The following is a summary of “Three Dimensional Printing Technology Used to Create a High-Fidelity Ureteroscopy Simulator: Development and Validity Assessment (Rein-3D-Print-UroCCR-39),” published in the JUNE 2023 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Hauteclocque, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to develop a high-fidelity, three-dimensional (3D) printed ureteroscopy simulator based on a real case and assess its validity.

A patient’s CT scan was used to create a 3D model of the urinary bladder, ureter, and renal cavities in .stl format. The model was 3D printed, and a kidney stone was inserted into the cavities to simulate the surgical procedure. Participants, including medical students, residents, and urology fellows, were divided into three groups based on their level of training. They performed the simulated procedure twice at a one-month interval. Their performances were evaluated using global and task-specific scores based on timed video recordings.

Significant improvements were observed in the participants’ performances between the two assessments. The global score increased from 29.4 to 21.9 points out of 35 (P < .001), and the task-specific score increased from 17.7 to 14.7 points out of 20 (P < .001). The procedure time decreased from 700 to 498.5 seconds (P = .001). Medical students showed the greatest improvement in the global score (+15.5 points, mean; P = .001) and the task-specific score (+6.5 points, mean; P < .001). 69.2% of participants considered the simulator visually quite realistic or highly realistic, and all participants found it quite or extremely interesting for intern training purposes.

The developed 3D-printed ureteroscopy simulator proved valid and effective in improving the skills of medical students new to endoscopy. The simulator offers a reasonably priced training tool that can be incorporated into urology training programs, aligning with the current recommendations for surgical education.

Source: goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(23)00209-1/fulltext