BACKGROUND: Students of interventional spine procedures typically learn needle injection technique using cadaver specimens or live patients in an operating room. This can be expensive, inefficient, uncomfortable to patients, and requires a significant time commitment from teaching staff. PURPOSE: To present a simple and inexpensive simulator using a cut of beef as an injection model that can be used to teach certain components of interventional spine injection needle technique in a more efficient and cost effective fashion. BASIC PROCEDURES: A needle injection practice model using beef muscle attached to a plastic base was constructed. Students of interventional spine pain were instructed in C-arm x-ray operation and basic needle handling technique, then performed a series of mock injection procedures using this simulator. Procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and accuracy were measured. MAIN FINDINGS: Speed, accuracy of needle placement, and fluoroscopy time of the subjects improved with the number of practice sessions completed. The subjects felt better prepared to perform live patient procedures as a result of this training. CONCLUSIONS: Use of an inexpensive beef injection model is a valid, reliable, and feasible adjunct to teaching C-arm x-ray operation and spine injection needle technique to beginning students of intervention spine pain management.
BACKGROUND: Students of interventional spine procedures typically learn needle injection technique using cadaver specimens or live patients in an operating room. This can be expensive, inefficient, uncomfortable to patients, and requires a significant time commitment from teaching staff. PURPOSE: To present a simple and inexpensive simulator using a cut of beef as an injection model that can be used to teach certain components of interventional spine injection needle technique in a more efficient and cost effective fashion. BASIC PROCEDURES: A needle injection practice model using beef muscle attached to a plastic base was constructed. Students of interventional spine pain were instructed in C-arm x-ray operation and basic needle handling technique, then performed a series of mock injection procedures using this simulator. Procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and accuracy were measured. MAIN FINDINGS: Speed, accuracy of needle placement, and fluoroscopy time of the subjects improved with the number of practice sessions completed. The subjects felt better prepared to perform live patient procedures as a result of this training. CONCLUSIONS: Use of an inexpensive beef injection model is a valid, reliable, and feasible adjunct to teaching C-arm x-ray operation and spine injection needle technique to beginning students of intervention spine pain management.
Authors: Tracy H Vemulapalli; Shawn S Donkin; Timothy B Lescun; Peggy A O'Neil; Patrick A Zollner Journal: J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci Date: 2017-09-01 Impact factor: 1.232