Innovating Flexor Tendon Repair Training with a Three-dimensional Printed Model

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Surgical Education
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Flexor tendon repair is a complex surgical procedure requiring high skill for optimal patient outcomes.
• Junior surgical residents face a significant learning curve in mastering flexor tendon repair techniques.
• Surgical simulation offers a potential method to mitigate the challenges in training for this procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel 3D surgical simulator for flexor tendon repair training.
• To assess the validity and effectiveness of the simulator through objective and subjective measures.
• To determine the impact of the simulator on resident surgical skill and confidence.

Main Methods:

• A 3D surgical training device and instructional video were created for flexor tendon repair simulation.
• Workshops were conducted for junior orthopedic and plastic surgery residents (n=11).
• Participants performed cadaveric flexor tendon repairs pre- and post-workshop, with anonymous recordings graded by certified hand surgeons; repair strength was measured using a tensometer.

Main Results:

• The simulator received high ratings for realism (4.6/5), educational utility (4.9/5), and overall usefulness (4.9/5).
• Post-training, residents reported increased confidence (73% "moderately" or "extremely" confident).
• Objective assessment showed significant improvement in overall quality and time of repair (P=0.0002), while repair strength remained unchanged (P=0.87).

Conclusions:

• The 3D surgical simulator for flexor tendon repair is a realistic and effective training tool.
• The simulator demonstrably improves surgical technique and resident confidence in performing flexor tendon repairs.
• This printable 3D model has the potential to be a valuable addition to hand surgery training curricula.