Vacuum 5-step technique versus OdonAssist: Which is easier to learn for professionals without experience in assisted vaginal births? A simulation study

Objective: To compare the ease of learning the Vacca 5-step vacuum technique versus the OdonAssist device for assisted vaginal birth (AVB) among healthcare professionals without previous experience in AVBs. Methods: A prospective, randomized crossover, simulation-based study was conducted with 12 fi...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cuerva González, Marcos Javier, Durá, Candela, Aramendia, Andrés, Cortés, Marta, López, Francisco, Bartha Rasero, José Luis
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repositorio:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/750220
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10486/750220
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.70836
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:assisted vaginal birth
OdonAssist, operative birth
simulation training
vacuum
Medicina
Descripción
Sumario:Objective: To compare the ease of learning the Vacca 5-step vacuum technique versus the OdonAssist device for assisted vaginal birth (AVB) among healthcare professionals without previous experience in AVBs. Methods: A prospective, randomized crossover, simulation-based study was conducted with 12 final-year medical students. Each participant underwent training in both techniques. The primary outcome was the number of attempts required to achieve three consecutive error-free AVBs on a simulation model. Secondary outcomes included procedure duration, perceived difficulty, and error rates. Results: A total of 24 training sessions were studied, including 123 simulated AVBs (74 vacuum, 49 OdonAssist). Participants required fewer attempts to master the OdonAssist technique compared with the Vacca 5-step vacuum technique (4, interquartile range (IQR) 3–5, attempts versus 6, IQR 4–8, attempts; P = 0.012). Training sessions and AVBs with OdonAssist were also perceived as easier. Conclusion: Both techniques can be effectively taught using simulation-based methods. However, the OdonAssist device was easier to learn and required fewer repetitions, making it a promising tool for introducing AVB into settings where AVB is underused