The Pocket Strabismus Surgical Skills Trainer: design and validation.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Education
• Medical Device Design

Background:

• Synthetic models offer strabismus surgery training advantages over biologic materials.
• Existing models are often large and expensive, limiting accessibility.
• A handheld surgical strabismus trainer was designed to address these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate a novel, handheld surgical strabismus trainer.
• To create a low-cost, accessible training model for strabismus surgery.

Main Methods:

• A 3D-printed silicone mold created the "Pocket Strabismus Surgical Skills Trainer" (6.25 × 4.5 × 2.5 cm).
• The model is optimized for practicing muscle securing, scleral passes, and conjunctival closure.
• Cost of materials for each model is under US $30.
• Participant perceptions were assessed via Likert scale questionnaires in workshops across three ophthalmology programs.

Main Results:

• Thirty trainees and 6 faculty participated in the survey.
• All participants found the simulator easy to use, set up, and store (P = 0.003).
• The majority found the eyeball, sclera, and rectus muscles realistic (97%, 86%, 81%; P = 0.001).
• Participants agreed the sclera/extraocular muscles felt realistic (77%/81%; P = 0.005) and modeled real practice (92%/100%; P = 0.002).

Conclusions:

• The Pocket Strabismus Surgical Skills Trainer is perceived as easy to use with realistic ocular structures.
• The model effectively facilitates practice of essential strabismus surgery steps.
• This low-cost trainer has the potential to broaden hands-on strabismus surgical training accessibility.