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Evaluating the Efficacy of a Novel Multimaterial 3D-Printed Phantom for Otologic Surgical Education and Simulation
Jonathan Wang1, Oren Wei1, Andy S Ding2
1School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University.
Objective:
To design and validate a cost-effective, multimaterial 3D-printed temporal bone phantom that replicates the anatomic and haptic properties of human bone for surgical simulation and training.
Study Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Setting:
Tertiary academic medical center.
Participants:
Sixteen otolaryngology residents (PGY-1 to PGY-5) are participating in a multi-institutional temporal bone dissection course.
Intervention:
Participants performed mastoidectomy and facial recess dissection on a novel 3D-printed phantom fabricated from calcium-enriched SimuBone PLA (for osseous structures) and contrasting colored PLA (for neurovascular anatomy). Performance was compared against cadaveric controls.
Main Outcome Measures:
Participants completed a structured 5-point Likert-scale survey assessing anatomic realism, tactile feedback, visual fidelity, and educational utility. Spearman rank-order correlations evaluated the relationship between surgeon experience and perceived model fidelity.
Results:
The phantom demonstrated moderately high scores for anatomic fidelity (mean 3.56±0.51) and visual realism (mean 3.62±0.50), with overall realism rated at 3.50±0.52. Although tactile realism was rated lower (mean 3.06±0.57), 100% of participants rated the model as moderately to highly valuable for surgical training. Senior residents were more critical of anatomic fidelity ( P <0.05) yet reported continued willingness to use the phantom for skill development. Qualitative feedback confirmed the utility of color-coded "no-go" zones for novice spatial orientation.
Conclusions:
The multimaterial 3D-printed phantom offers a scalable, cost-effective ($6.13 USD) alternative to cadaveric dissection with high anatomic accuracy. Although haptic nuances require further optimization, the model serves as an effective foundational simulator for otologic surgical education.
