title: Virtual laparoscopic surgical skills practice using a multi-degree of freedom joystick.
abstract: The objective of this study was to compare three different surgical skills practice environments while performing a virtual laparoscopic surgical training task using a multi-degree of freedom joystick, a commercial manipulator or a training box. Nine subjects performed a virtual peg transfer task and their upper extremity muscle effort and fatigue were measured. The results demonstrated a similar muscle effort and fatigue of the upper extremity among the three training environments. Subjects with medical backgrounds used significantly higher muscle effort when they performed the training task using the joystick than the manipulator, but used similar muscle effort between the joystick and the training box. This study suggests that the multi-degree of freedom joystick could provide more options to practice virtual laparoscopic surgical training tasks with muscle effort and fatigue similar to other traditional training boxes.
authors.affiliation: School of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
authors.forename: Chun-Kai
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Head
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
authors.forename: Carl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oleynikov
authors.affiliation: School of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
authors.forename: Ka-Chun
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Siu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004576:Electromyography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education*; D008297:Male; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D014584:User-Computer Interface