Outil de visualisation des fractures du tibia distal en réalité virtuelle

Abstract

Intra-articular fractures of the distal tibia are difficult to treat due to their complexity. To operate on them, a fracture reduction must be performed to reconstruct the articular surface and maintain the alignment of the bone fragments. Fracture reduction courses are divided into two parts. To teach the theoretical part, surgeons use computer-based visualization tools such as a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) viewer to display fracture CT scans and use them as training aids. Although surgical training tools have been developed to enable residents to train in a safe, controlled environment without risking patient safety, there is no tool dedicated to distal tibia fractures. The aim of this research project is to assess the added value of virtual reality for training in distal tibia fracture reduction surgery. This is achieved by comparing two tools: a virtual reality visualization and CT images reviewed on a standard PACS system. A tool for visualizing distal tibial fractures has been developed in virtual reality. In order to validate the use of this tool, a user study was carried out with an orthopedic surgeon collaborating on the project. The experimental design was based on a think-aloud protocol to compare the processes involved. The surgeon taught six cases of tibia fracture reduction using both visualization modes, and audio and video recordings were made for comparison. The results show that virtual reality is no less effective than a standard visualization tool, and that it is well-suited to the visualization of distal tibia fractures. Virtual reality enables simpler interaction, as well as a more visual explanation. In addition, virtual reality does not introduce any additional constraints in terms of duration of use compared with a more conventional training method.

Date	9 Apr 2025
Original language	French
Awarding Institution	École de technologie supérieure
Supervisor	Simon Drouin (Supervisor), Nicola Hagemeister (Co-supervisor) & Gabriel Larose (Co-supervisor)