[Groop] Did I Err (Less)?

[Eric Chun]

Hi guys/grrls!

Better buy a PlayStation ...

--

Surgeons Who Play Video Games Err Less

By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - All those years on the couch playing Nintendo (news - web sites) 
and PlayStation appear to be paying off for surgeons. Researchers found that 
doctors who spent at least three hours a week playing video games made about 
37 percent fewer mistakes in laparoscopic surgery and performed the task 27 
percent faster than their counterparts who did not play video games.

"I use the same hand-eye coordination to play video games as I use for 
surgery," said Dr. James "Butch" Rosser, 49, who demonstrated the results of 
his study Tuesday at Beth Israel Medical Center.

Laparoscopic surgery — using a tiny camera and instruments controlled by 
joysticks outside the body — is performed on just about any part of the 
body, from an appendix to the colon and gall bladder.

The minimally intrusive surgery involves making tiny keyhole incisions, 
inserting a mini-video camera that sends images to an external video screen, 
with the surgical tools remote-controlled by the surgeon watching the 
screen. Surgeons can now practice their techniques through video 
simulations.

Rosser said the skill needed for laparoscopic surgery is "like tying your 
shoelaces with 3-foot-long chopsticks."

"Yes, here we go!" said Rosser, sitting in front of a Super Monkey Ball 
game, which shoots a ball into a confined goal. "This is a nice, wholesome 
game. No blood and guts. But I need the same kind of skill to go into a body 
and sew two pieces of intestine together."

The study on whether good video game skills translate into surgical prowess 
was done by researchers with Beth Israel and the National Institute on Media 
and the Family at Iowa State University. It was based on testing 33 fellow 
doctors — 12 attending physicians and 21 medical school residents who 
participated from May to August 2003.

Each doctor completed three video game tasks that tested such factors as 
motor skills, reaction time and hand-eye coordination.

The study "landmarks the arrival of Generation X into medicine," said the 
study's co-author, Dr. Paul J. Lynch, a Beth Israel anesthesiologist who has 
studied the effects of video games for years.

Kurt Squire, a University of Wisconsin researcher of video game effects on 
learning, said that "with a video game, you can definitely develop timing 
and a sense of touch, as well as a very intuitive feel for manipulating 
devices."

Squire, who was not involved in Rosser's project, said applying such games 
to surgery training "could play a key role in preparing medical health 
professionals."

Beth Israel is now experimenting with applying the findings.

Rosser has developed a course called Top Gun, in which surgical trainees 
warm up their coordination, agility and accuracy with a video game before 
entering the operating room.

"It's like a good football player," Rosser said, "you have to warm up 
first."

_________________________________________________________________
Free up your inbox with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! Multiple plans available. 
http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=hotmail/es2&ST=1/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/