Intracranial Hematoma/ Burr Hole and Trauma Flap Simulator

Traumatic brain injury has dramatically increased in military and civilian settings owing to widespread bombings and improvised explosive devices. In many battlefield settings, the availability of neurosurgeons is limited. However, rapid treatment of intracranial hematomas can save lives and limit permanent neurologic sequelae. Training non-neurosurgeons to perform emergency burr holes and limited craniotomies using a simulator can stabilize patients for evacuation and additional treatment by specialty trained persononel. The intracranial hematoma simulator combines a novel hybrid haptic virtual workbench with an integrated curriculum. The developed prototype simulator and its specific task metrics will be validated for educational efficiency using neurosurgery residents and other trauma surgeons.