Immersive training: Breaking the bubble and measuring the heat
Pluyter,J.R. Rutkowski,A.F. Jakimowicz,J.J.
Pluyter,J.R.
Rutkowski,A.F.
Jakimowicz,J.J.
Abstract
Background Minimal access surgery and, lately, single-incision laparoscopic procedures are challenging and demanding with regard to the skills of the surgeon performing the procedures. This article presents the results of an investigation of the performance and attention focus of 21 medical interns and surgical residents training in an immersive context. That is, training ‘in situation’, representing more realistically the demands imposed on the surgeons during minimal access surgery. Methods Twenty-one medical interns and surgical residents participated in simulation trainings in an integrated operating room for laparoscopic surgery. Various physiological measures of body heat expenditure were gathered as indicators of mental strain and attention focus. Results The results of the Mann–Whitney test indicated that participants with a poor performance in the two laparoscopic cholecystectomy cases had a significantly (U = 3, p = 0.038) higher heat flux at the start of the procedure (mean 107.08, standard deviation [SD] 24.34) than those who excelled in the two cases (mean 62.64, SD 23.41). Also, the average frontal head temperature of the participants who failed at the task was significantly lower (mean 33.27, SD 0.52) than those who performed well (mean 33.92, SD 0.27). Conclusions Surgeons cannot operate in a bubble; thus, they should not be trained in one. Combining heat flux and frontal head temperature could be a good measure of deep involvement and attentional focus during performance of simulated surgical tasks.
Description
Date
2014-05
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Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
attention focus, cognitive absorption, immersive training, simulation training, mental strain, SDG 4 - Quality Education
Citation
Pluyter, J R, Rutkowski, A F & Jakimowicz, J J 2014, 'Immersive training : Breaking the bubble and measuring the heat', Surgical Endoscopy and Other Interventional Techniques, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 1545-1554. https://doi.org/10.1007%2fs00464-013-3350-4