Session 29: Art 2

4:00 – 5:00 pm

Category: Art

Shoe Strings and Shiny Things: Methods for Creating Surgical Simulation Models

Surgical techniques training in residency program employs an internship model of surgical training where learners observe surgical procedures, then perform the procedure multiple times under supervision. This leads to heightened learner stress and increased surgical complications for patients. Surgical simulation training increases learner skill and confidence (Chang et al., 2017). Cost is a barrier to the implementation of surgical simulation. Commercially available models do not always meet the needs of a particular program and have high per-user costs. There is a need to design procedure-specific simulation models and evaluate those model validity (Aydin, Raison, Khan, Dasgupta, & Ahmed, 2016; Chang et al., 2017). 3D printing combined with conventional sculpture materials allows for timely production of procedure and patient-specific trainers to meet the needs of surgical learners. The materials and techniques for medical sculpture expand as 3D printing technology. We will describe our experience with custom surgical simulation model creation and discuss our recommendations on using traditional and digital techniques to create custom simulation models.

Session Takeaways:

  1. Recommended material for use in medical sculpture
  2. Recommended materials and devices in 3D printing
  3. Techniques for the development of surgical simulation models

Amanda Behr

Associate Professor, Augusta University

Amanda Y. Behr, MA, CCA, CMI, FAMI, is a board-certified Medical Illustrator and Certified Clinical Anaplastologist. She is an Associate Professor in the Augusta University Medical Illustration Graduate Program. She works clinically as an anaplastologist at Dental College of Georgia’s Anaplastology Clinic, where she makes facial and somatic prosthetics for individuals with missing facial anatomy. This interest in anaplastology led to her research in medical sculpture. Amanda is pursuing her PhD in Applied Health Science at Augusta University with a focus on the validation of simulation models, design theory, and user experience. She leads Augusta University’s Medical Sculpture Core Lab where her research focus is 3D printing and the use of medical sculpture for simulation.