Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: sclerotherapy is a technique used to treat telangiectasia as well as varicose veins that are subject to non‐surgical intervention. Due to ethical considerations, gaining experience with patients is becoming increasingly unacceptable during the early stages of training. Simulation training can provide students and young doctors with the chance to practice their skills in a risk‐free environment.
Objectives: the objective of this work is to develop a reproducible, low-cost, realistic simulator for sclerotherapy training in order to enable early stages of practising without risk for the patient.
Methods: we developed the simulator (Figure) using easily obtainable materials, such as coloured or transparent silicon and copper wires. We used coloured silicon to make a base that was covered by transparent silicon. Twenty 0.24 mm copper wires were then inserted in order to simulate vessel pathways. After 48 hours we removed the wires, leaving their pathways in the silicon base. We added blue ink for better contrast of the pathways, making it look like telangiectasia.
The protocol consisted of a briefing followed by practice on the simulator. After the briefing, we offered a kit containing: one simulator; one bottle of ink; one bottle of liquid for injection; one 3 mL syringe; one 30G½ needle; an instruction manual; and a table with 10 sessions of training; each session consisting of 10 attempts to catheterize the 'vessel'. After completing the training, three examiners assessed the student.
Results: we evaluated 50 medical students. All of them completed 10 sessions with 10 catheterization attempts. The average of success was 4 (3 to 6) in the first session and 8.8 (7 to 10) in the last session. In the final assessment with the three examiners, all the students catheterized seven or more 'vessels', showing good performance after the training.
Conclusions: the sclerotherapy simulator is a reproducible, low-cost device that can be used as an educational tool to improve the performance of students on the procedure.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: this work is aimed at the development of a low-cost and reproducible realistic simulator that should be accessible around the world to any student showing interest in the practice of sclerotherapy. The expectation is that widespread use of the simulator may have a positive impact on the patient’s health and satisfaction as it avoids patient exposure to the risks of the inexperienced practice.
Objectives: the objective of this work is to develop a reproducible, low-cost, realistic simulator for sclerotherapy training in order to enable early stages of practising without risk for the patient.
Methods: we developed the simulator (Figure) using easily obtainable materials, such as coloured or transparent silicon and copper wires. We used coloured silicon to make a base that was covered by transparent silicon. Twenty 0.24 mm copper wires were then inserted in order to simulate vessel pathways. After 48 hours we removed the wires, leaving their pathways in the silicon base. We added blue ink for better contrast of the pathways, making it look like telangiectasia.
The protocol consisted of a briefing followed by practice on the simulator. After the briefing, we offered a kit containing: one simulator; one bottle of ink; one bottle of liquid for injection; one 3 mL syringe; one 30G½ needle; an instruction manual; and a table with 10 sessions of training; each session consisting of 10 attempts to catheterize the 'vessel'. After completing the training, three examiners assessed the student.
Results: we evaluated 50 medical students. All of them completed 10 sessions with 10 catheterization attempts. The average of success was 4 (3 to 6) in the first session and 8.8 (7 to 10) in the last session. In the final assessment with the three examiners, all the students catheterized seven or more 'vessels', showing good performance after the training.
Conclusions: the sclerotherapy simulator is a reproducible, low-cost device that can be used as an educational tool to improve the performance of students on the procedure.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: this work is aimed at the development of a low-cost and reproducible realistic simulator that should be accessible around the world to any student showing interest in the practice of sclerotherapy. The expectation is that widespread use of the simulator may have a positive impact on the patient’s health and satisfaction as it avoids patient exposure to the risks of the inexperienced practice.
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