The use of extended reality in anesthesiology education: a scoping review

PurposeExtended reality, an umbrella term for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, is increasingly used in health care education as it requires fewer human and logistical resources and offers reduced costs compared with high-fidelity simulations. Nevertheless, the impact of extended reality on education and training in anesthesiology is largely unknown. We aimed to explore the existing extended reality tools and applications in anesthesiology, identify current knowledge gaps, and highlight future research needs in anesthesiology education.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of studies published from January 2010 to December 2023 that focused on extended reality training in anesthesiology and included comparative analyses with other methods. We excluded publications investigating topics unrelated to anesthesiology or not involving interaction with extended reality.ResultsAfter screening 5,419 studies, we included 62 manuscripts in the final analysis. The definitions and uses of extended reality in anesthesiology education were very heterogeneous. Thirty-seven studies compared extended reality with other forms of training. Neuraxial procedures, peripheral blocks, central venous catheters, and bronchoscopy were primarily investigated. Extended reality improved technical skills, knowledge retention, confidence, and student satisfaction. Six studies reported at least one negative result related to learning, sense of realism, and usefulness.ConclusionThe results of this scoping review highlight the increasing interest of extended reality in anesthesiology education. Nevertheless, many studies lack objective outcome measures and relevant comparisons with existing standards. In addition, extended reality needs to be consistently defined in anesthesiology education to derive optimal benefit and impact. Future studies should also focus on defining extended reality's learning objectives and clinical assessments of trainees' performance, which are commonly missing compared with high-fidelity simulation teaching.Study registrationOpen Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PDT2F); first submitted 28 June 2023. ObjectifLa r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue, terme g & eacute;n & eacute;rique d & eacute;signant r & eacute;alit & eacute; virtuelle, augment & eacute;e et mixte, est de plus en plus utilis & eacute;e dans l'enseignement de la sant & eacute; car elle n & eacute;cessite moins de ressources humaines et logistiques et r & eacute;duit les co & ucirc;ts par rapport aux simulations haute fid & eacute;lit & eacute;. N & eacute;anmoins, l'impact de la r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue sur l'& eacute;ducation et la formation en anesth & eacute;siologie est largement m & eacute;connue. Notre objectif & eacute;tait d'explorer les applications et outils existants en r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue en anesth & eacute;siologie, d'identifier les lacunes actuelles en mati & egrave;re de connaissances et de mettre en & eacute;vidence les besoins futurs en mati & egrave;re de recherche dans l'enseignement de l'anesth & eacute;siologie.M & eacute;thodeNous avons r & eacute;alis & eacute; une & eacute;tude de port & eacute;e des & eacute;tudes publi & eacute;es de janvier 2010 & agrave; d & eacute;cembre 2023 qui focalisaient sur la formation en r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue en anesth & eacute;siologie et incluaient des analyses comparatives avec d'autres m & eacute;thodes. Nous avons exclu les publications portant sur des sujets sans rapport avec l'anesth & eacute;siologie ou n'impliquant pas d'interaction avec la r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue.R & eacute;sultatsApr & egrave;s avoir examin & eacute; 5419 & eacute;tudes, nous avons inclus 62 manuscrits dans l'analyse finale. Les d & eacute;finitions et les utilisations de la r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue dans l'enseignement de l'anesth & eacute;siologie & eacute;taient tr & egrave;s h & eacute;t & eacute;rog & egrave;nes. Trente-sept & eacute;tudes ont compar & eacute; la r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue & agrave; d'autres types de formation. Les interventions neuraxiales, les blocs p & eacute;riph & eacute;riques, les cath & eacute;ters veineux centraux et la bronchoscopie & eacute;taient les principaux sujets & agrave; l'& eacute;tude. La r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue a am & eacute;lior & eacute; les comp & eacute;tences techniques, la r & eacute;tention des connaissances, la confiance et la satisfaction des & eacute;tudiants et & eacute;tudiantes. Six & eacute;tudes ont rapport & eacute; au moins un r & eacute;sultat n & eacute;gatif li & eacute; & agrave; l'apprentissage, au sens du r & eacute;alisme et & agrave; l'utilit & eacute;.ConclusionLes r & eacute;sultats de cette & eacute;tude de port & eacute;e mettent en & eacute;vidence l'int & eacute;r & ecirc;t croissant pour la r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue dans l'enseignement de l'anesth & eacute;siologie. N & eacute;anmoins, de nombreuses & eacute;tudes manquent de mesures objectives des r & eacute;sultats et de comparaisons pertinentes avec les normes existantes. De plus, la r & eacute;alit & eacute; & eacute;tendue doit & ecirc;tre d & eacute;finie de mani & egrave;re coh & eacute;rente dans l'enseignement de l'anesth & eacute;siologie afin d'en tirer des b & eacute;n & eacute;fices et des impacts optimaux. Les & eacute;tudes futures devraient & eacute;galement se concentrer sur la d & eacute;finition des objectifs d'apprentissage de