# Development and validation of a Virtual Colorectal Surgical Trainer (VCoST)

> **NIH NIH R01** · RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · 2022 · $664,431

## Abstract

Development and validation of a Virtual Colorectal Surgical Trainer (VCoST)
Abstract
For the first time in the history of surgery, a hands-on surgical technical skills examination – the Colorectal
Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (COSATS), developed by the American Society of
Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) – has been introduced in the American Board of Colon and Rectal
Surgeons (ABCRS) examination, starting in 2014. The COSATS requires an elaborate setup with eight
different stations through which residents must circulate to perform five open surgical tasks (rectal prolapse,
pelvic bleeding, ileal pouch anal anastomosis, coloanal anastomosis, handsewn anastomosis), two
laparoscopic and a colonoscopic task. It is anticipated that a computer generated virtual reality (VR)-based
simulator with both visual and haptic (touch) feedback could provide an integrated training and evaluation
environment for colorectal residents to climb their "learning curves" without risk to actual patients, standardize
the process of skill training and credentialing and allow objective quantification of performance, without the
need for human proctors. While VR simulation technology is being developed for colonoscopy and
laparoscopic surgical procedures, three major technical hurdles have thwarted the development of VR-based
simulation of open surgical procedures, such as the ones in COSATS: (1) fully immersive 3D visualization
to allow surgeons to interact with the patient’s anatomy directly using their hands as well as manipulate
untethered surgical tools; (2) high fidelity stable computations for contact detection, response and physical
simulations; and (3) full-hand bi-manual haptic interactions with the virtual anatomy and untethered surgical
tools. Our aim, in this present proposal, is to overcome these challenges and design, develop, and
evaluate, for the first time, a Virtual Colorectal Surgical Trainer (VCoST) for the five open surgical tasks
in the COSATS. To achieve our goal, a multidisciplinary research team has been assembled to achieve the
following specific aims: (SA1) Develop a VCoST platform. Specifically, we will develop: (1) highly realistic
simulation of the five open COSATS tasks within an immersive 3D high definition (HD) head mounted display
(HMD) system; (2) physics-based simulations based on in vivo experimental studies; (3) novel haptic interface
devices (with both tactile and force feedback) that allow realistic full-hand interactions with the virtual anatomy
and untethered surgical tools; and (4) real time assessment and feedback. (SA2) Establish the validity of the
VCoST as a training tool. We will conduct experiments on voluntarily enrolled subjects to establish face and
construct validity of the VCoST. We hypothesize that the VCoST tasks, like the COSATS tasks, will be capable
of distinguishing the skill levels of graduating general surgery and colorectal surgery residents.(SA3) Evaluate
the usefulness of the VCoST as a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10470083
- **Project number:** 5R01EB025241-04
- **Recipient organization:** RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Suvranu De
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $664,431
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-25 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10470083

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10470083, Development and validation of a Virtual Colorectal Surgical Trainer (VCoST) (5R01EB025241-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10470083. Licensed CC0.

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