Low-fidelity simulator for technical connection to the cardiopulmonary bypass

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Education
• Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Background:

• Effective training for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) procedures is crucial for surgical proficiency.
• Existing CPB simulators can be expensive and lack portability, limiting accessibility for trainees.
• There is a need for cost-effective, reproducible, and portable tools to enhance surgical skills in CPB.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe a low-cost, reusable, and portable technical simulator for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) training.
• To provide a tool that improves surgical skills for trainees at all levels.
• To detail the building process of a self-made CPB simulator with realistic anatomical replicas.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a self-made, portable box simulator.
• Development of self-made anatomical replicas with tested flexible properties simulating real anatomy.
• Detailed documentation of the simulator's building process.

Main Results:

• A functional, low-cost, reusable, and portable CPB simulator was created.
• The simulator utilizes anatomical replicas that accurately mimic the flexibility of real anatomy.
• The building process is reproducible, allowing for widespread adoption.

Conclusions:

• The developed simulator offers an accessible and effective method for improving surgical skills in CPB.
• This portable training tool can be used for an unrestricted number of procedures.
• The study provides a detailed guide for constructing a valuable surgical training resource.