A 3-Dimensional-Printed Shoulder Simulator for Rotator Cuff Repair Training.

Abstract

With advances in medical technology, the use and indications for arthroscopic procedures have expanded. Simulation training has been shown to directly translate to operative skills; however, high costs and limited funding impede access for many orthopaedic surgery resident physicians. This article introduces a low-cost, high-fidelity, highly adaptable, and anatomically accurate 3-dimensional-printed arthroscopic shoulder simulator that can improve access to arthroscopic training opportunities. This simulator was developed from computed tomography imaging of a cadaveric shoulder and designed with easily assembled, modular components that can simulate multiple shoulder pathologies. The authors show a double-row rotator cuff repair using the simulator. This procedure and others can be simulated with a rubber band, a glove, or a commercially available bone block.