Purpose or Case Report: Many studies have shown that patient education with interactive, multimedia design can enhance information retention. Merge Cube is a commercially available interactive object that allows one to use a phone or iPad to display and manipulate 3D images via an app. The purpose of this study is to determine if reviewing personalized 3D computerized tomography (CT) images via Merge Cube improves patients’ education and understanding versus reviewing the images on a monitor.
Methods & Materials: We conducted a prospective randomized control study including patients from the plastic surgery clinic who had undergone maxillofacial CT for cleft lip and palate or orthognathic surgery. Patients were randomized into one of two groups: control patients had routine image explanation by their surgeon using 3D images on a monitor; and experimental patients had image explanation by their surgeon using a Merge Cube. Subjects in both cohorts completed an anonymous survey of their experience and satisfaction utilizing a 5 point Likert scale. Mann Whitney U tests were performed to compare the responses between the groups.
Results: A total of 27 subjects, control (n=12, 44%) and Merge Cube (n=15, 56%), participated in the study. The Merge Cube group said that they felt that the CT imaging was more clearly explained to them versus the control group (mean = 1.07 vs 1.33, p=0.25). Most importantly, the Merge Cube felt more involved in the decision making process versus the control group (mean = 1.27 vs 1.58, p=0.27) and felt that the surgeon explained the treatment options better (mean = 1.2 vs 1.42, p=0.35).
Conclusions: Although there was not a statistically significant difference between the two cohorts, the Merge Cube group consistently felt like they understood their condition better and felt more involved in their care. Hopefully a larger sample size will allow these results to reach statistical significance. Merge Cube has some potential to serve as an interactive tool to help improve overall patient care.