Simulation to become a better neurosurgeon. An international prospective controlled trial: The Passion study.

Introduction: Surgical training traditionally adheres to the apprenticeship paradigm, potentially exposing trainees to an increased risk of complications stemming from their limited experience. To mitigate this risk, augmented and virtual reality have been considered, though their effectiveness is difficult to assess.

Research Question: The PASSION study seeks to investigate the improvement of manual dexterity following intensive training with neurosurgical simulators and to discern how surgeons' psychometric characteristics may influence their learning process and surgical performance.

Informed consent through 3D virtual reality: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The informed consent is a defining moment that should allow patients to understand their condition, what procedure they are undergoing, and what consequences may follow. This process should foster trust and promote confidence, without increasing patients' anxiety. New immersive 3D imaging technologies may serve as a tool to facilitate this endeavor.

Filling the gap between the OR and virtual simulation: a European study on a basic neurosurgical procedure.

Background: Currently available simulators are supposed to allow young neurosurgeons to hone their technical skills in a safe environment, without causing any unnecessary harm to their patients caused by their inexperience. For this training method to be largely accepted in neurosurgery, it is necessary to prove simulation efficacy by means of large-scale clinical validation studies.

Methods: We correlated and analysed the performance at a simulator and the actual operative skills of different neurosurgeons (construct validity).

USim: A New Device and App for Case-Specific, Intraoperative Ultrasound Simulation and Rehearsal in Neurosurgery. A Preliminary Study.

Background: Intraoperative ultrasound (iUS) is an excellent aid for neurosurgeons to perform better and safer operations thanks to real time, continuous, and high-quality intraoperative visualization.

Objective: To develop an innovative training method to teach how to perform iUS in neurosurgery.

Methods: Patients undergoing surgery for different brain or spine lesions were iUS scanned (before opening the dura) in order to arrange a collection of 3-dimensional, US images; this set of data was matched and paired to preoperatively acquired magnetic resonance images in order to create a library of neurosurgical cases to be studied offline for training and rehearsal purposes.