Surgical navigation pointer facilitates identification of targets in a simulated environment

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine whether or not a navigation pointer (NP) integrated into a laparoscopic camera and projected onto a surgical display might allow instructors to more easily and precisely direct assistants' instruments to specific sites in a simulated laparoscopic field.

Methods: Two hundred forty pins served as targets in a standard laparoscopic box trainer. An instructor guided 24 subjects to locate 5 randomly selected targets each, with verbal instructions alone, or with verbal instructions supplemented by either a navigation grid (NG) or the localizing NP. Each subject performed 15 trials alternating between use of the NP, NG and no navigation tool. The primary outcome measure was the time to target identification.

Results: The mean time to identify each selected target was significantly shorter with the NP (4.53 ± 2.87 seconds) than with the NG (8.59 ± 4.35 seconds, P<0.001) or without any navigation tool (11.16 ± 5.39 seconds, P<0.001).

Conclusion: The use of the NP appears to improve efficiency in guiding an instrument to randomly selected targets within a simulated laparoscopic field. The use of the NP may reduce the time required to move instruments to specific sites during laparoscopic surgery.