Augmented reality assistance in training needle insertions of different levels of difficulty

PURPOSE: Virtual reality and simulation training improve skill acquisition by allowing trainees the opportunity to deliberately practice procedures in a safe environment. The purpose of this study was to find if there was a difference in the amount of improvement the Perk Tutor, an augmented reality training tool, provided depending on the complexity of the procedure. METHODS: We conducted two sets of spinal procedure experiments with different levels of complexity with regards to instrument handling and mental reconstruction - the lumbar puncture and the facet joint injection. In both experiments subjects were randomized into two groups, Control or Perk Tutor. They were guided through a tutorial, given practice attempts with or without Perk Tutor, followed by testing without Perk Tutor augmentation. RESULTS: The Perk Tutor significantly improved trainee outcomes in the facet joint experiment, while the Perk Tutor and the control group performed comparably in the lumbar puncture experiment. CONCLUSION: Perk Tutor and other augmented training systems may be more beneficial for more complex skills that require mental reconstruction of 2-dimensional images or non-palpable anatomy.