Korean J Pain.  2016 Apr;29(2):73-77. 10.3344/kjp.2016.29.2.73.

Ultrasound Phantoms to Protect Patients from Novices

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. anekyh@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

With the growing use of ultrasound for pain management, we are interested in how to teach and practice ultrasound-guided procedures. Ethically, we should not insert a needle in a patient until after much practice on a phantom. Several types of phantoms have been introduced for ultrasound training, including water, agar/gelatin, elastomeric rubber, and meat phantoms and cadavers. The ideal phantom is similar to human tissue, is readily available and inexpensive, can be used repeatedly, provides tactile feedback, will hold a needle in place, does not generate needle tracks, and is not a health hazard. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of phantoms for improving the proficiency of novices. We hope that the application of phantoms in education leads to improved proficiency and increased patient safety.

Keyword

Gelatin; Phantom; Proficiency; Resident training; Simulation; Ultrasound

MeSH Terms

Cadaver
Education
Elastomers
Gelatin
Hope
Humans
Meat
Needles
Pain Management
Patient Safety
Rubber
Ultrasonography*
Water
Elastomers
Gelatin
Rubber
Water

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Water phantom. (A) A lumbosacral spine model submerged in water and covered with a mesh to simulate human skin. (B) An ultrasound image of lumbosacral spine model submerged in water. The background echogenicity is close to zero.

  • Fig. 2 A gelatin/psyllium spine phantom. (A) A resident practicing needle handling using a gelatin/psyllium spine phantom. Psyllium husk was added to the gelatin solution to make it opaque. (B) An ultrasound image shows ultrasound-guided medial branch block on gelatin-psyllium lumbosacral spine phantom. Arrowheads indicate needle.

  • Fig. 3 A pig carcass used in an ultrasound workshop.


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