title: From virtual reality to the operating room: the endoscopic sinus surgery simulator experiment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Establish the feasibility of a predictive validity study in sinus surgery simulation training and demonstrate the effectiveness of the Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Simulator (ES3) as a training device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, multi-institutional controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four tertiary academic centers with accredited otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve ES3-trained novice residents were compared with 13 control novice residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were assessed on the performance of basic sinus surgery tasks. Their first in vivo procedure was video recorded and submitted to a blinded panel of independent experts after the panel established a minimum inter-rater reliability of 80 percent. The recordings were reviewed by using a standardized computer-assisted method and customized metrics. Results were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test. Internal rater consistency was verified with Pearson moment correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Completion time was significantly shorter in the experimental group (injection P = 0.003, dissection P < 0.001), which, according to the rater panel, also demonstrated higher confidence (P = 0.009), demonstrated skill during instrument manipulation (P = 0.011), and made fewer technical mistakes during the injection task (P = 0.048) compared with the control group. The raters' post hoc internal consistency was deemed adequate (r > 0.5 between serial measurements).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The validity of the ES3 as an effective surgical trainer was verified in multiple instances, including those not depending on subjective rater evaluations. The ES3 is one of the few virtual reality simulators with a comprehensive validation record. Advanced simulation technologies need more rapid implementation in otolaryngology training, as they present noteworthy potential for high-quality surgical education while meeting the necessity of patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 3400 Bainbridge Ave, 3rd Flr, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. mfried@montefiore.org
authors.forename: Marvin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sadoughi
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gibber
authors.forename: Joseph B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lebowitz
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bent
authors.forename: Sanjay R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: Clarence T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration; D009519:New York City; D009873:Operating Rooms; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014741:Video Recording