Nightly Preoperative Huddle Email Improves Perioperative Efficiency

Optimizing Surgical Efficiency in Complex Spine Surgery Using Virtual Reality as a Communication Technology to Promote a Shared Mental Model: A Case Series and Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that can be used to promote a shared mental model among a surgical team. We present a case series demonstrating the use of 3-dimensional (3D) VR models to visually communicate procedural steps to a surgical team to promote a common operating objective. We also review the literature on existing uses of VR for preoperative communication and planning in spine surgery.

METHODS

Narrations of 3 to 4-minute walkthroughs were created in a VR visualization platform, converted, and distributed to team members through text and email the night before surgical intervention. A VR huddle was held immediately before the intervention to refine surgical goals. After the intervention, the participating team members' perceptions on the value of the tool were assessed using a survey that used a 5-point Likert scale. MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Dimensions AI databases were queried from July 2010 to October 2022 to examine existing literature on preoperative VR use to plan spine surgery.

RESULTS

Three illustrative cases are presented with accompanying video. Postoperative survey results demonstrate a positive experience among surgical team members after reviewing preoperative plans created with patient-specific 3D VR models. Respondents felt that preoperative VR video review was "moderately useful" or more useful in improving their understanding of the operational sequence (71%, 5/7), in enhancing their ability to understand their role (86%, 6/7), and in improving the safety or efficiency of the case (86%, 6/7).

CONCLUSION

We present a proof of concept of a novel preoperative communication tool used to create a shared mental model of a common operating objective for surgical team members using narrated 3D VR models. Initial survey results demonstrate positive feedback among respondents. There is a paucity of literature investigating VR technology as a means for preoperative surgical communication in spine surgery.

ETHICS

Institutional review board approval (IRB-300009785) was obtained before this study.

Implementation of a Preoperative Huddle at a Level 1 Trauma Center

OBJECTIVE

Medical errors resulting in patient harm still occur at an alarmingly high rate. Surgery is a high-risk area that can frequently result in patient harm if errors occur. There is a need for standardization of communication and processes to decrease errors. We sought to determine whether the implementation of a preoperative huddle at our hospital could standardize communication and decrease medical errors.

METHODS

A unique preoperative huddle was developed and implemented at a level 1 trauma center. We reviewed data before and after the implementation of the preoperative huddle including patient surveys and comments, the percentage of on-time operating room (OR) starts, OR turnover times, and the number of sentinel events.

RESULTS

After huddle implementation, we observed a trend of improvement in our patient survey results on patient's perception that the doctors/nurses explained the procedure understandably after huddle implementation. There was a statistically yet limited clinically significant increase in OR turnover time from 37 to 40 minutes (P < 0.001). There was also an increase in on-time OR starts from 37% to 45% (P < 0.001). We observed a decrease in the number of sentinel events, with only 1 occurring each year since implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

A preoperative huddle was successfully implemented at a level 1 trauma hospital and helped standardize communication without significantly disrupting workflow. To our knowledge, this method of preoperative huddling has not been previously described in the literature.