Virtual Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Simulator
For an ENT resident, the nose with all its paranasal sinuses can be quite a labyrinth. But with a number of critical structures in the immediate vicinity, a proper orientation is of vital importance.
VOXEL-MAN Sinus is a unique training simulator for endoscopic sinus surgery. It allows for realistic handling of the endoscope and a surgical instrument, and is especially suitable for training of orientation based on endoscopic images.
Realistic models and instruments
Patient and instruments are modeled in high resolution inside a computer, and visualized on a 3D screen. Based on virtual reality techniques, they present a visual, haptic and auditory experience close to a real intervention.
VOXEL-MAN Sinus provides straight and angular endoscopes, and various cutting instruments such as Blakesley forceps and a debrider. All instruments are fully functional, and allow for an arbitrary manipulation of mucosa and bone. Structures at risk, such as periorbita, optic nerve, optic chiasm, ethmoidal cells, olfactory bulb and internal carotid artery are included in the underlying model, such that their position can be visualized and dangerous approaches or injuries can be detected. Names of important landmarks such as the uncinate process are displayed when the endoscope is aiming at them. A virtual surgical navigation system provides additional cross-sectional CT images.
Tasks and skills assessment
Various tasks such as infundibulotomy, ethmoidectomy and sphenoid sinus surgery allow for a problem-based training.
