations were assessed between 11 ASAT measures and 15 VR measures using Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Time taken and delta distance (actual distance minus minimum distance traveled) were the most frequent and correlated ASAT measures. Time taken correlated with the VR locate-and-palpate time (r = 0.596, P < .001), visualize time (r = 0.381, P = .007), and pendulum time (r = 0.646, P < .001), whereas delta distance correlated with the locate-and-palpate camera distance (r = 0.667, P < .001), instrument distance (r = 0.664, P < .001), visualize distance (r = 0.4, P = .004), pendulum camera distance (r = 0.538, P < .001), and instrument distance (r = 0.539, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: There were significant correlations between performance measures on the ASAT and a validated arthroscopic VR simulator. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Arthroscopic simulators are available but are limited by their high cost and availability. ASATs may overcome these limitations by using widely available Internet-based software and basic input devices.