title: Development of a virtual reality training system for endoscope-assisted submandibular gland removal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endoscope-assisted surgery has widely been adopted as a basic surgical procedure, with various training systems using virtual reality developed for this procedure. In the present study, a basic training system comprising virtual reality for the removal of submandibular glands under endoscope assistance was developed. The efficacy of the training system was verified in novice oral surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A virtual reality training system was developed using existing haptic devices. Virtual reality models were constructed from computed tomography data to ensure anatomical accuracy. Novice oral surgeons were trained using the developed virtual reality training system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The developed virtual reality training system included models of the submandibular gland and surrounding connective tissues and blood vessels entering the submandibular gland. Cutting or abrasion of the connective tissue and manipulations, such as elevation of blood vessels, were reproduced by the virtual reality system. A training program using the developed system was devised. Novice oral surgeons were trained in accordance with the devised training program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our virtual reality training system for endoscope-assisted removal of the submandibular gland is effective in the training of novice oral surgeons in endoscope-assisted surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Dean: K. Imaida), Faculty of Medicine/Graduate School of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cyo, Takamatsu City, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan. Electronic address: wattakd1@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, 3-9 Fukuura, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan. Electronic address: iwai104oams@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.affiliation: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, School of Information Science, 1-8 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1211, Japan. Electronic address: ikko@jaist.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.affiliation: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, School of Information Science, 1-8 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1211, Japan. Electronic address: jdang@jaist.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Jianwu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: Department of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering/Graduate School of Engineering, Kagawa University, Hayashi-cho 2217-20, Takamatsu City, Kagawa 761-0396, Japan. Electronic address: sawada@eng.kagawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Dean: K. Imaida), Faculty of Medicine/Graduate School of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cyo, Takamatsu City, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan. Electronic address: dentmm@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyake
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000193:education* / Q000295:instrumentation; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Endoscope-assisted; Haptic device; Submandibular gland; Virtual reality training system