title: Prior video game utilization is associated with improved performance on a robotic skills simulator.
abstract: Laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery, two forms of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), have recently experienced a large increase in utilization. Prior studies have shown that video game experience (VGE) may be associated with improved laparoscopic surgery skills; however, similar data supporting a link between VGE and proficiency on a robotic skills simulator (RSS) are lacking. The objective of our study is to determine whether volume or timing of VGE had any impact on RSS performance. Pre-clinical medical students completed a comprehensive questionnaire detailing previous VGE across several time periods. Seventy-five subjects were ultimately evaluated in 11 training exercises on the daVinci Si Skills Simulator. RSS skill was measured by overall score, time to completion, economy of motion, average instrument collision, and improvement in Ring Walk 3 score. Using the nonparametric tests and linear regression, these metrics were analyzed for systematic differences between non-users, light, and heavy video game users based on their volume of use in each of the following four time periods: past 3 months, past year, past 3 years, and high school. Univariate analyses revealed significant differences between heavy and non-users in all five performance metrics. These trends disappeared as the period of VGE went further back. Our study showed a positive association between video game experience and robotic skills simulator performance that is stronger for more recent periods of video game use. The findings may have important implications for the evolution of robotic surgery training.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Urology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Harbin
authors.affiliation: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Kumar S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nadhan
authors.affiliation: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Temple Clinical Research Institute, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3440 N. Broad St-Kresge 216, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA. DYU@Temple.edu.
authors.forename: Daohai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Urology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McGinley-Hence
authors.affiliation: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Urology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Eun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D000066908:Simulation Training; D018910:Video Games; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Da Vinci surgical system; Laparoscopic; Robotic surgery; Training; Video game usage