Low-cost three-dimensional printed phantom for neuraxial anesthesia training: Development and comparison to a commercial model

Neuraxial anesthesia (spinal and epidural anesthesia) procedures have significant learning curves and have been traditionally taught at the bed side, exposing patients to the increased risk associated with procedures done by novices. Simulation based medical education allows trainees to repeatedly practice and hone their skills prior to patient interaction. Widespread adoption of simulation-based medical education for procedural teaching has been slow due to the expense and limited variety of commercially available phantoms. Free/Libre/open-source (FLOS) software and desktop 3D printing technologies has enabled the fabrication of low-cost, patient-specific medical phantoms. However, few studies have evaluated the performance of these devices compared to commercially available phantoms. This paper describes the fabrication of a low-cost 3D printed neuraxial phantom based on computed tomorography (CT) scan data, and expert validation data comparing this phantom to a commercially available model. Methods Anonymized CT DICOM data was segmented to create a 3D model of the lumbar spine. The 3D model was modified, placed inside a digitally designed housing unit and fabricated on a desktop 3D printer using polylactic acid (PLA) filament. The model was filled with an echogenic solution of gelatin with psyllium fiber. Twenty-two staff anesthesiologists performed a spinal and epidural on the 3D printed simulator and a commercially available Simulab phantom. Participants evaluated the tactile and ultrasound imaging fidelity of both phantoms via Likert-scale questionnaire. Results The 3D printed neuraxial phantom cost $13 to print and required 25 hours of non-supervised printing and 2 hours of assembly time. The 3D printed phantom was found to be less realistic to surface palpation than the Simulab phantom due to fragility of the silicone but had significantly better fidelity for loss of resistance, dural puncture and ultrasound imaging than the Simulab phantom. Conclusion Low-cost neuraxial phantoms with fidelity comparable to commercial models can be produced using CT data and low-cost infrastructure consisting of FLOS software and desktop 3D printers.