Simulation in neurosurgery—a brief review and commentary
Abstract
Neurosurgery is one of the most technically demanding and liable of all medical professionals. More than 75% of neurosurgical errors are deemed as preventable and technical in nature. Yet in a specialty that requires such high level of technical expertise, with large consequences for error, there are even fewer opportunities for residents in training to practice on the most complicated cases. Although there is no replacement for actual experiences in the operating room, interpersonal mentorship, coaching, and training, there is room to supplement residency education through simulation. Here we review the evidence to support surgical simulation, describe the strengths and weaknesses of existing technologies in direct neurosurgery specific and indirect simulation applications, and advocate for the development of more neurosurgery-specific applications using emerging kinetic technologies.
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- Authors
- Cobb, M. I.-P. H., Taekman, J. M., Zomorodi, A. R., Gonzalez, L. F., & Turner, D. A.
- Affiliations
- Duke University (US)
- Duke Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cobb, Mary In-Ping Huang
- Venue
- World Neurosurgery
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-05
- Volume
- 89
- Pages
- 583-586
- ISSN
- 1878-8750 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2210589899
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 0.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- World Neurosurgery (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Surgical Simulation and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Simulation-Based Education in Healthcare
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Anatomy and Medical Technology
- Keywords
- surgical simulation, neurosurgery, surgical training, neurosurgery residents, surgical errors, simulation-based education, surgical skills training
- MeSH terms
- Brain Diseases, Competency-Based Education, Computer-Assisted Instruction, Computer Simulation, Humans, Neurosurgery
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