• V Brannan, C L Dunne, A Dubrowski, and M H Parsons.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St John's, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada. vb6161@mun.ca.
• CJEM. 2021 Jul 1; 23 (4): 547550547-550.

AbstractTube thoracostomy is a high-acuity, low-occurrence (HALO) procedure with significant morbidity when performed incorrectly; this is amendable through simulation. Commercially available trainers exist but often have limited realism or exorbitant cost. Three-dimensional (3D) printing produces realistic and cost-effective models suitable for simulation, but no simulator has been developed for tube thoracostomy. The aim of this paper is to describe the initial development of a multifunctional 3D-printed thorax trainer for the instruction of tube thoracostomy. The thorax model was developed in conjunction with a multi-disciplinary team using 3D-printing capable software. An existing ribcage model was modified and printed in separate elements, including bony portions (ribcage, sternum and clavicles), flexible joints, skin, heart and lungs and then assembled. The total printing cost was $180 CAD. Future research will focus on incorporating the model's ability to simulate other HALO procedures and evaluating it as a training adjunct.

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