Advances in Medical Education and Practice (Aug 2018)
The role of smartphone game applications in improving laparoscopic skills
Abstract
Marc Chalhoub,1 Aline Khazzaka,1 Riad Sarkis,1 Zaki Sleiman2,3 1Laboratory of Science and Research, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lebanese American University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon; 3The European Academy for Gynecological Surgery, Leuven, Belgium Background: Virtual games (VGs) have a positive impact on laparoscopic skills. Time spent playing, the console and the type of game used correlate with the speed of acquisition of laparoscopic skills and their preservation. Methods: A total of 45 university medical students with no previous surgical experience were divided into three groups: gamers (n=20), control (n=10) and intervention (n=15). They passed the laparoscopic skills testing and training model, developed by the European Academy of Gynecological Surgery, over two sessions. Every 5 intervention participants were asked to play a different smartphone application game daily for 2 months between the two sessions. Scores were calculated at both sessions and used to calculate the evolution ratio between sessions. Results: Significant advantage was found at session 1 of gamers over non-gamers (p=0.002). No significant difference existed between the two non-gamer groups (p=0.96), or between the three intervention sub-groups (p>0.05). All participants’ performances improved between sessions. No significant difference existed in evolution between control and gamers (p=0.121), nor between intervention and gamers (p=0.189). Significant advantage was found in evolutions of the intervention group over control group (p=0.035). Conclusion: Previous VG experience is a significant factor in showing better laparoscopic skills when virtual reality simulator is used for the first time. Recent and regular smartphone gaming practice significantly improves laparoscopic skills in non-gamers independently of the type of game practiced. Smartphone gaming practice appears to influence positively some specific laparoscopic skills more than others. Keywords: virtual games, laparoscopic psychomotor skills, training, smartphone, dry lab
