Evaluating the impact of a hand-crafted 3D-Printed head Model and virtual reality in skull base surgery training.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

While cadaveric dissections remain the cornerstone of education in skull base surgery, they are associated with high costs, difficulty acquiring specimens, and a lack of pathology in anatomical samples. This study evaluated the impact of a hand-crafted three-dimensional (3D)-printed head model and virtual reality (VR) in enhancing skull base surgery training.

Research question

How effective are 3D-printed models and VR in enhancing training in skull base surgery?

Materials and methods

A two-day skull base training course was conducted with 12 neurosurgical trainees and 11 faculty members. The course used a 3D-printed head model, VR simulations, and cadaveric dissections. The 3D model included four tumors and was manually assembled to replicate tumor-modif

SUBMITTER: Mellal A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11718289 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature