Clinical Scorecard: Virtual Reality Compared with Dry-Lab Training for Technical Skills in Robotic Surgery Simulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• The review compares robotic training using virtual reality (VR) with physical simulation using dry-lab (DL) or ex vivo models.
• The source describes prior comparative findings as inconsistent and evidence on transfer of skills to real patients as limited.
• The review protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250609755).

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

Management

Monitoring & Follow-up

Risks

• The source notes that evidence regarding transfer of simulation-acquired skills to real patients is limited.
• VR simulator fidelity can differ among platforms and technological generations.
• Dry-lab training is costly and requires coordination and preparation of robotic equipment.

Patient & Prescribing Data

No patient treatment population is described; the review concerns surgical trainees receiving robotic surgery simulation training.

The article context describes VR and dry-lab simulation as training approaches. The review evaluates their comparative effects on technical performance and task completion time; the supplied text does not report pooled results.

Clinical Best Practices

• The source describes VR and physical simulation, including dry-lab and ex vivo models, as approaches for developing robotic skills outside the operating room.
• The source states that dry-lab training uses physical robotic instruments and models, while VR simulators model instrument and suture interactions using software-based physics engines.
• The source notes that evidence regarding transfer of simulation-acquired skills to real patients is limited.

Related Resources & Content

• PROSPERO registration: CRD420250609755