Po-03-201 virtual reality-based method for teaching complex congenital heart disease anatomy to ep trainees – a pilot study

Developing an accurate and detailed 3D mental model of cardiac anatomy is critical for electrophysiology (EP) trainees. This can be challenging in certain forms of palliated congenital heart disease. Surgical repair of d-TGA via a Mustard or Senning procedure requires a complex baffling technique that is particularly difficult to visualize from a 3D perspective and creates a propensity for arrhythmias. Traditional teaching methods may be sub-optimal for visualizing the interaction between the conduction system and this unusual anatomic substrate. Due to its immersive, stereoscopic nature, virtual reality (VR) may provide a better learning platform in a collaborative environment. The purpose of this pilot study is to compare the experience of a collaborative, immersive VR-based educational environment with a traditional PowerPoint (PPT) method for teaching the 3D cardiac anatomy of patients who have undergone Mustard and Senning procedures to EP trainees. In collaboration with the Visible Heart Lab at the University of Minnesota and DOPL Technologies, LLC, we created an immersive VR environment that allows remotely shared viewing, manipulation, and virtual dissection of high-resolution digital 3D models of wax-infiltrated heart specimens (d-TGA s/p Mustard and Senning procedures) that were provided by Boston Children’s Hospital. Participants viewed the environment using Oculus Quest2 head-mounted displays (Meta, Menlow Park, CA, USA). Three EP trainees were recruited for the pilot study, which entailed a traditional PPT lecture followed by an interactive viewing of the models in the VR learning environment. Participants were asked to complete a pre/post-test based on the material taught then a Likert satisfaction survey adapted from previously validated usability instruments. The study participants’ mean pre-test score was 46.7% and post-test score was 76.7%, a 64.3% improvement. They globally rated the VR learning environment favorably on the Likert satisfaction survey and reported that they would like to use the VR learning environment in both didactic lecture series and for self-directed study (Figure 1). We demonstrate the feasibility of using a remote, shared, immersive VR-based education platform for teaching EP trainees cardiac anatomy related to Mustard and Senning procedures. This learning environment was favorably received. Further efforts are needed to expand the library of CHD defects and provide additional features to the learning environment.