Surgical Simulation: An Emerging Technology for Training in Emergency Medicine

The current methods of training medical personnel to provide emergency medical care have several important shortcomings. For example, in the training of wound debridement techniques, animal models are used to gain experience treating traumatic injuries. We propose an alternative approach by creating a three-dimensional, interactive computer model of the human body that can be used within a virtual environment to learn and practice wound debridement techniques and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) procedures. As a first step, we have developed a computer model that represents the anatomy and physiology of a normal and injured lower limb. When visualized and manipulated in a virtual environment, this computer model will reduce the need for animals in the training of trauma management and potentially provide a superior training experience. This article describes the development choices that were made in implementing the preliminary system and the challenges that must be met to create an effective medical training environment.