Constructing low-cost simulation models in pediatric surgery and pediatric urology using 3D printing and hydrogel: Preliminary study

Abstract

Objective: Using surgical education simulations to develop and maintain fine motor skills becomes gradually more important and prevalent in hands-on-training of both students and surgery/urology residents. However, these simulation-training models should overcome problems of individualized design, high cost, and inability to reflect accurate anatomy and tissue characteristics, by means of new research studies. In this study, we aimed to construct affordable training-simulation models for student-resident training in pediatric surgery and urology using a 3D printer and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Material and Methods: In this study virtual models of the renal mass lesions and urinary system stone disease that are frequently encountered problems in pediatric surgery and urology using 3Ds MAX software (Autodesk, San Rafael, CA). Virtual models were used as reference geometry to design molds in Fusion 360 software (Autodesk, San Rafael, CA). After inverse geometries of the virtual models were constructed, supportive l features such as inlet and outlet pipes were added to the mold using Boolean operations. Generated molds were printed using Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer (Ultimaker B.V, Geldermalsen, The Netherlands). The %20 w/v solution of the PVA was prepared and injected between the 3D-printed molds. Five freeze-thaw cycles were subsequently administered to the entire molds to allow the PVA molecules to create hydrogen bonds that lead to forming the tissue-mimicking gel. The training-simulation models were removed from the molds. Results: In this study, the kidney and urinary bladder models were produced. Conclusions: In this preliminary study, we demonstrated how to construct anatomically correct, low-cost, procedure-specific models that mimic the original properties of living tissues. The utility of the models in student and resident education will be evaluated in future studies.