Cognitive skills analysis, kinesiology, and mental imagery in the acquisition of surgical skills

Goal: Isolate and evaluate the impact of mental imagery on the acquisition of an emergency surgical technique. Method: We studied 44 first-year medical students performing a cricothyrotomy on a mannequin to determine the impact of teaching using mental imagery (MI) and/or kinesiology (KG) compared to the standard Advandec Trauma Life Support (ATLS) approach. Students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: MI and KG, KG alone or control (ATLS). Two weeks after the one-hour teaching session, they were evaluated with an OSCE testing the performance of the different steps of the technique, the time required and its fluidity. Results: Total results (maximum: 25 marks) are as follows: KG + MI = 20.3 +/- 1.5; KG = 19.3 +/- 2.9; ATLS = 18.2 +/- 2.5. The only statistically significant difference for total results was in the use of MI and KG compared to the control group. Kinesiology alone or with mental imagery improved the fluidity of the performance. Conclusion: Many factors influence the acquisition of a surgical technique. This study showed that acquisition and performance of an emergency procedure (cricothyrotomy) was improved when mental imagery and kinesiology were combined to teach it.