Ali N Bahsoun, MBBS1, Jean Nehme, MBBS, MSc2, Andre Chow2. 1King’s College London, 2Touch Surgery
1. Objective of the technology:
Touch Surgery is a free mobile platform that allows surgical trainees to simulate and rehearse surgical procedures on smartphones and tablets. This allows for unrestricted access to simulate over 50 surgical procedures. Touch Surgery has also been a tool that allows attendings to share their method of a procedure. Nursing staff and patients have used this tool to better understand a procedure.
2. Description of the technology and method of its use or application:
Touch Surgery can be downloaded on any Apple (Apple, CA USA) or Android (Google, CA USA) device. Surgical trainees can filter and find procedures by their specialty. For each procedure the trainee can read about the operation from the abstract then learn the steps of specific procedure parts through an interactive video or be tested on the procedure through a series of multiple choice questions and swipe interactions. After the trainees have tested themselves, they may review feedback on their errors and track their progress with repetitions. Everyday the app will also recommend up to 6 new peer-reviewed papers from the user’s surgical interests.
3. Preliminary results:
Independent validation work has already commenced including construct, face, and content validation. Construct validation tests have demonstrated the simulator’s ability to differentiate between different skills levels (p<0.0001). Face and content validation has been demonstrated through feedback questionnaires where the median rating of the simulator was 4 on a 5-point Likert scale.
4. Conclusions and future direction:
Smart devices are now in the hands of almost every surgeon and trainee. Touch Surgery, a surgical simulator for smart devices will help significantly improve access to simulation training and operative rehearsal.
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