A medical simulator for subcutaneous contraceptive implant insertion

New contraceptive methods like the subcutaneous implant offers a new kind of comfort for women with an efficiency similar to the contraceptive pill. Unfortunately the few numbers of unintended pregnancies that have been reported are generally due to a bad insertion of the implant. In order to give more security to patients, we have designed, in close collaboration with physicians, a new kind of medical simulator. This paper focuses on a device dedicated to a specific subcutaneous implant but it is worth noting that this simulator is relatively generic since it will be used for other subcutaneous techniques or other implant instruments. This simulator can be used for two purposes: one for training novice physicians in the correct manipulation and the other for physician certification which will help determine if they are capable of inserting the implant in vivo. This paper describes the approach which has led to the design of this simulator. It describes its functionalities, its several components but also methods used to analyze the manipulation of the implant insertion inside the patient. Finally first experimental results are reported and discussed. The system used in this paper makes possible to carry out training in a constraint-free context and provides the first mean of visualizing a maneuver that, until now, has been performed blindly.