Clinically Relevant Skull Models and Optical Measurement Method to Evaluate Programmable Hydrocephalus Valve Toolkit Usability

The study developed five simulated skull models to mimic clinical conditions for programming adjustable ventriculoperitoneal hydrocephalus shunt valves, evaluated by 13 healthcare professionals. Three models were deemed most clinically relevant. An optical measurement method was created to assess tool movements during valve programming, involving over 50 healthcare professionals. The models varied in scalp thickness to simulate different patient conditions. The study found minimal offsets in tool positioning, with the valve center showing an average offset of 0.43mm from the printed grid overlay. The research highlighted the importance of accurately characterizing human factors in medical device development, demonstrating that these models and methods effectively evaluated the usability of hydrocephalus valve tool kits.