Multi-institutional Evaluation of Producing and Testing a Novel 3D-Printed Laparoscopic Trainer

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• 3D Printing Technology

Background:

• Traditional laparoscopic simulators are often expensive and not portable.
• There is a need for accessible and cost-effective surgical training tools.
• 3D printing offers a potential solution for creating customized medical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a portable, cost-effective 3D-printed laparoscopic trainer.
• To assess the efficacy of the 3D-printed trainer for surgical skills development.
• To compare the 3D-printed trainer with conventional laparoscopic simulators.

Main Methods:

• The UCI Trainer (UCiT) was designed using CAD and 3D-printed.
• A tablet computer served as the video and optics component.
• Participants (25 urologists) performed peg transfer and knot tying tasks on the UCiT and a standard trainer.

Main Results:

• The UCiT cost $26.50 to print and was assembled in under 45 minutes by most participants.
• Objective performance on surgical tasks was comparable between the UCiT and the conventional trainer.
• While the conventional trainer offered a better subjective experience, the UCiT was deemed useful for surgical education.

Conclusions:

• The UCiT is a low-cost, portable, and easily assembled laparoscopic training tool.
• It provides a viable platform for practicing laparoscopic skills with performance comparable to standard trainers.
• The UCiT represents a valuable resource for enhancing surgical education.