Simulation Surgery: A Multispeciality Approach

THIS BRIEF HISTORY has concentrated on simulation surgery in the plastic and reconstructive speciality. Many other specialities are benefiting from computer-aided and simulation surgery, however, including neurosurgery, craniomaxillofacial surgery, otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery, orthodontic surgery and orthopaedic surgery, with others joining in as each year passes and computer simulation programs become more and more realistic. An example of a recent simulation program is causing and controlling a major haemorrhage as the result of going too close to a large (or even major) blood vessel during a simulated operation and ‘injuring’ it: this is applicable across many specialities, as are the new and improved virtual reality simulators with auditory and tactile feedback.