Preoperative vascular surgery model using a single polymer tough hydrogel with controllable elastic moduli

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Organ mimics for medical training require realistic tactile properties like softness, toughness, and hydration.
• Existing materials often fail to meet these demanding requirements for accurate simulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel polyacrylamide hydrogel with properties suitable for creating advanced organ mimics.
• To evaluate the hydrogel's potential for enhancing medical education and surgical simulation.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized polyacrylamide hydrogels with varying acrylamide concentrations (29-62% w/w) and a fixed cross-linker ratio.
• Characterized hydrogel properties including fracture energy, elastic modulus, and rheological behavior.
• Assessed the material's mechanical robustness through manipulations like stretching, puncture, and suturing.

Main Results:

• Achieved fracture energy of approximately 2000 J m⁻².
• Tunable elastic modulus ranging from 8 to 62 kPa, matching various human tissues.
• Demonstrated excellent mechanical integrity and suitability for surgical simulation tasks.

Conclusions:

• The developed polyacrylamide hydrogel exhibits superior toughness and tunable softness, closely mimicking biological tissues.
• This material is highly promising for creating realistic organ mimics for medical simulation and training.
• The hydrogel's properties facilitate diverse surgical manipulations, enhancing its applicability in microsurgery simulation.