Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
Direct Injection of a Lentiviral Vector Highlights Multiple Motor Pathways in the Rat Spinal Cord
Published on: March 15, 2019
Acquisition of spine injection skills using a beef injection simulator
Michael Behrend1, Richard Rosenthal
1Spine Care and Pain Management, Rome, GA 30161, USA. michaelbehrend@tameyourpain.com
Background:
Students of interventional spine procedures typically learn needle injection technique using cadaver specimens or live patients in an operating room. This can be expensive, inefficient, uncomfortable to patients, and requires a significant time commitment from teaching staff.
Purpose:
To present a simple and inexpensive simulator using a cut of beef as an injection model that can be used to teach certain components of interventional spine injection needle technique in a more efficient and cost effective fashion.
Basic Procedures:
A needle injection practice model using beef muscle attached to a plastic base was constructed. Students of interventional spine pain were instructed in C-arm x-ray operation and basic needle handling technique, then performed a series of mock injection procedures using this simulator. Procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and accuracy were measured.
Main Findings:
Speed, accuracy of needle placement, and fluoroscopy time of the subjects improved with the number of practice sessions completed. The subjects felt better prepared to perform live patient procedures as a result of this training.
Conclusions:
Use of an inexpensive beef injection model is a valid, reliable, and feasible adjunct to teaching C-arm x-ray operation and spine injection needle technique to beginning students of intervention spine pain management.
