Transfer of cysto-urethroscopy skills from a virtual-reality simulator to the operating room: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To assess whether real-time cysto-urethroscopy (CUS) performance improves by simulator-based training (criterion or predictive validity), addressing the research question 'Does practical skills training on the URO Mentor (UM, Simbionix USA Corp., Cleveland, OH, USA) virtual-reality simulator improve the performance of flexible CUS in patients'.

Subjects And Methods: Participants (71 interns from Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, CHE, and 29 from University Medical Centre Groningen, UMCG) were randomized to carry out CUS in a patient after training on the UM (UM-trained, 50) or without training on UM (control, 50).

Acquisition of flexible cystoscopy skills on a virtual reality simulator by experts and novices.

Objective: To assess the construct validity of the URO Mentor (Simbionix Corp., Cleveland, OH, USA) virtual reality training model for several variables of skills training in cysto-urethroscopy, addressing two research questions: (i) Does training on the URO Mentor significantly improve novices' performance in terms of time, trauma, areas inspected and Global Rating Scale (GRS) score?; (ii) is discrimination between different levels of expertise possible using the URO Mentor?

Methods: Thirty experts and 50 novices performed seven tasks on the URO Mentor during one training session. The first, fourth and seventh tasks were 'test tasks' to evaluate participants' performance.

The virtual reality endourologic simulator is realistic and useful for educational purposes.

Purpose: To examine the educational value of URO Mentor, a virtual reality simulator for endourologic procedures, by establishing its face and content validity.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-nine urologists and residents in urology performed a urethrocystoscopy task (bladder inspection, biopsy, and coagulation) or a ureterorenoscopy task (manipulation of a distal ureter stone) using the URO Mentor. They completed an evaluation questionnaire about these tasks.

Teaching diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of bladder pathology using a newly developed pig bladder model.

Purpose: To present a newly developed, low-cost, easy-to-use training model for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in bladder pathology with real-time haptics.

Materials And Methods: The model consists of a white plastic box in which a removable unit is placed and has been constructed to accommodate a prepared pig bladder on a metal plate. Small and large bladder tumors can be created in the bladder enabling diagnostics and treatment.