A Novel Approach to Emergency Airway Simulation Using a 3D-printed Cricothyrotomy Task Trainer.

Background: Cricothyrotomy is a final recourse for salvaging a difficult airway, yet most anesthesiology providers have little training, exposure, or comfort with the procedure. Pig tracheas are frequently used for training, but are single use and require special handling and storage. Other simulation models, such as mannequins and cadavers, are costly. Advances in 3dimensional (3D) printing have improved accessibility and decreased costs. This research project sought to determine whether an inexpensive 3D-printed task trainer was noninferior to pig tracheas for teaching surgical cricothyrotomy skills.

Methods: Anesthesiology residents were enrolled in an institutional review board-exempted, unblinded, randomized, controlled, single-institution, noninferiority trial. Participants were trained in the scalpel-finger-bougie technique for surgical cricothyrotomy. Participants were randomized to practice 5 repetitions on either a pig trachea or the 3D model and were assessed on time to cricothyrotomy completion on a pig trachea before and after practice.

Results: Demographic characteristics of the 25 workshop attendees were similar between study arms. Overall mean (SD) improvement in speed was 9 (12) seconds ( = .001). Postpractice times were similar between groups (analysis of covariance estimated difference of -0.1 seconds [95% confidence interval, -9.4 to 9.2]; = .55). The 3D model was noninferior to the pig trachea at the prespecified noninferiority margin of 10 seconds ( = .017).

Conclusions: The 3D model was noninferior to pig tracheas for improving the time to completion of a surgical cricothyrotomy. A 3D-printed model offers a viable alternative to pig tracheas for emergency airway simulation that is inexpensive, reusable, and readily modified to simulate challenging airway anatomy.