NCT06917755

The Impact of Immersive Virtual Reality Training in Thyroid Surgery

The Impact of Immersive Virtual Reality Training in Thyroid Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 12 (estimated)
• Sponsor: G.Gennimatas General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Up to this date, there have been no reports on virtual reality (VR) training in thyroid surgery. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of VR training in residents' education. Investigators intend to include general surgery residents in the trial, subgrouped in a VR training group and another one with traditional learning, utilizing a technical textbook as a control. For the purpose of this study, a commercial available VR mask will be given for training in the VR group. Randomization will be used to secure balance in the distribution of residents according to their experience. The task which will be examined include surgical steps from neck incision up to the placement of the C-IONM electrode and will be evaluated by a blinded FEBS certified endocrine surgeon in the operating theatre. Training superiority will be assessed by the outcome measures of Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) score, need for the main surgeon to intervene (NTI), verbal answers and time to task completion. Participants will complete questionnaires regarding satisfaction of the whole educational process.

Conditions

• Virtual Reality Simulation
• Thyroid Surgery

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Virtual Reality Training in Thyroid Surgery	Participants will use an application in an Immersive Virtual Reality environment. In this module, the participant will be the chief surgeon and will be guided to accomplise the first steps of thyroidectomy: from neck incision until continious neuromonitoring device placement in vagus nerve.
OTHER	Convetional Training	This intervation consists of traditional methods of training. Participants will read specific chapters of a technical book specialised in Endocrine Surgery (Atlas of Thyroid Surgery- Alexander Shifrin). Also, they will be provided with videos of the clinic's archive which will support them with specific surgical steps : neck incision up to Continious Neuromonitoring Device placement on Vagus nerve.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-02-20
• Primary completion: 2025-04-30
• Completion: 2025-05-30
• First posted: 2025-04-08
• Last updated: 2025-04-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Greece