Medical Simulation-Based Training System for Rapid Trauma Skills Training

Combat surgery training is an essential mission of the US Armed Forces. Courses such as Emergency War Surgery Course (EWSC) and Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM) have been developed to meet this requirement. However, these courses do not cover all relevant procedures and rely on animals and cadavers which limits their utility. Operative Experience Incorporated will further improve the training of combat surgeons by developing a simulation-based system for the critical procedures of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) and damage control laparotomy for severe, bleeding, combat-relevant abdominal injuries. The system will include a physical simulator of the abdomen and both groins. The system will have three elements: 1.) A physical simulator with high anatomical and surgical fidelity, 2.) a multimedia presentation of the curriculum for each procedure and, 3.) objective metrics to evaluate both cognitive and psychomotor performance. The system will provide standards to judge the proficiency of a practitioner to perform a particular operation. OEI simulators can demonstrate a wide array of bleeding, traumatic injuries and have tissues that can be incised, dissected, retracted, sutured or stapled with standard surgical instruments. A preliminary "face and content" validation of the system will be performed.