A three-dimensional (3D) printed paediatric trachea for airway management training

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• 3D Printing in Medicine
• Paediatric Anaesthesia

Background:

• Limited availability of high-fidelity paediatric airway models for anaesthesia training, especially for infant front-of-neck access and customized airway planning.
• Need for realistic, reproducible, and adaptable training tools to improve paediatric airway management skills.

Discussion:

• Development of an affordable, 3D-printed paediatric airway model using Stratasys Polyjet J750™ technology.
• The model provides realistic tactile feedback and can be modified for specific patient pathologies.
• Highlights the potential of 3D printing as an accessible and versatile technology in clinical anaesthesia.

Key Insights:

• Successful creation of a novel, high-fidelity 3D-printed paediatric airway model.
• The model addresses the deficit in specialized training tools for infant airway management.
• Demonstrates the value of 3D printing for creating customized and reproducible medical training devices.

Outlook:

• Further integration of 3D printing for developing specialized medical training simulators.
• Potential for widespread adoption of 3D-printed models in anaesthesia and other surgical training.
• Enhancing patient safety through improved training in complex paediatric airway procedures.