Semiautomated Motion Tracking for Objective Skills Assessment in Otologic Surgery: A Pilot Study

Perioperative teaching and feedback of technical performance are essential during surgical training but are limited by competing demands on faculty time, resident work-hour restrictions, and desire for efficient operating room utilization. The increasing use of high-definition video microscopy and endoscopy in otolaryngology offers opportunities for trainees and faculty to evaluate performance outside the operating room but still requires faculty time. Our hypothesis is that automated motion tracking via video analysis offers a way forward to provide more consistent and objective feedback for surgical trainees. In this study, otolaryngology trainees at various levels were recorded performing a cortical mastoidectomy on cadaveric temporal bones using standard surgical instrumentation and high-definition video cameras coupled to an operating microscope. Videos were postprocessed to automatically track the tip of otologic dissection instruments. Data were analyzed for key metrics potentially applicable to the global rating scale used in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s Objective Structured Assessments of Technical Skills.