Training platforms, virtual or physical, are a perfect complement to conventional training such as dissection practices that usually provide limited availability and result in high cost. 

SENTISIM User Interface

The estimated cost of educating a surgeon simply in added time in the operating room has been estimated at about $50.000 during the five-year residence period. 

Bridges M, et al. (1999) “The financial impact ofteaching surgical residents in the operating room.” Am J Surg; 177:28-32.

SENTISIM is a hybrid simulation platform (under patent process) for training and evaluation of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) combines a virtual and a physical environment, taking the advantages of both approaches. 

The prototype , Winner of the 9th Joint Workshop on New Technologies for Computer/Robot Assisted Surgery  at CRAS 2019, has
been tested in the 2nd edition of MelaTX a workshop in Sevilla that involved twenty-two dermatologists; the majority expressed an increase in self-confidence in their SLNB skills.

Tomàs Pieras and Albert Hernansan

The software of the platform collects all the data from the sensors, guides the exercise through a user interface, once finished theexercise, the  software evaluates the training session through performance data.

The evaluation metrics considers time, precision of detection, probe sweeping area, correct node extraction and accidents (vessel or nerve cut). This evaluation is combined with an ocular inspection from a supervisor.

Usability tests will be done in near future to analyze impact in learning curves.

Read the Proceedings “SENTISIM: A hybrid training platform for SLNB in local melanoma staging” of the 9th Joint Workshop on New Technologies for Computer/Robot Assisted Surgery (CRAS 2019).

Authors: A. Hernansanz, T. Pieras, L. Ferrandiz, D. Moreno, A. Casals