Purpose: Due to the small space environment, the learning curve of pediatric laparoscopic procedures is steep and requires excellent procedural skills. These are mainly gained through an apprenticeship on real patients. Computer-based virtual reality (VR) simulators offer a safe, cost-effective, and configurable training environment free from ethical and patient safety issues. Materials and Methods: We have developed a prototype VR simulator for core manual skills training for pediatric laparoscopic hernia repair. The simulator currently consists of a hernia suturing task on a virtual nonanatomic trainer at a real pediatric scale. Results: A simulation realism validation study was carried out by obtaining subjective feedback (face and content validity) through a questionnaire from 36 pediatric surgeons. The overall simulation realism was on average marked 3.08 on a 5-point Likert scale (1: "very unrealistic" and 5: "very realistic"). The participants were most satisfied with the visual realism (3.33) and most critical about the behavior of virtual tissue. The simulator showed good content validity; its usefulness as a training tool for hernia repair, suturing in general, and in learning fundamental laparoscopic skills was marked 3.61, 3.64, and 3.89, respectively. Conclusions: VR simulation of pediatric laparoscopic procedures can contribute to surgical training and improve the educational experience without putting our youngest patients at risk. This simulator is a first prototype, and the initial results indicate that it provides promising foundations for further development. More formal and larger studies such as construct validity and transfer of skills are envisaged as the prototype is developed further.
Keywords: pediatric hernia repair; simulation training; virtual reality.