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. 2021 May 18;21(1):284.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-021-02706-8.

Otoskills training during covid-19 pandemic: a before-after study

Maxime Fieux  1   2   3   4 , Antoine Gavoille  5   6   7 , Fabien Subtil  5   6   7 , Sophie Bartier  8   9   10 , Stéphane Tringali  11   5
Affiliations

Otoskills training during covid-19 pandemic: a before-after study

Maxime Fieux et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the surgical training of residents. There is a real concern that trainees will not be able to meet their training requirements. Low-fidelity surgical simulation appears to be an alternative for surgical training. The educational benefits of repeating ossiculoplasty simulations under a microscope have never been evaluated. With this study we aimed to evaluate the differences in performance scores and on a global rating scale before and after training on an ossiculoplasty simulator.

Methods: In this quasi-experimental, prospective, single-centre, before-after study with blinded rater evaluation, residents performed five microscopic ossiculoplasty tasks with a difficulty gradient (sliding beads onto rods, the insertion of a partial prosthesis, the insertion of a total prosthesis, and the insertion of a stapedotomy piston under microscopic or endoscopic surgery) before and after training on the same simulator. Performance scores were defined for each task, and total performance scores (score/min) were calculated. All data were collected prospectively.

Results: Six out of seven intermediate residents and 8/9 novices strongly agreed that the simulator was an effective training device and should be included in the ENT residency program. The mean effect of training was a significant increase in the total performance score (+ 0.52 points/min, [95 % CI, 0.40-0.64], p < 0.001), without a significant difference between novice and intermediate residents.

Conclusions: This preliminary study shows that techniques for middle-ear surgery can be acquired using a simulator, avoiding any risk for patients, even under lockdown measures.

Keywords: Medical education; Middle-ear; Simulation; Surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study Design. TORP, Total Ossicular Replacement Prothesis; PORP, Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis; PS, Performance Score; GRS, Global Rating Scale
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photograph of the simulator with the three modules (b-c, d and e). Figure of the simulator tested (a) with three different modules and four different tasks performed by participants : b) insertion of a TORP (module 1); c) rods on beads (module 1); d) insertion of a PORP (module 2); e) insertion of a piston through a stapedotomy (module 3). 7 TORP, Total Ossicular Replacement Prothesis; PORP, Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Box plot of the PS per minute and GRS for novice and intermediate participants at T1 and T2. PS per minute and GRS for novice (dot) and intermediate (triangle) participants with box plot showing the statistically significant improvement between before (T1) and after (T2) training. PS, Performance Score. GRS, Global Rating Scale
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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