The Simulation Zone proved popular in its second-year appearance at Scientific Sessions 2016. It featured four regularly scheduled demonstrations that drew large crowds of participants. The simulations gave attendees an opportunity to test their knowledge, skills and critical thinking.

The simulations offered were:

• Body Interact, which is a screen-based 3-D, immersive training platform. It highlighted dynamic monitoring, dialoguing, diagnostic testing, imaging, drugs, intervention options and performance debriefing.
• The Mechanical Circulatory Support area, which provided a hands-on opportunity to model adult and pediatric critical scenarios. Participants were able to observe the hemodynamic consequences of conditions such as heart failure, shock and device obstruction.
• The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) area, which highlighted the procedure by simulating cases with anatomical variations. Users were able to perform a procedure using different approaches to position and deploy a transcatheter aortic valve.
• Vimedix, which is a scientifically a validated ultrasound training platform that supports transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. A 3-D augmented reality display showed anatomy, organs and surrounding structures in real time, allowing viewing of normal and complex pathology.

Jeremy Tietjens, MD, a first-year clinical fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, said the Simulation Zone demonstrations were useful, particularly the TAVR simulation and faculty discussion.

“It was really interesting to hear the faculty panel give their opinions on how they do things in different cases,” Tietjens said. “I did the simulation on one of the TAVR valves. I’m not usually directly involved with the TAVRs, so it was nice to do the simulation and get some tactile feedback.”