Simulation Approaches To X-Ray C-Arm-Based Interventions, Daniel R. Allen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mobile C-Arm systems have enabled interventional spine procedures, such as facet joint injections, to be performed minimally-invasively under X-ray or fluoroscopy guidance. The downside to these procedures is the radiation exposure the patient and medical staff are subject to, which can vary greatly depending on the procedure as well as the skill and experience of the team. Standard training methods for these procedures involve the use of a physical C-Arm with real X-rays training on either cadavers or via an apprenticeship-based program. Many guidance systems have been proposed in the literature which aim to reduce the amount of radiation exposure …

Development Of A Physical Shoulder Simulator For The Training Of Basic Arthroscopic Skills, Laura C. Mccracken

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Increasingly, shoulder surgeries are performed using arthroscopic techniques, leading to reduced tissue damage and shorter patient recovery times. Orthopaedic training programs are responding to the increased demand for arthroscopic surgeries by incorporating arthroscopic skills into their residency curriculums. A need for accessible and effective training tools exists.

This thesis describes the design and development of a physical shoulder simulator for training basic arthroscopy skills such as triangulation, orientation, and navigation of the anatomy. The simulator can be used in either the lateral decubitus or beach chair orientation and accommodates wet or dry practice. Sensors embedded in the simulator provide a …

Metrics For Evaluating Surgical Microscope Usage During Myringotomy, Arefin M. Shamsil

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

Although teaching and learning surgical microscope manoeuvring is a fundamental step in middle ear surgical training, currently there is no objective method to teach or assess this skill. This thesis presents an experimental study designed to implement and test sets of metrics capable of numerically evaluating microscope manoeuvrability and qualitatively assessing surgical expertise of a subject during a middle ear surgery called myringotomy. The experiment involved performing a myringotomy on a fixed cadaveric ear. As participants, experienced ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgeons and ENT surgical residents were invited. While performing the procedure, their microscope manoeuvring motions were captured as translational and …