Immersive virtual reality versus mannequin training for the ultrasound-guided supra-inguinal fascia iliaca nerve block
Self-Guided Immersive Virtual Reality Versus Mannequin-based Simulators to Teach the Ultrasound-Guided Supra-Inguinal Fascia Iliaca Block: A Non-inferiority Randomized Controlled Study
We will see if self-guided immersive virtual reality training works as well as mannequin-based training to teach anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and orthopedic staff and trainees how to perform an ultrasound-guided supra-inguinal fascia iliaca block.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 36 (estimated) |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | The Ottawa Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Ottawa, Ontario) |
| Trial ID | NCT07035015 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This single-center, non-inferiority randomized controlled trial at The Ottawa Hospital compares self-guided immersive virtual reality (iVR) training to traditional high-fidelity mannequin-based simulators for teaching the ultrasound-guided supra-inguinal fascia iliaca (SIFI) block. Thirty-six anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and orthopedic staff and trainees with limited SIFI experience will be stratified and randomized to either the iVR or mannequin arm after receiving standardized didactic materials. Participants will complete 60 minutes of self-directed practice guided by a checklist, with primary outcomes focused on procedural skill performance and secondary outcomes including tolerability (cybersickness), cognitive load, and usability. Exclusion criteria include performing more than five SIFI blocks per year or having advanced regional anesthesia training, and the results will inform further platform development and potential scaling of training.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are anesthesiology, emergency medicine, or orthopedic staff and trainees at The Ottawa Hospital who have limited experience with SIFI blocks.
Not a fit: Patients treated at centers where clinicians already deliver SIFI blocks routinely or by providers with advanced regional anesthesia training are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, VR training could expand the number of clinicians competent in delivering SIFI blocks, improving pain control and recovery for hip fracture patients.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work using virtual reality for procedural skills training has shown promise for technical learning, but immersive VR for ultrasound-guided SIFI block is a novel application with limited direct precedent.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Staff and trainees from anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and orthopedic surgery. All participants will be locally recruited within The Ottawa Hospital
Where this trial is running
Ottawa, Ontario
- The Ottawa Hospital — Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Yuqi Gu, MD FRCPC
- Email: yugu@toh.ca
- Phone: (613)737-8187
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.