Serious games for knee replacement surgery procedure education and training

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a commonly performed surgical procedure whereby knee joint surfaces are replaced with metal and polyethelene components that serve to function in the way that bone and cartilage previously had. Here we describe a multi-player, serious game that was designed to train orthopedic surgical procedures to orthopedic surgical residents, and to gauge whether learning in an online serious gaming environment will enhance complex surgical skill acquisition. The serious game allows residents to focus on and develop an understanding of the procedure itself (the ordering of each of the steps in the procedure, and the various tools used). By clearly understanding the steps of a procedure and the underpinning surgical decision making processes, when placed in real operative environment, trainees will be able to focus on the technical aspect of the procedure. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.