Virtual reality in craniomaxillofacial surgical planning education. A feasibility study on usability, cognitive load, and perceived educational outcomes

Abstract

Introduction: Digital surgical planning in craniomaxillofacial (CMF) surgery requires biomedical engineers who can navigate complex 3D anatomical data confidently, yet most engineering training programmes still rely on static 2D methods. This study evaluated the usability, cognitive demands, and perceived educational outcomes of a clinically derived virtual reality (VR) surgical planning platform for master’s-level biomedical engineering students. Methods: A cross-sectional feasibility study was conducted assessing usability with the System Usability Scale (SUS), cognitive load with a modified NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and perceived educational outcomes using domain-specific rating scales, with open-ended responses analysed thematically. Results: Twelve of 15 enrolled students completed the survey (80% response rate). The platform achieved a mean SUS score of 72.5 (Above Average), with comparable scores across prior VR experience levels. All NASA-TLX demand dimensions remained below the scale midpoint. All participants rated VR as more engaging than traditional methods, and 91.7% rated the virtual anatomical models as realistic. Self-reported spatial reasoning benefits were most notable in landmark identification, while outcomes for translating digital-to-surgical planning were more limited. Haptic feedback was the most requested enhancement. Conclusions: VR surgical planning tools appear feasible to integrate into biomedical engineering training. Future studies should incorporate objective outcome measures and comparison groups to establish effectiveness.