Assessment of a Web-Based Simulation in Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Views

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is often used by anesthesiologists during cardiac surgery, as a monitoring tool in non-cardiac surgery, and as a point of care diagnostic tool in the intensive care unit (ICU). Furthermore, TEE is becoming a core skill in many specialties to facilitate focused cardiovascular assessment in hemodynamically compromised patients in various settings. Educators must determine how to best instruct current and future trainees to achieve clinical competence in TEE within a time limited and constantly expanding medical curriculum. In this study the investigators will evaluate a new online TEE Simulation module as a learning tool to accelerate and enhance traditional clinical teaching. This project will evaluate a new online TEE Simulation module that replicates the actions required to adjust TEE probe position and the ultrasound plane in relation to a 3D heart model. The investigators hypothesize that experience with the online TEE simulation module will improve the ability of trainees to independently perform TEE probe manipulations necessary to obtain standard TEE views. The proposed study will answer this question by measuring the performance of trainees in obtaining 10 of the 25 standard TEE views using the Vimedix mannequin-based ultrasonography simulator following an hour of review of the online TEE Simulation module. The educational benefit of the Web-based TEE simulation module, will be evaluated by 20 novices randomly assigned to two groups, a control group of 10 subjects without exposure to the Web-based simulation, and an experimental group of 10 subjects with exposure to the Web-based simulation. Both groups will be assessed on their performance in attaining the 10 standard TEE views with the Vimedix simulator.

Official Title
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Assessment of a Web-Based Simulation Module to Improve Performance in Obtaining Standard Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Views

Conditions
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Education, Training

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Web-base simulator
* Other: No web-base simulator


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Residents or fellows in anesthesia, cardiology and critical care enrolled at the Toronto General Hospital Exclusion Criteria: Residents or fellows in anesthesia, cardiology and critical care with prior experience with TEE probe manipulation
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental<br>Learning TEE manipulation with a Web-based TEE simulation module | Other: Web-base simulator<br>* Training manipulation of TEE using a Web-based simulator<br>|
| Control<br>Learning a TEE manipulation without the Web-based TEE simulation | Other: No web-base simulator<br>* Training manipulation of TEE with out a web-base simulator<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TEE simulation model decreases time to select image acquisition in trainee participant vs. participants trained by reading material only | The metrics for acquiring each image will be recorded by the model, the primary measurement will be time in seconds per view acquired. | 2 week review 1 session for assessment (Control: time required to acquire 10 views, Intervention: I hour session with online simulator plus time required to acquire 10 views) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TEE simulation model improves select image quality in trainee participants vs. participants trained by reading material only as assessed by a expert review panel of echo cardiographers | Each image will be captured by the model and graded according to a 5 point scale. | 2 week review 1 session for assessment- time required to acquire 10 views | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Interactive web-base simulation