MP68-11 THE INFLOW-OPERA STUDY. INVESTIGATIONS IN FLOW STATE MEASUREMENTS WITH EEG DURING SURGICAL PERFORMANCE

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You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP68-11 THE INFLOW-OPERA STUDY. INVESTIGATIONS IN FLOW STATE MEASUREMENTS WITH EEG DURING SURGICAL PERFORMANCE Uwe Bieri, Melanie Baumgartner, Cao Tri, Anne-Raphaëlle Richoz, Daniel Eberli, and Cédric Poyet Uwe BieriUwe Bieri More articles by this author , Melanie BaumgartnerMelanie Baumgartner More articles by this author , Cao TriCao Tri More articles by this author , Anne-Raphaëlle RichozAnne-Raphaëlle Richoz More articles by this author , Daniel EberliDaniel Eberli More articles by this author , and Cédric PoyetCédric Poyet More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003331.11AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Flow is the optimal mental state where individuals experience the highest focus and are fully absorbed in a task. Furthermore, research has shown that Flow predicts performance outcomes in several disciplines. Brain-Computer interfaces and Heart Rate sensors have shown approaches to distinguish Flow with electroencephalography (EEG) and Heart Rate (HR). Individuals who performed significantly better in specific tasks and were in Flow showed increased theta activity (4-7 HZ) in their EEG spectrum and lower HR. Performance outcome is crucial in surgery, and achieving Flow could enhance physicians' performance significantly. Our study aims to investigate these markers during virtual reality (VR) surgery training to provide objective measurements of peak performance. METHODS: We conducted the study with 20 urologic surgeons. We used a wireless EEG headband to record theta activity. HR was measured with a wireless HR sensor. The VR training was performed on the intuitive DaVinci Skills Simulator for robotic-assisted surgery. After completing the surgical tasks, the Flow Short Scale (FSS) was applied to measure the subjective Flow experience. Two VR tasks were performed on the simulator followed by the FSS. This procedure was repeated three times. Our primary objective was to investigate differences between high and low performers, their EEG output, HR and FSS scores. To test the different models, we conducted Generalized Estimating Equations Models (Wald test). Additionally, Spearman's Rank Correlation was computed to detect associations between the variables. RESULTS: We found that high performers had a significantly higher theta activity than low performers with W(2)=7.29, p=.026. In Addition, we observed a significantly lower HR among high performers than among low performers, with W(1)=9.86, p=.007(MD=10.21, SD=3.33). Furthermore, we detected a positive correlation between VR surgery scores and subjective flow experience within high performers with r(10) = 0.63, p=.048. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that surgeons who achieved higher performances showed more theta activity in their EEG spectrum and lower HR than surgeons with lower performance during VR surgeries. These findings highlight the importance of the ability to calm one's physiology as a predictor of performance outcomes. These results may lead to specific bio- and neurofeedback training protocols for surgeons to enhance their performance, accelerate the learning curve and reduce their arousal level during challenging intraoperative situations. Source of Funding: UZH Sc. Foundation © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e957 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Uwe Bieri More articles by this author Melanie Baumgartner More articles by this author Cao Tri More articles by this author Anne-Raphaëlle Richoz More articles by this author Daniel Eberli More articles by this author Cédric Poyet More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...