AANA, VirtaMed Partner on Training for Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

The Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and VirtaMed have released enhanced simulation training modules for arthroscopic knee surgeries.
 
The new ACL Reconstruction module includes a new knee model and updated software based on the research findings of the AANA Copernicus Initiative. This Initiative was a four-year series of research investigations into the merit and impact of the Proficiency Based Progression (PBP) training model. PBP Training dictates that the trainee must acquire and demonstrate basic skill sets before progressing on to more advanced techniques. The curriculum focuses on clearly defined metrics composed of steps to complete and specific errors to avoid.
 
In testing conducted by AANA, surgical residents who completed the PBP curriculum completed significantly more tasks and committed 55% fewer errors. They were also five to seven times more likely to achieve a predetermined proficiency benchmark than residents trained using conventional methods.
 
The new ACL Reconstruction module has a total of six new cases, including cases for diagnostics, joint preparation and graft placement. Simulation cases highlight errors and potential patient safety issues, letting surgeons learn from mistakes in a risk-free environment before moving into clinical practice. Dr. Jacqueline Brady, associate professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the Oregon Health and Science University and an AANA knee expert, was one of the first to try the new ACL module. Dr. Brady noted the new cases “are amazingly realistic,” and the new training module “really replicates what residents experience in the operating room.”
 
André Niederberger, Ph.D., senior product manager for Orthopedics at VirtaMed, noted that “the collaboration between VirtaMed and AANA’s working group has been mutually beneficial. We have been able to combine expertise in simulation with expert medical knowledge to improve medical education and protect patient safety.”
 
In developing the new simulators, VirtaMed collaborated with knee experts Drs. Brady, Cassandra Lee, and Patrick Joyner from the AANA Knee Taskforce. VirtaMed and AANA knee experts identified high-priority new cases and features with the most potential impact for training the next generation of surgeons. The VirtaMed ArthroS is unique in simulation training as trainees are able to palpate and distract a physical model while at the same time performing a virtual surgery.
 
The new knee model has been enhanced to make it highly realistic. The model boasts a patella and full sized foot model, which allow physicians to practice palpation and realistic leg manipulation. The model now supports a greater range of motion for both the hip and knee joints, such as hyperflexion for realistic ACL reconstruction and the ‘figure 4’ to allow access to the lateral point compartment. Nine access portals let physicians make their own choices about where to enter the joint to train on their selected procedure.
 
The Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) is an international professional society of more than 6,500 orthopedic surgeons and other medical professionals who are committed to advancing the art and science of arthroscopy and minimally invasive surgery through education, skills assessment and advocacy. Its vision is to be a global leader in arthroscopy and advancing minimally invasive surgical education, advocacy and skills assessment to improve patient care.
 
VirtaMed ArthroS is an advanced mixed reality training simulator for diagnostic and therapeutic knee, shoulder, hip, and ankle arthroscopy. Together with AANA, AAOS, and ABOS, VirtaMed combined its virtual reality graphics with the Sawbones FAST module for Fundamentals of Arthroscopy Surgery Training. From ACL reconstruction to rotator cuff repair, VirtaMed ArthroS offers increasingly complex simulated patients and pathologies, incorporating advanced imaging techniques such as virtual fluoroscopy.