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The Google endowed dean of the college, Suvranu De from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University- Florida State University (FAMU-FSU) College of Engineering, led the development of an AI-powered tool that helps to train surgeons by analyzing video of their surgical technique and providing feedback. The research was recently published in JAMA Surgery. This research can revolutionize the surgical training for surgeons and improve their crucial work.
“The more training and feedback surgeons-in-training receive, the more their skills will improve,” De said. “We have established a cutting-edge video-based assessment network (VBA-Net) that is a major step in the direction of automating the evaluation of surgical skills effectively. This system uses state-of-the-art deep learning models for formative and summative evaluations that foster skill development.”
VBA-Net is an AI model that learns to distinguish between experts and novices by watching full-length videos of real surgical tasks. It provides the learner with final scores and online feedback. It automates the task of surgical skill assessment, which is currently performed by trained proctors.
The platform merges deep neural network (DNN) technology with existing video-based surgical assessment to deliver real-time feedback for aspiring surgeons. Deep neural networks are a form of artificial intelligence that mirrors the intricacies of the human brain and aids in tailoring the learning process to individual interests, enhancing the relevance of recommendations.
“This tool can offer valuable support to evaluators and has the potential to ensure greater consistency in assessments,” De said. “Our objective is to streamline the evaluation process by guiding trainees in their focus to the most critical facets of a surgical procedure.”
De’s research will help meet an American Board of Surgery’s initiative to incorporate video-based assessment (VBA) into training surgeons and affiliated operating personnel.
“We hope the insights from this research can pave the way for integrating this technology in training and credentialing programs in the next five to ten years,” De said. “Our ultimate aspiration is to enhance patient outcomes, save lives and cultivate more well-trained surgeons in the future.”
De collaborated on this study with Erim Yanik, a postdoctoral researcher at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and Dr. Steven Schwaitzberg, chair of surgery at the Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.
