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. 2020 Sep;277(9):2589-2595.
doi: 10.1007/s00405-020-06014-7. Epub 2020 May 7.

High definition three-dimensional exoscope (VITOM 3D) for microsurgery training: a preliminary experience

Armando De Virgilio  1   2 , Andrea Costantino  3   4 , Claudia Ebm  5 , Valerio Conti  1   2 , Tiziana Mondello  1   2 , Matteo Di Bari  1   2 , Giovanni Cugini  1   2 , Giuseppe Mercante  1   2 , Giuseppe Spriano  1   2
Affiliations

High definition three-dimensional exoscope (VITOM 3D) for microsurgery training: a preliminary experience

Armando De Virgilio et al. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a high definition 3D exoscope (VITOM®) for microsurgery training in a cohort of naïve medical students.

Methods: Twenty-two consecutive medical students performed a battery of four exercises assessing basic microsurgical skills. The students were randomized in two different groups based on two different VITOM® holding systems (VERSACRANE™ and ARTip™ cruise). Participants self-reported the VITOM® system quality on a 4-point Likert scale (VITOM Quality Assessment Tool). The time needed to complete the exercises was analyzed.

Results: All students successfully completed the training, and no technical issues were raised during the simulation. The majority of the individual items were judged "good" or "very good" (n = 187; 94.4%), regardless of the two groups. "Image quality" (n = 21; 95%), "magnification rate" (n = 20; 91%), "stereoscopic effect" (n = 19; 86%), and "focusing" (n = 18; 82%) represented the best-rated items. No statistically significant difference between the two groups was measured in almost all items of the VITOM Quality Assessment Tool (p > 0.05). The time needed to perform each exercise showed a statistically significant difference between groups in two tests (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility of a VITOM-based microsurgery training. The students' subjective assessment of the VITOM® 3D system was promising in terms of technological quality and technical feasibility. Further studies are recommended to define which VITOM® holding system could be more appropriate for microsurgery training.

Keywords: Exoscope; Microsurgery; Simulation; Training; VITOM.

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