Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, IN
Award: Outstanding Research Award in the Obesity Category
Award: Presidential Poster Award
Utku Erden, BS1, Doga Demirel, PhD1, Onur Toker, PhD1, Suvranu De, PhD2, Mark A. Gromski, MD3 1Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL; 2Tallahassee, FL; 3Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Introduction: Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is an endoscopic procedure that reduces the stomach's size with endoscopically-based sutures, with promising durable weight loss results and fewer adverse events than bariatric surgery. To ensure the safety and effectiveness of ESG procedures, it is essential to provide proper training to endoscopists for this technically demanding procedure. We are developing that Virtual Bariatric Endoscopic (ViBE) simulator to help endoscopists train in the cognitive and technical aspects of the ESG procedure.
Methods: We have carried out preliminary proof-of-concept design and mathematical/programmatic algorithms for the virtual reality (VR) simulator that accurately replicates the ESG procedure, incorporating soft-body physics to provide a more realistic training experience.
Results: The endoscopic environment has been created, incorporating a simulated foregut model and endoscope with an endoscopic suturing device, all in a virtual environment. It provides a collision-haptic incorporated system in the stomach to offer robust and precise limiting of the user's movement, ensuring they do not exceed the stomach area. In addition, the simulator utilizes soft-body physics in the stomach to create a realistic experience, allowing the user to mark the stomach to visualize the suture targets in the running suture step and move freely within it, resulting in an immersive and authentic experience (Figure 1).
Discussion: This work presents the preliminary methodology for developing a VR simulator to simulate the ESG procedure accurately. The next steps in this project include continued feedback loops with experienced experts in the field, followed by rigorous evaluation studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the simulator in training endoscopic suturing and ESG.
Figure: Scene Overview from User's Perspective
Disclosures:
Utku Erden indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Doga Demirel indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Onur Toker indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Suvranu De indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Mark Gromski: Ambu – Consultant. Boston Scientific – Consultant. Cook Medical – Grant/Research Support.
Utku Erden, BS1, Doga Demirel, PhD1, Onur Toker, PhD1, Suvranu De, PhD2, Mark A. Gromski, MD3. P2609 - Development of a Virtual Reality-Based Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Simulator, ACG 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Vancouver, BC, Canada: American College of Gastroenterology.
