Hacking Intraosseous Infusion Skills Training With 3D Printing: maxSIMIO Drilling System

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Emergency Medicine
• Surgical Simulation

Background:

• Intraosseous (IO) infusion provides vascular access when peripheral IVs are unavailable.
• Current IO drills are expensive and have limitations (e.g., non-rechargeable, poor battery indication), hindering training, especially in remote areas.
• The Arrow® EZ-IO® Power Driver (EZ-IO) is a common but costly IO device.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an affordable, reliable, and accessible IO drilling system for medical training.
• To overcome the cost and accessibility barriers associated with commercial IO infusion devices.

Main Methods:

• Developed the maxSIMIO Drilling System using a rechargeable IKEA screwdriver and a 3D-printed needle adapter.
• Created two adapter versions: one friction-based (Version A) and one magnetic (Version B).
• Compared the maxSIMIO system's features (rechargeability, directional control, adapter compatibility) to the EZ-IO.

Main Results:

• The maxSIMIO system offers a rechargeable alternative to the non-rechargeable EZ-IO.
• The screwdriver's dual-direction rotation and custom adapters enhance usability.
• The 3D-printed adapter design provides a cost-effective solution for training needles.

Conclusions:

• The maxSIMIO Drilling System presents a more accessible and cost-effective option for IO infusion training compared to the EZ-IO.
• Further rigorous testing and clinical validation are recommended for this novel training system.