Feasibility and Evaluation of a Novel Open-Source 3D Printed Simulator for Microlaryngeal Surgery

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and utility of a novel, open-source 3D printed simulator for practicing laryngeal surgery skills in the clinic setting.

Device development and validation.

A tertiary medical center.

A laryngeal surgery simulator was created using computer-aided design software and 3D printed. Ten otolaryngology residents completed exercises utilizing the simulator and a flexible video laryngoscope for visualization. The training involved 3 microsurgery tasks: (1) suture removal from simulated vocal cords, (2) removal of silicone vocal cord polyps, and (3) simulated flap creation by peeling a grape's skin. Participant demographics, task completion time, and video recordings were collected. Participants provided subjective feedback through 5-point Likert-style questions assessing content and face validity.

Both novice and experienced otolaryngology resident physicians reported positive perceptions of the simulator and its efficacy as an educational device, with average agreement more than neutral (P < .01). Participants praised the simulator's utility for practicing microsurgery skills using a flexible video laryngoscope and for handling instruments such as Kleinsasser forceps and micro scissors (P < .01). Preliminary findings suggest improvements in task completion time with higher post-graduate year. Participants also reported the need for greater realism.

This study of a 3D-printed simulator for laryngeal surgery skills using a flexible video laryngoscope demonstrated promising utility as an educational device. Positive feedback reflects the potential value as a training tool for residents to practice fine motor skills required for laryngeal surgery. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to validate these findings.