Microsurgical training on an in vitro chicken wing infusion model

Area of Science:

• Microsurgery
• Surgical Training
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Microneurovascular anastomosis and aneurysm clipping demand extensive surgical training.
• Developing proficiency in these techniques presents a significant challenge for surgeons.
• The infused chicken wing method was created to offer a simplified, realistic training alternative, reducing animal use and specialized facility requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the infused chicken wing method as a novel training model for microsurgery.
• To provide a cost-effective and accessible simulation for practicing complex vascular and nerve anastomosis techniques.
• To assess the model's suitability for training aneurysm clipping and reconstruction procedures.

Main Methods:

• Fresh chicken wings were utilized as the training platform.
• The brachial artery was cannulated and infused with water at 140 mm Hg to simulate physiological pressure.
• Microsurgical exercises included various vascular anastomoses (terminoterminal, lateroterminal, laterolateral), nerve anastomosis, and aneurysm creation/repair using venous patches and clipping.

Main Results:

• The model is inexpensive, readily available, and does not require live animals.
• The avian arteries and veins possess diameters and characteristics comparable to human cerebral vessels.
• Significant improvement in microsurgical techniques can be achieved using this training method.

Conclusions:

• The infused chicken wing artery model serves as a practical and realistic simulation for microvascular surgical training.
• Its low cost and ease of setup make it an accessible training resource.
• The model effectively facilitates the development of essential microsurgical skills.