Design, Development and Assessment of a 3D Printed Pediatric Flexible Bronchoscopy Simulator
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Abstract
Pediatric flexible bronchoscopy is a potentially risky procedure that requires realistic training for optimal procedural yield and complication mitigation. Three-dimensional printing represents a promising technology for developing realistic and low-cost surgical training models, but its utility in pediatric flexible bronchoscopy has not been thoroughly explored. A 3D-printed training simulator was developed by computer-aided design including: (1) a synthetic pediatric airway down to the 3rd generation and a distal reservoir to simulate bronchoalveolar lavage and (2) the benchtop enclosure including a mechanical airway and external pegs for simulation of extraluminal airway compression. Using stereolithography, the airway was fabricated with an elastic resin. An external surface finish was applied using silicone-based fabric paint and biocompatible adhesive to match physiologic intraluminal color. The benchtop enclosure was manufactured using polylactic acid via fused deposition modeling. The 3D-printed airway simulator was evaluated alongside a traditional virtual reality bronchoscopy simulator across 6 domains: physical attributes, realism of experience, ability to perform tasks, educational value, relevance to clinical practice, and global assessment. Six fellowship trainees rated the 3D printed airway favorably across all domains and assessments were similar to the traditional virtual reality simulator. The 3D printed airway had a fixed unit material cost of $6.09 for the airway and $17.13 for the benchtop enclosure. This preliminary assessment of a 3D printed pediatric flexible bronchoscopy simulator suggests that it provides a realistic, customizable and cost-effective mechanism for advanced training in pediatric flexible bronchoscopy.
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