High-fidelity, inexpensive surgical middle ear simulator

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Additive Manufacturing
• Otologic Surgery Training

Background:

• Additive manufacturing technology (AMT) enables cost-effective, high-fidelity 3D replicas of anatomical structures.
• New resident training guidelines necessitate advanced surgical simulation tools.
• The middle ear presents complex anatomical challenges for surgical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a high-fidelity, inexpensive middle ear simulator for surgical training.
• To assess the face validity and fidelity of the simulator as rated by otology experts.
• To determine the perceived usefulness of the simulator in improving surgical skills.

Main Methods:

• A surgical middle ear simulator (SMS) was created using AMT with materials simulating bone and soft tissue.
• The SMS design incorporated an external auditory canal and an otosclerosis model.
• Otology experts rated the simulator's face validity, fidelity, and training utility.

Main Results:

• 83.3% of experts found the SMS dimensions accurate; 66.6% reported accurate tactile feedback.
• 78% of experts agreed that practicing stapedotomy with the SMS translates to improvement in live surgery.
• 83% of experts rated the SMS as "very useful" for training novice surgeons.

Conclusions:

• The developed middle ear simulator demonstrates high face validity and is considered a valuable training tool for otologic surgery.
• While most experts found the SMS accurate, component ratings showed some variability.
• Further refinements are planned to enhance the simulator's effectiveness in otologic surgical training.