A virtual-reality simulator and force sensation combined catheter operation training system and its preliminary evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular surgery benefits patients because of its superior short convalescence and lack of damage to healthy tissue. However, such advantages require the operator to be equipped with dexterous skills for catheter manipulation without resulting in collateral damage. To achieve this goal, a training system is in high demand.

METHODS: A training system integrating a VR simulator and a haptic device has been developed within this context. The VR simulator is capable of providing visual cues which assist the novice for safe catheterization. In addition, the haptic device cooperates with VR simulator to apply sensations at the same time. The training system was tested by non-medical subjects over a five days training session.

RESULTS: The performance was evaluated in terms of safety criteria and task completion time. The results demonstrate that operation safety is improved by 15.94% and task completion time is cut by 18.80 s maximum. Moreover, according to subjects' reflections, they are more confident in operation.

CONCLUSIONS: The proposed training system constructs a comprehensive training environment that combines visualization and force sensation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.