Ventriculostomy Simulation Using Patient-Specific Ventricular Anatomy, 3D Printing, and Hydrogel Casting.

Department

Neurosurgery

Document Type

Article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Educational simulators provide a means for students and experts to learn and refine surgical skills. Educators can leverage the strengths of medical simulators to effectively teach complex and high-risk surgical procedures, such as placement of an external ventricular drain.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to develop a cost-effective, patient-derived medical simulacrum for cerebral lateral ventriculostomy.

METHODS: A cost-effective, patient-derived medical simulacrum was developed for placement of an external lateral ventriculostomy. Elastomeric and gel casting techniques were used to achieve realistic brain geometry and material properties. 3D printing technology was leveraged to develop accurate cranial properties and dimensions. An economical, gravity-driven pump was developed to provide normal and abnormal ventricular pressures. A small pilot study was performed to gauge simulation efficacy using a technology acceptance model.

RESULTS: An accurate geometric representation of the brain was developed with independent lateral cerebral ventricular chambers. A gravity-driven pump pressurized the ventricular cavities to physiologic values. A qualitative study illustrated that the simulation has potential as an educational tool to train medical professionals in the ventriculostomy procedure.

CONCLUSION: The ventricular simulacrum can improve learning in a medical education environment. Rapid prototyping and multi-material casting techniques can produce patient-derived models for cost-effective and realistic surgical training scenarios.

Medical Subject Headings

Attitude of Health Personnel; Cerebral Ventricles; Humans; Hydrogels; Lateral Ventricles; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Models, Anatomic; Neurosurgery; Pilot Projects; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Students, Medical; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ventriculostomy

Publication Date

11-1-2015

Publication Title

World Neurosurg

ISSN

1878-8769

Volume

84

Issue

5

First Page

1333

Last Page

1339

PubMed ID

26100167

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.wneu.2015.06.016

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