Simulator for Operative Hysteroscopy and Endometrial Ablation Chris Hasser MS, Kevin Montgomery PhD, LeRoy Heinrichs MD PhD
			This project is a collaboration between Immersion Corporation (a leading maker of haptic (force feedback) devices), the National Biocomputation Center, and SUMMIT (medical education).
						The project is to develop a training simulator for dilation and curretage (D&C), operative hysteroscopy, and endometrial ablation that will allow gynecologists to both see and feel the field of operation. Simulators allow the introduction of anatomic variation, simulation of untoward events, and collection of surgical performance data. Simulation with force feedback offers the ability to monitor forces on the virtual surgical instruments to permit concurrent assessment of operative maneuvers, and to improve training to reduce the risk of uterine perforation. As the value of hysteroscopy becomes more widely recognized, and as hysteroscopic equipment becomes more available, training needs will increase. This need exists not just in resident training programs, but also for continuing education by practicing physicians. Effective simulators could serve to raise the competency levels of physicians in private practice who infrequently perform hysteroscopic procedures, may be used by certifying agencies for establishing surgical competency, and by hospital quality assurance committees that evaluate surgical complications. Though increasing adoption of hysteroscopic procedures may reduce the number of blind procedures such as traditional D&C, force feedback simulators offer major benefits for the training of these procedures as well, since blind procedures rely entirely on the sense of touch.