Patient‐specific simulation for endovascular procedures: qualitative evaluation of the development process

Background Recent advancements in simulation permit patient‐specific rehearsal of carotid artery stenting procedures. This study evaluates the feasibility of transferring patient‐specific CT data into the simulator, creating a 3D reconstruction and performing a rehearsal. The face validity of the model was assessed. Methods/Results By thematic analysis of qualitative data, an algorithm was generated, focusing on simulation set‐up, time of data transfer, software/compatibility issues and problem‐solving strategies. The face validity of the simulated case was evaluated by 15 expert interventionalists: realism (median 4/5), training potential (median 4/5) and pre‐procedure rehearsal potential for challenging CAS cases (median 4/5) were rated highly. Conclusions Setting up a procedure rehearsal is feasible and reproducible for different patients in different hospital settings without major software compatibility issues. The time to create a 3D reconstruction of patient‐specific CT data is a major factor in the total time necessary to set up a rehearsal. The face validity is highly rated by experts. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.