Content validation of a novel robotic surgical simulator

Study Type – Therapy (case series)
Level of Evidence 4

OBJECTIVE

? To assess the content validity of an early prototype robotic simulator. Minimally invasive surgery poses challenges for training future surgeons. The Robotic Surgical Simulator (RoSS) is a novel virtual reality simulator for the da Vinci Surgical System.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

? Participants attending the 2010 International Robotic Urology Symposium were invited to experience RoSS. Afterwards, participants completed a survey regarding the appropriateness of the simulator as a teaching tool.

RESULTS

? Forty‐two subjects including surgeons experienced with robotics (n= 31) and novices (n= 11) participated in this study. ? Eighty per cent of the entire cohort had an average of 4 years of experience with robot‐assisted surgery. ? Eleven (26%) novices lacked independent robot‐assisted experience. The expert group comprised 17 (41%) surgeons averaging 881 (160–2200) robot‐assisted cases. Experts rated the ‘clutch control’ virtual simulation task as a good (71%) or excellent (29%) teaching tool. ? Seventy‐eight per cent rated the ‘ball place’ task as good or excellent but 22% rated it as poor. ? Twenty‐seven per cent rated the ‘needle removal’ task as an excellent teaching tool, 60% rated it good and 13% rated it poor. ? Ninety‐one per cent rated the ‘fourth arm tissue removal’ task as good or excellent. ? Ninety‐four per cent responded that RoSS would be useful for training purposes. ? Eighty‐eight per cent felt that RoSS would be an appropriate training and testing format before operating room experience for residents. ? Seventy‐nine per cent indicated that RoSS could be used for privileging or certifying in robotic surgery.

CONCLUSION

? Results based on expert evaluation of RoSS as a teaching modality illustrate that RoSS has appropriate content validity.