Purpose: This study was performed to determine the effectiveness of videoscopic phantom-based angiographic simulation (VPAS) in providing effective endovascular procedural training for medical student and resident populations.
Materials and methods: Medical students and radiology residents were separated equally into experimental and control groups (n = 20 each). The primary objective was to evaluate the efficiency of cannulating vessels with the use of the VPAS apparatus. The experimental group received 30 minutes of didactic training on angiography techniques and 30 minutes of untutored hands-on practice with the VPAS. The control group received a 60-minute didactic session without subsequent practice on the VPAS. After 1 hour of total training for each group, every participant was asked to cannulate the following four simulator vessels under fluoroscopic guidance: the right renal artery (RRA), left renal artery (LRA), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and right internal carotid artery. The primary endpoint was time to successful cannulation.
Results: Participants in the experimental group performed better overall, which was reflected by a significantly higher mean efficiency rating (all P values < .05). The experimental group also demonstrated significantly higher rates of successful cannulation (in the LRA and RRA) and successful wire entry (in the LRA, RRA, and SMA). The experimental cohort also had significantly shorter times to cannulation (in the RRA and LRA) and wire entry (in the RRA and SMA).
Conclusions: Study participants who underwent hands-on angiographic practice with VPAS performed significantly better on evaluation under fluoroscopic angiographic conditions than those who did not receive hands-on practice with VPAS.