Objective assessment for open surgical suturing training by finger tracking can discriminate novices from experts

Bibliographic Data

ID15328585
AuthorsVera Hillemans (0000-0002-6667-3668, Department of Surgery, Radboudumc – department of surgery, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, corresponding author), Xander van de Mortel (Department of Surgery, Radboudumc – department of surgery, Nijmegen, The Netherlands), Otmar R Buyne (0000-0001-5175-1582, Radboud University Nijmegen), Otmar Buyne (Department of Surgery, Radboudumc – department of surgery, Nijmegen, The Netherlands), Bas H Verhoeven (0000-0001-8874-1142, Department of Surgery, Radboudumc – department of surgery, Nijmegen, The Netherlands), Sanne M B I Botden (0000-0001-9134-5458, Amalia Children’s hospital, Radboudumc – Amalia Children’s hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
Year2023
Volume28
Issue1
Pages2198818-2198818
Publication date2023-04-04
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Education Online (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1087-2981 • E-ISSN: 1087-2981
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10872981.2023.2198818
PMID37013910
OpenAlexW4362521432
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited37

It is difficult, time consuming and expensive to assess manual skills in open surgery. The aim of this study is to investigate the construct validity of a low-cost, easily accessible tracking technique for basic open suturing tasks. Medical master students, surgical residents, and surgeons at the Radboud University Medical Center were recruited between September 2020 until September 2021. The participants were divided, according to experience, in a novice group (≤10 sutures performed) and an expert group (>50 sutures performed). For objective tracking, a tablet with SurgTrac software was used, which tracked a blue and a red tag placed on respectively their left and right index finger. The participants executed four basic tasks on a suturing model: 1) knot tying by hand, 2) transcutaneous suturing with an instrument knot, 3) 'Donati' (vertical mattress suture) with an instrument knot and 4) continuous intracutaneous suturing without a knot. In total 76 participants were included: 57 novices and 19 experts. All four tasks showed significant differences between the novice group and expert group for the parameters time (p<0.001), distance (p<0.001 for Task 1, 2 and 3 and p=0.034 for Task 4) and smoothness (p<0.001). Additionally, Task 3 showed a significant difference for the parameter handedness (p=0.006) and Task 4 for speed (p=0.033). Tracking index finger movements using SurgTrac software on a tablet while executing basic open suturing skills on a simulator shows excellent construct validity for time, distance and motion smoothness in all four suturing tasks

Construct validity · Index finger · Knot tying · Medical physics · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Physical therapy · Simulation · Task (project management · Anatomy and Medical Technology · Computer Science · Engineering · Medicine · Surgical Simulation and Training · Surgical Sutures and Adhesives · Surgery

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