Evaluation of a low-cost, 3D-printed model for bronchoscopy training

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Anesthesiology
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Flexible bronchoscopy is a core medical procedure.
• Simulation-based training enhances patient safety but simulators can be inaccessible in low-resource settings.
• A low-cost, 3D-printed flexible bronchoscopy training model was developed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a low-cost, 3D-printed flexible bronchoscopy simulator.
• To assess the impact of the simulator on trainee performance and knowledge.
• To gauge participant satisfaction with the training model.

Main Methods:

• Physicians with no prior experience used a 3D-printed airway model.
• Participants underwent a brief lecture and completed pre- and post-training questionnaires.
• Performance metrics included task completion time, skill quality, and knowledge assessment over four training sessions.

Main Results:

• Task completion time decreased significantly from the 1st to 4th attempt (152.9s to 98.7s, P=0.03).
• Performance quality scores improved substantially (8.3 to 18.2, P<0.0001).
• Questionnaire scores showed significant improvement (6.8 to 13.3, P<0.0001), with high participant satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• A 3D-printed model was successfully developed for flexible bronchoscopy training.
• The model demonstrated significant improvements in trainee performance and knowledge.
• This 3D-printed simulator offers a valid and cost-effective training solution for flexible bronchoscopy.