scholarly journals Using Low-Cost Virtual Reality Simulation to Build Surgical Capacity for Cervical Cancer Treatment

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric G. Bing ◽  
Groesbeck P. Parham ◽  
Anthony Cuevas ◽  
Boris Fisher ◽  
Jonathan Skinner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Surgical Procedures ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Surgical Oncology ◽  
Surgical Experience ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Time Efficiency ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Novice Surgeons ◽  
Vr Simulator

PURPOSE Worldwide, more than 80% of people diagnosed with cancer will require surgery during their disease course, but only 5% to 20% of low- and middle-income countries have access to safe, affordable, and timely surgery. Developing surgical oncology skills requires significant time and mentoring. Virtual reality (VR) simulators can reduce the time required to master surgical procedures but are prohibitively expensive. We sought to determine whether a VR simulator using low-cost computer gaming equipment could train novice surgeons in Africa to perform a virtual radical abdominal (open) hysterectomy (RAH). METHODS Our RAH VR simulator used the Oculus Rift (Oculus VR, Menlo Park, CA), a VR headset with hand controllers that costs less than $1,500. Surgical novices learned to perform five key steps of a virtual RAH. We measured and identified predictors of movement and time efficiency for the simulation. RESULTS Ten novice surgeons in Lusaka, Zambia, enrolled in the study. Movement and time efficiency greatly improved over time. Independent predictors of movement efficiency were number of simulations, surgical experience, and time since college graduation. Independent predictors of time efficiency were number of simulations, surgical experience, days between simulation sessions, age, sex, and an interaction between number of simulations and surgical experience. CONCLUSION Low-cost VR may be an effective tool to help surgical novices learn complex surgical oncology procedures. If learning to perform VR surgical procedures with low-cost hardware leads to faster mastery of surgical procedures in the operating room, low-cost VR may represent one of the solutions to increasing access to surgical cancer care globally.

scholarly journals Creating a low-cost virtual reality surgical simulation to increase surgical oncology capacity and capability

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Groesbeck Parham ◽  
Eric G Bing ◽  
Anthony Cuevas ◽  
Boris Fisher ◽  
Jonathan Skinner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Surgical Simulation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Surgical Oncology

scholarly journals User Experience With Low-Cost Virtual Reality Cancer Surgery Simulation in an African Setting

2021 ◽  
pp. 435-442
Author(s):  
Eric G. Bing ◽  
Megan L. Brown ◽  
Anthony Cuevas ◽  
Richard Sullivan ◽  
Groesbeck P. Parham
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Gynecologic Oncology ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Abdominal Hysterectomy ◽  
Surgical Skills ◽  
Cancer Surgery ◽  
Radical Abdominal Hysterectomy ◽  
Vr Simulator

PURPOSE Limited access to adequate cancer surgery training is one of the driving forces behind global inequities in surgical cancer care. Affordable virtual reality (VR) surgical training could enhance surgical skills in low- and middle-income settings, but most VR and augmented reality systems are too expensive and do not teach open surgical techniques commonly practiced in these contexts. New low-cost VR can offer skill development simulations relevant to these settings, but little is known about how knowledge is gained and applied by surgeons training and working in specific resource-constrained settings. This study addresses this gap, exploring gynecologic oncology trainee learning and user experience using a low-cost VR simulator to learn to perform an open radical abdominal hysterectomy in Lusaka, Zambia. METHODS Eleven surgical trainees rotating through the gynecologic oncology service were sequentially recruited from the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka to participate in a study evaluating a VR radical abdominal hysterectomy training designed to replicate the experience in a Zambian hospital. Six participated in semi-structured interviews following the training. Interviews were analyzed using open and axial coding, informed by grounded theory. RESULTS Simulator participation increased participants' perception of their surgical knowledge, confidence, and skills. Participants believed their skills transferred to other related surgical procedures. Having clear goals and motivation to improve were described as factors that influenced success. CONCLUSION For cancer surgery trainees in lower-resourced settings learning medical and surgical skills, even for those with limited VR experience, low-cost VR simulators may enhance anatomical knowledge and confidence. The VR simulator reinforced anatomical and clinical knowledge acquired through other modalities. VR-enhanced learning may be particularly valuable when mentored learning opportunities are limited.

A Basic Framework of Virtual Reality Simulator for Advancing Disaster Response Work Using Teleoperated Work Machines

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitsuhiro Kamezaki ◽  
◽  
Junjie Yang ◽  
Hiroyasu Iwata ◽  
Shigeki Sugano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Virtual Reality Simulator ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Time Efficiency ◽  
Basic Framework ◽  
Camera View ◽  
Vr Simulator ◽  
Graphics Library

<div class=""abs_img""><img src=""[disp_template_path]/JRM/abst-image/00260004/11.jpg"" width=""300"" />Virtual reality simulator</span></div> A virtual reality (VR) simulator is developed to aid in advancing teleoperated construction machines for disaster response work. VR simulators, which can measure arbitrary data, allow the operator to reproduce desired situations repeatedly, and change the machine and environmental configurations more easily than is possible in real environments, can create teleoperation technologies and quantitatively evaluate them, and can improve operational skills in complex disaster response works. As basic components of a VR simulator, a VR environment, operation-input, and videooutput components are developed. The VR environment is built using a basic graphics library and dynamics engine for simplification. The operation-input component consists of control levers for a demolition machine that has a grapple and environmental cameras with yaw, pitch, and zoom functions. The videooutput component consists of a two-dimensional monitor that can display an in-vehicle camera view, multiple environmental camera views, and the machine status. Experiments conducted show that operators can adequately transport debris in the VR environment while watching views on the monitor from the in-vehicle and environmental cameras. The experiments also reveal the characteristics that reduce the machine’s time efficiency. </span>

Natural Bioactive Compounds As Adjuvant Therapy For Hepatitis C Infection

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moema S. Santana ◽  
Rute Lopes ◽  
Isabela H. Peron ◽  
Carla R. Cruz ◽  
Ana M. M. Gaspar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Chemical Diversity ◽  
Acute Hepatitis C ◽  
Hepatitis C Infection ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Broad Perspective ◽  
Cost Of Production

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is a significant global health burden, which causes acute or chronic hepatitis. The acute hepatitis C is generally asymptomatic and progresses to cure, while persistent infection can progress to chronic liver disease and extrahepatic manifestations. Standard treatment is expensive, poorly tolerated, and has variable sustained virologic responses amongst the different viral genotypes. New therapies involve direct acting antivirals; however, it is also very expensive and may not be accessible for all patients worldwide. In order to provide a complementary approach to the already existing therapies, natural bioactive compounds are investigated as to their several biologic activities, such as direct antiviral properties against hepatitis C, and effects on mitigating chronic progression of the disease, which includes hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities; additionally, these compounds present advantages, as chemical diversity, low cost of production and milder or inexistent side effects. Objective: To present a broad perspective on hepatitis C infection, the chronic disease, and natural compounds with promising anti-HCV activity. Methods: This review consists of a systematic review study about the natural bioactive compounds as a potential therapy for hepatitis C infection. Results: The quest for natural products have yielded compounds with biologic activity, including viral replication inhibition in vitro, demonstrating antiviral activity against hepatitis C. Conclusion: One of the greatest advantages of using natural molecules from plant extracts is the low cost of production, not requiring chemical synthesis, which can lead to less expensive therapies available to low and middle-income countries.

scholarly journals Characterisation of a highly potent and near pan-neutralising anti-HIV monoclonal antibody expressed in tobacco plants

Retrovirology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Moore ◽  
Melanie Grandits ◽  
Clemens Grünwald-Gruber ◽  
Friedrich Altmann ◽  
Maria Kotouckova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Glycosylation Site ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Effector Cells ◽  
Extraction And Purification ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Different Strains

Abstract Background HIV remains one of the most important health issues worldwide, with almost 40 million people living with HIV. Although patients develop antibodies against the virus, its high mutation rate allows evasion of immune responses. Some patients, however, produce antibodies that are able to bind to, and neutralise different strains of HIV. One such ‘broadly neutralising’ antibody is ‘N6’. Identified in 2016, N6 can neutralise 98% of HIV-1 isolates with a median IC50 of 0.066 µg/mL. This neutralisation breadth makes N6 a very promising therapeutic candidate. Results N6 was expressed in a glycoengineered line of N. benthamiana plants (pN6) and compared to the mammalian cell-expressed equivalent (mN6). Expression at 49 mg/kg (fresh leaf tissue) was achieved in plants, although extraction and purification are more challenging than for most plant-expressed antibodies. N-glycoanalysis demonstrated the absence of xylosylation and a reduction in α(1,3)-fucosylation that are typically found in plant glycoproteins. The N6 light chain contains a potential N-glycosylation site, which was modified and displayed more α(1,3)-fucose than the heavy chain. The binding kinetics of pN6 and mN6, measured by surface plasmon resonance, were similar for HIV gp120. pN6 had a tenfold higher affinity for FcγRIIIa, which was reflected in an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assay, where pN6 induced a more potent response from effector cells than that of mN6. pN6 demonstrated the same potency and breadth of neutralisation as mN6, against a panel of HIV strains. Conclusions The successful expression of N6 in tobacco supports the prospect of developing a low-cost, low-tech production platform for a monoclonal antibody cocktail to control HIV in low-to middle income countries. Graphic abstract

Low-cost system in the analysis of the recovery of mobility through inertial navigation techniques and virtual reality

2021 ◽  
pp. 271-292
Author(s):  
Wilver Auccahuasi ◽  
Mónica Diaz ◽  
Fernando Sernaque ◽  
Edward Flores ◽  
Justiniano Aybar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Inertial Navigation ◽  
Cost System

scholarly journals Barriers to training in laparoscopic surgery in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

2021 ◽  
pp. 004947552199818
Author(s):  
Ellen Wilkinson ◽  
Noel Aruparayil ◽  
J Gnanaraj ◽  
Julia Brown ◽  
David Jayne
Keyword(s):  
Laparoscopic Surgery ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Local Access ◽  
And Training ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Laparoscopic surgery has the potential to improve care in resource-deprived low- and-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to analyse the barriers to training in laparoscopic surgery in LMICs. Medline, Embase, Global Health and Web of Science were searched using ‘LMIC’, ‘Laparoscopy’ and ‘Training’. Two researchers screened results with mutual agreement. Included papers were in English, focused on abdominal laparoscopy and training in LMICs. PRISMA guidelines were followed; 2992 records were screened, and 86 full-text articles reviewed to give 26 key papers. Thematic grouping identified seven key barriers: funding; availability and maintenance of equipment; local access to experienced laparoscopic trainers; stakeholder dynamics; lack of knowledge on effective training curricula; surgical departmental structure and practical opportunities for trainees. In low-resource settings, technological advances may offer low-cost solutions in the successful implementation of laparoscopic training and improve access to surgical care.

scholarly journals Virtual-Reality Simulator System for Double Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Using Fractional-Order Vascular Access Tracker and Haptic Force Producer

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guan-Chun Chen ◽  
Chia-Hung Lin ◽  
Chien-Ming Li ◽  
Kai-Sheng Hsieh ◽  
Yi-Chun Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Fractional Order ◽  
Cardiac Catheterization ◽  
Vascular Access ◽  
Vessel Wall ◽  
Virtual Reality Simulator ◽  
Pigtail Catheter ◽  
Frictional Feedback ◽  
Vr Simulator

This study proposes virtual-reality (VR) simulator system for double interventional cardiac catheterization (ICC) using fractional-order vascular access tracker and haptic force producer. An endoscope or a catheter for diagnosis and surgery of cardiovascular disease has been commonly used in minimally invasive surgery. It needs specific skills and experiences for young surgeons or postgraduate year (PGY) students to operate a Berman catheter and a pigtail catheter in the inside of the human body and requires avoiding damaging vessels. To improve the training in inserting catheters, a double-catheter mechanism is designed for the ICC procedures. A fractional-order vascular access tracker is used to trace the senior surgeons’ consoled trajectories and transmit the frictional feedback and visual feedback during the insertion of catheters. Based on the clinical feeling through the aortic arch, vein into the ventricle, or tortuous blood vessels, haptic force producer is used to mock the elasticity of the vessel wall using voice coil motors (VCMs). The VR establishment with surgeons’ consoled vessel trajectories and hand feeling is achieved, and the experimental results show the effectiveness for the double ICC procedures.

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