Surgical simulation has become a commonly utilized and well-researched training adjunct in nearly all surgical specialties. Balancing high-quality orthopaedic surgical training in the face of work hour restrictions and efficiency pressures has become a challenge to educators and trainees alike. Surgical simulation is an opportunity to enhance such training and potentially permit trainees to be better equipped for the operating room. In orthopaedics, various low-fidelity, high-fidelity, and virtual reality simulation platforms are readily available to almost all trainees and permit simulation of a wide array of arthroscopic surgeries. In this review, we seek to highlight the potential utility of simulation-based training in orthopaedic surgery, the various types of available simulators, and review the evidence for simulator use.
Keywords: surgical simulation; arthroscopic simulation; orthopaedic education; virtual reality.