The Edinburgh FESS Trainer: a cadaver-based bench-top practice system for endoscopic ethmoidal surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical education
• Anatomical simulation
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) demands extensive hands-on experience.
• Cadaver dissection is the traditional method for acquiring FESS technical skills.
• Limitations exist in cadaver availability and preparation for training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Edinburgh FESS Training system.
• To provide a reproducible bench-top simulation for FESS training.
• To facilitate cadaver-based practice in an accessible format.

Main Methods:

• En-bloc removal of nasal cavity and sinus structures from cadavers.
• Embedding and mounting of anatomical specimens in a simulated head.
• Development of a standardized bench-top training model.

Main Results:

• The Edinburgh FESS Training system offers a novel approach to surgical simulation.
• The system allows for realistic anatomical representation for FESS practice.
• This method enables bench-top training independent of traditional cadaver lab constraints.

Conclusions:

• The Edinburgh FESS Training system effectively simulates cadaveric anatomy for FESS.
• This innovative approach enhances accessibility and reproducibility in surgical training.
• The system supports the development of essential technical skills for functional endoscopic sinus surgery.