title: A methodological, task-based approach to Procedure-Specific Simulations training.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Procedure-Specific Simulations (PSS) are 3D realistic simulations that provide a platform to practice complete surgical procedures in a virtual-reality environment. While PSS have the potential to improve surgeons' proficiency, there are no existing standards or guidelines for PSS development in a structured manner.
  
  
  METHODS
  We employ a unique platform inspired by game design to develop virtual reality simulations in three dimensions of urethrovesical anastomosis during radical prostatectomy. 3D visualization is supported by a stereo vision, providing a fully realistic view of the simulation. The software can be executed for any robotic surgery platform. Specifically, we tested the simulation under windows environment on the RobotiX Mentor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using urethrovesical anastomosis during radical prostatectomy simulation as a representative example, we present a task-based methodological approach to PSS training. The methodology provides tasks in increasing levels of difficulty from a novice level of basic anatomy identification, to an expert level that permits testing new surgical approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modular methodology presented here can be easily extended to support more complex tasks. We foresee this methodology as a tool used to integrate PSS as a complementary training process for surgical procedures.
authors.affiliation: R&D Department, 3D Systems Healthcare Formerly Simbionix, Littleton, CO, USA. yaki.setty@gmail.com.|Israeli Operations, Gateway Institute for Brain Research, Tel Aviv, Israel. yaki.setty@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yaki
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2425-5668
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Setty
authors.affiliation: Blavatnic School of Computer Science, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Salzman
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000193:education; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000193:education*; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D014513:Ureter / Q000601:surgery; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000601:surgery; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Medical modeling; Procedure-Specific Simulations (PSS); Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery; Virtual reality