AI-Powered Tutors: A New Era in Brain Surgery Training

Neurosurgery is a demanding field where precise surgical skills are crucial for patient outcomes. While surgical errors are uncommon, they can have severe, long-term consequences (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Real-Time multifaceted artificial intelligence vs In-Person instruction in teaching surgical technical skills: a randomized controlled trial

Go to source). Researchers at The Neuro, McGill University, are developing AI-powered intelligent tutors to enhance brain surgery training. These systems simulate the role of human instructors, providing real-time feedback on hand movements during simulated procedures. This personalized guidance helps trainees develop exceptional surgical skills.

AI and Simulation: A New Era in Neurosurgical Training

Educating the next generation of neurosurgeons is a long, expensive, and complex process. AI and simulation hold the potential to make the learning process easier while maintaining or enhancing the quality of graduating neurosurgeons’ skills.  

Their most recent study was the first randomized controlled trial comparing AI intelligent tutor instruction with human expert human instruction during simulated surgery. They divided 97 medical trainees into three groups, either receiving real-time AI feedback, in-person expert instruction or no real-time feedback.  

The trainees who received AI instruction performed significantly better than those who received expert instruction and no real-time instruction. The study found that expert instruction alone led to poorer surgical learning outcomes. By employing their extensive expertise and the new opportunities provided by AI, surgical educators can provide new possibilities for learners to reach their potential as excellent surgeons.

“This study suggests the future of instruction in the operating room may involve human educators utilizing the capacity of AI to further enhance learner surgical skills acquisition,” says Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, Director, Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning Centre

Reference:

1. Real-Time multifaceted artificial intelligence vs In-Person instruction in teaching surgical technical skills: a randomized controlled trial - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-65716-8)

Source-Eurekalert