Researchers are creating cutting-edge AI-powered tutors that offer real-time guidance for brain surgery training. These smart systems replicate the role of human instructors, greatly enhancing the learning experience for aspiring neurosurgeons. They evaluate hand movements in simulated surgical scenarios and deliver customized verbal feedback to improve the learner’s skills.
Neurosurgery is considered one of the most challenging fields within healthcare. Surgeons devote countless hours to surgeries, where exceptional performance can be the deciding factor between successful and unsuccessful patient outcomes. Although surgical injuries are uncommon, when they do happen, they can lead to severe and enduring repercussions.
At the Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning Centre at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of McGill University, researchers are working to enhance brain surgery training. They aim to develop real-time, intelligent AI tutors that replicate the function of human surgical trainers. These intelligent tutors assist learners in honing their surgical skills by consistently evaluating their hand movements during practice surgeries and offering personalized verbal feedback.
Training the next wave of neurosurgeons is a lengthy, costly, and intricate endeavor. However, AI and simulation have the potential to simplify the educational process while preserving or even improving the skill levels of new neurosurgery graduates.
In their latest research, they conducted the first randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of AI tutors against human expert instruction during simulated surgeries. In this study, 97 medical trainees were split into three groups, each receiving either real-time AI feedback, in-person guidance from an expert, or no immediate feedback at all.
Trainees who received AI feedback significantly outperformed those who were taught by experts or received no feedback. The results indicated that relying solely on expert teaching did not yield as favorable surgical learning outcomes. By leveraging their vast expertise along with the innovative capabilities of AI, surgical educators can open up new avenues for learners to realize their potential as proficient surgeons.
“This study hints at a future where operating room instruction combines the efforts of human educators with AI technology to further improve the acquisition of surgical skills among learners,” comments Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, Director of the Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning Centre.
