Comparison of Experts and Residents Performing a Complex Procedure in a Temporal Bone Surgery Simulator

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the use of automated metrics from a virtual reality (VR) temporal bone surgery simulator to determine how the performance of experts and trainees differs when performing a complex otological procedure (mastoidectomy with posterior tympanotomy and cochleostomy). Study Design: Cohort study. Methods: Using the University of Melbourne VR temporal bone surgery simulator, seven ENT consultants and seven ENT residents performed two trials of the surgical approach to cochlear implantation on a virtual temporal bone. Simulator recordings were used to calculate a range of automated metrics for each stage of the procedure, capturing efficiency, technique characteristics, drill..