Complication Management in Cyberspace

New training module for anterior vitrectomy allows eye surgeons to prepare for complications during cataract operations on the Eyesi® virtual reality simulator

Complications can occur even during routine procedures such as cataract operations where the clouded lens in the eye is replaced by an artificial lens. A rare but serious complication in cataract operations is a tear in the posterior capsule of the lens chamber. The pressure conditions in the eye’s interior change within a fraction of a second and the gel-like mass of the vitreous humor penetrates into the anterior chamber. The surgeon must react immediately and carefully in order to prevent further damage to the eye. In the worst case, retinal detachment can occur due to prolapse of the vitreous humor. The problem is that surgeons are hardly able to prepare for such an extreme situation. Eyes from animal cadaver that are used for training purposes do not offer comparable pressure conditions in the eye’s interior, and also do not have the same anatomy as the human eye. The Mannheim-based company VRmagic, a manufacturer of virtual reality simulators for medical training, has therefore developed a training module in cooperation with university hospitals that allows surgeons to practice complication management in the event of a posterior capsule rupture – so-called anterior vitrectomy – in a risk-free simulation environment.

“In the last few years, we have received repeated requests for simulation modules for complication training on the Eyesi Surgical simulator and particularly for anterior vitrectomy. We can now meet this demand,” explains Dr. Markus Schill, Managing Director of VRmagic. “The module is particularly interesting for cataract surgeons who normally do not learn operating techniques for the posterior segment of the eye such as removal of the vitreous humor as part of their residency training and do not have any experience in adjusting the surgical machine to the changed situation.”

The German company VRmagic is a pioneer in the development of virtual reality technology and training concepts for medical training. In 2001, VRmagic presented the first simulator for training eye surgeons. Today, Eyesi® surgical and diagnostic simulators are well-established in the field of ophthalmology with over 400 installations worldwide and have been evaluated in numerous studies.

The new anterior vitrectomy training module for the Eyesi Surgical simulator will be exhibited for the first time at the Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in Lisbon from October 7 to 11.