Review of simulation model for education of point-of-care ultrasound using easy-to-make tools

Abstract

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a powerful diagnostic tool and provides treatment guidelines in acute critical settings. However, the limitation of using POCUS is operator dependent. Appropriate and validated training for acquiring and using skills in practice must be conducted before using POCUS in clinical settings in order to keep patients safe. Simulation education models have been introduced as a way to solve and overcome these concerns. However, the commercial simulator with sufficiently secured fidelity is expensive and not always available. This review focused on the inexpensive and easily made simulators for education on POCUS in critical specific situations related to the airway, breathing, circulation, and disability. We introduced the simulators that used non-infectious materials, with easily transportable features, and that had a sonographic appearance reproducibility similar to human tissue. We also introduced the recipe of each simulator in two parts: Materials surrounding disease simulators (surrounding materials) and specific disease simulators themselves (target simulators). This review article covered the following: endotracheal or oesophageal intubation, lung (A-lines, B-lines, lung sliding, and pleural effusions such as hemothorax), central vein access, pericardial fluid (cardiac tamponade), the structure related to the eyes, soft tissue abscess, nerve (regional nerve block), and skull fracture simulators.

Keywords: Critical care; Education; Emergency medicine; Simulation training; Point-of-care; Ultrasonography

Core Tip: Inexpensive and easily made simulators for education on point-of-care ultrasound provide a sonographic appearance and resistance similar to human tissue. There were various recipes for making simulators; however, the materials used were similar. These materials were readily available, and the preparation methods were simple. We found that the gelatine with Metamucil and polyvinyl chloride mixtures appear to be most similar to actual human tissue in terms of resistance and sonographic appearance. We introduced each recipe of the simulators in two parts: materials surrounding simulators (surrounding materials) and the specific disease simulators themselves (target simulators).