Novel workflow analysis of robot-assisted hysterectomy through objective performance indicators: a pilot study.

Introduction: The curriculum for a da Vinci surgeon in gynecology requires special training before a surgeon performs their first independent case, but standardized, objective assessments of a trainee's workflow or skills learned during clinical cases are lacking. This pilot study presents a methodology to evaluate intraoperative surgeon behavior in hysterectomy cases through standardized surgical step segmentation paired with objective performance indicators (OPIs) calculated directly from robotic data streams. This method can provide individual case analysis in a truly objective capacity.

Toward Correcting Anxious Movements Using Haptic Cues on the Da Vinci Surgical Robot.

Surgical movements have an important stylistic quality that individuals without formal surgical training can use to identify expertise. In our prior work, we sought to characterize quantitative metrics associated with surgical style and developed a near-real-time detection framework for stylistic deficiencies using a commercial haptic device. In this paper, we implement bimanual stylistic detection on the da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK) and focus on one stylistic deficiency, "Anxious", which may describe movements under stressful conditions.

Adaptive Surgical Robotic Training Using Real-Time Stylistic Behavior Feedback Through Haptic Cues.

Surgical skill directly affects surgical procedure outcomes; thus, effective training is needed to ensure satisfactory results. Many objective assessment metrics have been developed that provide the trainee with descriptive feedback about their performance however, often lack feedback on how to improve performance. The most effective training method is one that is intuitive, easy to understand, personalized to the user,and provided in a timely manner.

Automatic Surgical Skill Rating Using Stylistic Behavior Components.

A gold standard in surgical skill rating and evaluation is direct observation, which a group of experts rate trainees based on a likert scale, by observing their performance during a surgical task. This method is time and resource intensive. To alleviate this burden, many studies have focused on automatic surgical skill assessment; however, the metrics suggested by the literature for automatic evaluation do not capture the stylistic behavior of the user.

Minimization of target registration error for vertebra in image-guided spine surgery.

Purpose: The accuracy of pedicle screw placement during image-guided spine surgery (IGSS) can be characterized by estimating the target registration error (TRE). The major factors that influence TRE were identified, minimized, and verified with in vitro experiments.

Materials And Methods: Computed-tomography-compatible markers are placed over anatomical landmarks of lumbar vertebral segments in locations that are feasible and routinely used in surgical procedures.