Does Playing Video Games Improve Surgical Skills? Another Look. In laparoscopic

Question

Does Playing Video Games Improve Surgical Skills? Another Look. In laparoscopic surgery, a video camera and several thin instruments are inserted into the patient’s abdominal cavity. The surgeon uses the image from the video camera positioned inside the patient’s body to perform the procedure by manipulating the instruments that have been inserted. It has been found that the Nintendo WiiTM, with its motion-sensing interface, reproduces the movements required in laparoscopic surgery more closely than other video games. If training with a Nintendo WiiTM can improve laparoscopic skills, it can complement the more expensive training on a laparoscopic simulator. Forty-two medical residents were chosen and all were tested on a set of basic laparoscopic skills. Twenty-one were selected at random to undergo systematic Nintendo WiiTM training for one hour a day, five days a week, for four weeks. The remaining 21 residents were given no Nintendo WiiTM training and asked to refrain from video games during this period. At the end of four weeks, all 42 residents were tested again on the same set of laparoscopic skills. The difference in time (before — after) to complete a virtual gall bladder removal on the simulator was measured.9

(a)Compare the study described above with the study in Example 9.1. What are the important differences between the two studies? Ignoring the fact that different video games and measures of laparoscopic skill were used in the two studies, explain in simple language which study gives stronger evidence that playing video games is helpful in improving laparoscopic skills and why.

(b)Outline the design of this experiment, following the model of Figure 9.3. What is the response variable?

(c)Carry out the random assignment of 21 residents to the Nintendo training group, using Table B, starting at line 130.

EXAMPLE 9.1 Does Playing Video Games Improve Surgical Skills? In laparoscopic surgery, a video camera and several thin instruments are inserted into the patient's abdominal cavity. The surgeon uses the image from the video camera positioned inside the patient's body to perform the procedure by manipulating the instruments that have been inserted. Because of the similarity in many of the skills involved in video games and laparoscopic surgery, it was hypothesized that surgeons with greater prior video game experience might acquire the skills required in laparoscopic surgery more easily. Thirty-three surgeons participated in the study and were classified into the three categories-never used, under three hours per day, and more than three hours per day-depending on the number of hours they played video games at the height of their video game use. It was found that those with more video game playing did better in a simulator program measuring laparoscopic skills However, in their conclusions the authors correctly point out, "This is a correlational (observational) study and, therefore, causality cannot be definitely determined." Although the data showed a clear association between prior video game experience and improved scores in the simulator program, we cannot conclude that more video game playing caused the improvement. People who play more video games may be different from those who don't, in terms of both their interest and the natural skills that are required in video games. Those who played more video games may have scored better simply because they have more ability in areas such as fine motor skills, eye- hand coordination, and depth perception that are required in both video games and laparoscopic surgery It is easy to imagine an experiment that would settle the issue of whether playing video games really causes improvement in laparoscopic skills. Choose half of a group of surgeons at random to be the "treatment" group. The remaining half becomes the control" group. Require the treatment group to play video games on a regular basis for several weeks and require the control group to abstain from video games. This experiment isolates the effect of playing video games. See Exercise 9.8 for a description of such an experiment of playing video games. See Exercise 9

Explanation / Answer

The study is effective one as it uses a contrl group of residents who refrained from training in the video game versus trained residents with the video game. But at the same time the study evolves the issue of inbuilt intutition capacity related to hand-eye coordination is considered or not. Moreover, time in completion of an operation does not necessarily indicate efficiency. Post operative recovery is more important than fast operation.

The response variable is time of completion of gall bladder operation.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse D
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.