Feasibility of the Epiduroscopy Simulator as a Training Tool: A Pilot Study

Epiduroscopy is a type of spinal intervention that visualizes the epidural space through the sacral hiatus using a fiberoptic scope. However, it is technically difficult to perform compared to conventional interventions and susceptible to complications. Surgery simulator has been shown to be a promi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jong Joo Lee, Junho Ko, Yeomin Yun, Seong-Wook Jang, Yoon Ha, Yoon Sang Kim, Dong Ah Shin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Pain Research and Management
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5428170
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Summary:Epiduroscopy is a type of spinal intervention that visualizes the epidural space through the sacral hiatus using a fiberoptic scope. However, it is technically difficult to perform compared to conventional interventions and susceptible to complications. Surgery simulator has been shown to be a promising modality for medical education. To develop the epiduroscopy simulator and prove its usefulness for epiduroscopy training, we performed a case-control study including a total of 20 physicians. The participants were classified as the expert group with more than 30 epiduroscopy experiences and the beginner group with less experience. A virtual simulator (EpiduroSIM™, BioComputing Lab, KOREATECH, Cheonan, Republic of Korea) for epiduroscopy was developed by the authors. The performance of the participants was measured by three items: time to reach a virtual target, training score, and number of times the dura and nerve are violated. The training score was better in the expert group (75.00 vs. 67.50; P<0.01). The number of violations was lower in the expert group (3.50 vs. 4.0; P<0.01). The realism of the epidural simulator was evaluated to be acceptable in 40%. Participants improved their simulator skills through repeated attempts. The epiduroscopy simulator helped participants understand the anatomical structure and actual epiduroscopy.
ISSN:1203-6765
1918-1523