Developments in Simulation Bronchoscopy Training

Flexible bronchoscopy is a common procedure. Training in bronchoscopy is a complex process involving learning technical skills, understanding indications and contraindications, risks and benefits of the procedure, working within the team and communicating with patients. It is expected that a competent bronchoscopist is able to maneuver the scope through the anatomically complex bronchial tree, take samples, manage the sedated patient and communicate with nursing staff. Learning the complex procedural skills in the clinical setting can be stressful, therefore current bronchoscopic training methodology should blend a number of learning methods including didactic lectures, web-based material, high and low fidelity simulators as well as supervised apprenticeship training. Simulation-based bronchoscopy training therefore has been explored as a mode of training bronchoscopy skills. In this article, the role of simulation-based bronchoscopy training is reviewed. The low fidelity and high fidelity virtual reality bronchoscopy models are described together with the evidence available to support the use of simulation for bronchoscopy training.