The Development of VKASS: A Virtual Knee Anatomy and Surgery System

Principle Investigator: Jim Chen
Co-investigators: Jihui Li, Mark Theiss, Craig Cheifetz
Funded by: Inova-GMU Research Grant

Virtual surgery simulators have been widely accepted in resident training of arthroscopic, laparoscopic, and endoscopic surgeries. Research has indicated that these simulators can significantly improve resident skills, reduce the related training cost and improve the quality of healthcare. Currently no full-function surgery simulator is available for orthopedic resident training, although there are more than 100 orthopedic teaching programs around the nation. This simulator may help orthopedic surgeons to improve healthcare by conducting a well-prepared surgical plan in complex cases. In this study, we will develop a virtual knee anatomy and surgery system (VKASS) as a prototype of an orthopedic surgery simulator.

VKASS is composed of the following components:

1. Three-dimensional (3D) anatomic atlas of human leg for resident training
2. 3D patient specific anatomic leg model for surgeon’s pre-op planning
3. Virtual reality and surgery devices
4. Virtual reality and surgery simulation programs
5. Surgical skills evaluation tool

Using VKASS, orthopedic residents can learn and practice knee surgeries on virtual knee models that include bones, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, nerves, and fat through force-feedback haptic devices and stereoscopic display. The virtual surgery process can be repeated and modified to achieve the best training outcome. The surgery process can also be evaluated by identifying and tallying the activities and mistakes residents made and providing professional advice and guidance. Orthopedic surgeons can use VKASS as well to plan complex orthopedic cases pre-operatively. VKASS is able to construct a patient specific knee model from the patient’s MRI/CT, and surgeons can use the same platform orthopedic residents used to perform the virtual knee surgery and determine the best procedure and implants for the patient.