Engineering a High-Fidelity Neonatal Silicone Phantom: Development, Optimization, and User Evaluation of a 3D-Printed...

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Neonatal Care
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Neonatal intravenous (IV) access is challenging due to small vessels and delicate tissues.
• Existing training phantoms often lack neonatal realism and are expensive.
• Effective simulation is crucial for improving neonatal procedural skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and optimize an affordable, ultrasound-compatible 3D silicone phantom for neonatal IV access training.
• To replicate realistic neonatal tissue properties and vasculature.
• To create a reproducible and durable training tool.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D-printed molds and specialized silicone (Dragon Skin™ with Slacker® softener).
• Incorporated talcum powder for enhanced echogenicity and embedded silicone tubing for vasculature.
• Employed rotational casting for uniform dermal layers and precise vessel placement.

Main Results:

• Achieved a durable, reproducible phantom with realistic tissue compliance and vessel compressibility.
• Optimized dermal uniformity, vessel stability, and ultrasound visibility through iterative engineering.
• Developed a low-cost simulator with material costs enabling widespread adoption.

Conclusions:

• The 3D silicone phantom offers a realistic, affordable, and reproducible solution for neonatal vascular access simulation.
• User feedback confirms the phantom's fidelity and utility in training.
• This simulator can significantly enhance neonatal procedural training programs.