Moving Toward a Near-Total Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement of Live Animal Use in Microvascular Training

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Education
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Microsurgery simulation traditionally uses live rat models, posing ethical and educational challenges.
• The principles of reducing, replacing, and refining (3Rs) animal use necessitate alternative training methods.
• Existing simulation models often lack the high-fidelity required for effective microsurgical skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a hybrid microvascular training curriculum integrating non-living models.
• To assess the effectiveness of this curriculum in reducing live animal usage while maintaining educational value.
• To validate objective skill assessment methods for microsurgical training.

Main Methods:

• Developed a hybrid curriculum using non-living models (chicken, pork) and a Micropump for flow-capable anastomosis.
• Trainees progressed through stages from basic instrument handling to complex microvascular procedures.
• Objective skill evaluation included hand motion analysis, time efficiency, economy of movement, and patency outcomes.

Main Results:

• Achieved up to an 80% reduction in live animal use per trainee (from ~10 rats to 2).
• Trainees demonstrated comparable microsurgical competencies to those trained with live models.
• Objective assessments showed significant improvements in trainee performance metrics, with physiological patency rates similar to live models.

Conclusions:

• The hybrid curriculum effectively reduces reliance on live animal models in microsurgery training.
• It provides a viable alternative that maintains high educational standards and promotes ethical practices.
• Further validation is ongoing to support broader adoption and potential complete replacement of live animal models.