Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42897699›Full record

ArticleBioelectronic medicine2026

Evaluation of the OPTESK VR training simulator for gastric bleeding treatment.

Annika Köhler, Irshath Ali Syed, Jana Sophia Theile, Ioannis Kafetzis, Joel Troya, Jan-Peter Grunz, Ulrike W Denzer, Ivica Grgic, Benjamin M Walter, Rüdiger Pryss and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Bioelectronic medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Annika Köhler *Interventional and Experimental Endoscopy (InExEn), Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-9987-9751
Irshath Ali Syed *Interventional and Experimental Endoscopy (InExEn), Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-2094-3700
Jana Sophia TheileInterventional and Experimental Endoscopy (InExEn), Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-8561-1233
Ioannis KafetzisInterventional and Experimental Endoscopy (InExEn), Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3533-2246
Joel TroyaInterventional and Experimental Endoscopy (InExEn), Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Jan-Peter GrunzDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Ulrike W DenzerDivision of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Centre for Internal Medicine, Philipps University of Marburg & University Hospital Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Ivica GrgicDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Marburg University, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9017-1804
Benjamin M WalterDepartment of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Rüdiger PryssInstitute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Stavros Dimitriadis *Private gastroenterology practice, Egnatia 106, 54622, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Alexander Hann *Interventional and Experimental Endoscopy (InExEn), Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. hann_a@ukw.de.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8035-3559

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) 03LW0696
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract is a common and potentially life-threatening emergency that requires rapid and highly precise endoscopic intervention. As supervised hands-on training is limited and often restricted to living animal models, an immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation offers a risk-free and accessible alternative.

methodsA novel open-source VR training simulator, OPTESK, was developed for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. The system consists of a combination of conventional endoscopes used in routine clinical practice, which can be operated in conjunction with commercially available head-mounted displays and the in-house developed OPTESK hardware. The simulator covers two scenarios: the treatment of a non-bleeding angiodysplasia with argon plasma coagulation (APC) and the treatment of a bleeding angiodysplasia starting with the injection of adrenaline followed by APC therapy. The simulator was evaluated in a multicenter user study in terms of workload, usability, immersion, cybersickness, and face, content, and construct validity. User performance was assessed via scores on time, amount of treated area, and correctly applied APC intensity.

resultsIn total, 44 participants from more than 20 centers were included in the study. Successful hemostatic control in the second scenario was achieved by 97.4% of the participants. Regarding the content validity, participants rated the helpfulness of the simulator for training the management of bleeding with a median of 4 on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Mean perceived workload (NASA-TLX) and usability (SUS) were rated with 34.2/100 and 69.6/100 respectively. Face validity questions regarding the realism of endoscope movement, stomach anatomy, and application of APC were further rated with a median of 4 on the scale from 1 to 5. Regarding construct validity, gastroscopy experience showed significantly faster treatment of bleeding related tasks for both scenario one (p = .008) and two (p = .011) compared to participants with less gastroscopy experience.

conclusionsOPTESK can serve as a valuable training tool for endoscopic treatment of bleeding in the upper GI tract. This approach may help reduce dependence on animal-based training and enable risk-free practice prior to clinical intervention.

Indexed as

Endoscopy trainingGastroenterologyGastroscopyMedical educationSimulator trainingUpper gastrointestinal bleedingVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID42897699
PMCPMC13681957

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.