15. Assessing Microsoft HoloLens for Basic Suturing Skill Training

Abstract

Suturing is a basic skill required across several specialties. Medical students are most often taught this skill in a workshop setting with one faculty instructor demonstrating the technique. Often, students do not receive sufficient exposure and practice to reach proficiency during these sessions. As a result, there has been increased interest in self-directed suturing practice. Augmented reality, which involves the projection of virtual images in a user’s real environment, is an emerging tool in medical education. We sought to design and evaluate a training module, Suture Tutor, which combines video instruction with holography and voice control for self-directed suturing practice. We assessed the usability and effectiveness of Suture Tutor in a study conducted with 36 second-year medical students. The students were assigned to the Suture Tutor group or the control group. The Suture Tutor group used the training module on Microsoft HoloLens while the control group used the same instructional material on a laptop. Participants were asked to practice for seven minutes with their assigned training method. Then, they replicated a suturing pattern where their performance was video-recorded and evaluated. The Suture Tutor group completed a survey assessing the usability of the training module. It was found that the Suture Tutor was a user-friendly and helpful adjunct. Additionally, the Suture Tutor group interacted with the instructional material significantly more than the control group did (p = 0.0175), suggesting the use of Microsoft HoloLens increased access to training material. We were unable to make conclusions about the effectiveness of Suture Tutor.