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 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.