Training on the Simbionix GI Mentor Shows Sustainable Superiority Compared to Standard Endoscopic Training

CLEVELAND, Ohio, May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Simbionix USA Corporation, the world's leading provider of medical education and simulation training products for medical professionals and the healthcare industry, is pleased to report on the results of a controlled randomized trial on the company's GI Mentor, conducted by a team headed by Arnulf Ferlitsch, MD at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

The Simbionix GI Mentor virtual simulator provides endoscopic hands-on training with haptic sensations for the complete spectrum of Gastroenterology Procedures. Simulation cases are based on real anatomies and an actual (modified) scope is utilized to perform the procedure, rendering real time endoscopic display.

The study set out to evaluate the measure to which training on the GI Mentor can improve objective performance of beginners in endoscopy. "Simulation based training in GI Endoscopy has been long established in professional literature as a quick and efficient training tool", remarked Arnulf Ferlitsch, MD, from the Medical University of Vienna, principal investigator for this study. "In our 4 year randomized controlled trial utilizing Simbionix GI Mentor we have demonstrated that training on the GI Mentor significantly improves and accelerates the acquisition of technical skills, as well as reduces the performance time of the procedure in real patients. Moreover, the unique and very exciting result lies in the demonstration that the GI Mentor VR training is not only superior to the standard non-simulation training, in terms of real procedure performance, but this superiority is long lasting and is still evident after 60 endoscopic procedures have been performed. Results of such significance are expected to further drive the adoption of GI simulation as the leading training tool for endoscopic proficiency acquisition." The article was published in Endoscopy 2010; 42: 1049-1056.

Dr. Yael Friedman, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Simbionix, commented "This is an important study that Dr. Ferlitsch and his colleges have published, demonstrating the contribution of the GI Mentor to improving healthcare outcomes. It is a valuable addition to over 40 published studies over the last 10 years, validating the GI Mentor as an evidence based virtual reality training tool for GI Endoscopy. We are very proud of the study results, as they reflect our ongoing efforts to continuously provide the most relevant tools to achieve the training objectives set by the medical community.

The GI Mentor will be exhibited at Simbionix booth #2843 at DDW 2011, in Chicago Il, May 8-10.

About Simbionix USA Corporation

Simbionix is the world's leading provider of simulation and training products for medical professionals and the healthcare industry. Founded in 1997, the company is committed to delivering high quality products, advancing clinical performance and optimizing procedural outcomes.

For more information on Simbionix, visit http://www.simbionix.com

Contact: rebecca@simbionix.com; +1-216-229-2040, ext. 128