A new force-based objective assessment of technical skills in endoscopic sinus surgery.
We propose objectively assessing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) skills by measuring the force applied to a patient model. We collected data on 16 subjects performing gauze packing task using a precise human nasal model with a six-degree-of-freedom force/torque sensor. Mann-Whitney's U test was used to analyze their performance. Intermediates (ESS: 10-50 cases) used significantly greater force than students or experts (ESS: over 150 cases) at the 5 % level. Maximum force improved only among experts. These results imply that young surgeons pay too little attention to force applied to patients or tissues.
Kumagai
Toru
T
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. kumagai.toru@aist.go.jp
Yamashita
Juli
J
Morikawa
Osamu
O
Yokoyama
Kazunori
K
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008953:Models, Anatomic