Substituting virtual reality trainers for inanimate box trainers does not decrease laparoscopic skills acquisition.
OBJECTIVE
Inanimate and virtual reality box training help in developing basic laparoscopic skills. The lack of tactile feedback and lack of reality may be a detriment when training with virtual reality trainers. This study examined the hypothesis that there is no difference in laparoscopic skills acquisition when virtual reality trainers are partially substituted for inanimate box trainers.


METHODS
Medical students without laparoscopic experience were randomized into either Group A or Group B. Group A performed tasks on the LTS 2000 (an inanimate box trainer) alone for 10 sessions. Group B performed tasks on the box trainer as well as on the MIST-VR (a virtual reality trainer) for 10 sessions. Scores for 5 inanimate box trainer exercises (time and errors) for the first and tenth sessions were compared between both groups.


RESULTS
No statistical differences were seen in any exercises in the first session between Group A (n=14) and Group B (n=18) in either time or errors (P=NS for all comparisons). Mean times decreased in both groups from the first session to the last session. At the last session, again both groups demonstrated no differences in any of the exercises (P=NS for all comparisons).


CONCLUSIONS
No difference was found in laparoscopic skills acquisition when incorporating virtual reality trainers into a curriculum based on inanimate box trainers. Ideally, laparoscopic training laboratories should include both virtual reality and inanimate trainers.
Madan
Atul K
AK
Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA. amadan@utmem.edu
Frantzides
Constantine T
CT
D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D013664:Teaching Materials; D014584:User-Computer Interface