TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of a Low-cost, High-fidelity Skin Model for Suturing
AU - Williams, Taylor P.
AU - Snyder, Clifford L.
AU - Hancock, Kevin J.
AU - Iglesias, Nicholas J.
AU - Sommerhalder, Christian
AU - DeLao, Shannon C.
AU - Chacin, Aisen C.
AU - Perez, Alexander
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Background: In a survey of students at our institution, suturing was the most desired workshop for simulation; however, cost, quality, and availability of skin pads is often prohibitive for suturing workshops. In-hospital fabrication may be utilized to manufacture noncommercial, high-fidelity, and low-cost simulation models. We describe the production, value, and face validation of our simulated skin model. Materials and methods: Using an in-hospital fabrication laboratory, we have developed a model for skin and subcutaneous tissue. Our model uses a variety of commercially available materials to simulate the epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat, fascia, and muscle. A cost analysis was performed by comparing it with other commonly used commercial skin models. Expert surgeons assessed the material characteristics, durability, and overall quality of our model in comparison with other commercial models. Results: The materials cost of our novel skin pad model was 30.9% of the mean cost of five different commonly used foam and silicone-based commercial skin models. This low-cost model is more durable than the commercial models, does not require skin pad holders, and is of higher fidelity than the commercial products. In addition to skin closure, our model may be used to simulate fascial closure or fasciotomy. Conclusions: Model creation using in-hospital workspaces is an effective strategy to decrease cost while improving quality of surgical simulation. Our methods for creation of an inexpensive and high-fidelity skin pad may be purposed for several soft tissue models.
AB - Background: In a survey of students at our institution, suturing was the most desired workshop for simulation; however, cost, quality, and availability of skin pads is often prohibitive for suturing workshops. In-hospital fabrication may be utilized to manufacture noncommercial, high-fidelity, and low-cost simulation models. We describe the production, value, and face validation of our simulated skin model. Materials and methods: Using an in-hospital fabrication laboratory, we have developed a model for skin and subcutaneous tissue. Our model uses a variety of commercially available materials to simulate the epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat, fascia, and muscle. A cost analysis was performed by comparing it with other commonly used commercial skin models. Expert surgeons assessed the material characteristics, durability, and overall quality of our model in comparison with other commercial models. Results: The materials cost of our novel skin pad model was 30.9% of the mean cost of five different commonly used foam and silicone-based commercial skin models. This low-cost model is more durable than the commercial models, does not require skin pad holders, and is of higher fidelity than the commercial products. In addition to skin closure, our model may be used to simulate fascial closure or fasciotomy. Conclusions: Model creation using in-hospital workspaces is an effective strategy to decrease cost while improving quality of surgical simulation. Our methods for creation of an inexpensive and high-fidelity skin pad may be purposed for several soft tissue models.
KW - Cost
KW - Fidelity
KW - Simulation
KW - Skin model
KW - Surgical training
KW - Suturing
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jss.2020.07.051
DO - 10.1016/j.jss.2020.07.051
M3 - Article
C2 - 32810661
AN - SCOPUS:85089373460
SN - 0022-4804
VL - 256
SP - 618
EP - 622
JO - Journal of Surgical Research
JF - Journal of Surgical Research
ER -