Specialty
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery

Educational technique
VR integrated temporal bone drilling training days

Details
With a passion for ENT surgery and a desire to safeguard and promote excellence in training for ENT surgery, two Imperial College Healthcare ENT surgeons are pioneering a revolutionary way for ENT surgery trainees to refine and validate their expertise in temporal bone drilling, which forms part of many procedures including cochlear implants.

ENT surgeons Mr Arora and Mr Tolley are using a virtual reality (VR) simulator which uses a combination of 3D imagery and physical resistance feedback technology to simulate temporal bone drilling. This hands-on, immersive approach to acquiring the skills and knowledge required for temporal bone drilling allows surgeons to master essential skills in a less stressful environment compared to traditional training in the operating theatre. The VR otology simulator also provides the opportunity for unlimited repetition until surgical proficiency is achieved. It offers immediate training opportunities and overcomes the problem of having to wait for suitable real-life cases to be presented, dramatically increasing opportunities for learning in this field.

A VR-based otology curriculum has been developed and validated, whereby surgical tasks are broken down into a series of basic steps, with fundamental generic surgical skills practised first. The VR otology simulator monitors predefined performance metrics such as path length and time taken to complete each step. Once the user meets the required standard, the simulator moves on to more advanced steps until, finally, an entire surgical procedure can be completed within the standards required for surgical proficiency, all without any risk to patients.

Metrics collected by the VR otology simulator can also be used for formative and summative objective skills assessment. The addition of cadaveric temporal bone drilling also allows VR-based case-specific temporal bone surgical rehearsal, which can be used prior to drilling an actual temporal bone in theatre; increasing accuracy and facilitating positive movement along the surgeon’s experience curve. This patient-free, risk-free environment for surgical training thereby safeguards patients by decreasing their exposure to novice operators.

For more information on Imperial College Healthcare’s VR integrated temporal bone training days or using the otology simulator as a steppingstone to traditional temporal bone drilling courses, contact Mr Asit Arora directly.