@Article{chd.12486,
AUTHOR = {Trahern W. Jones, Michael D. Seckeler},
TITLE = {Use of 3D models of vascular rings and slings to improve resident education},
JOURNAL = {Congenital Heart Disease},
VOLUME = {12},
YEAR = {2017},
NUMBER = {5},
PAGES = {578--582},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/chd/v12n5/39191},
ISSN = {1747-0803},
ABSTRACT = {Objective: Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a manufacturing method by which an object is created in an additive process, and can be used with medical imaging data to generate accurate
physical reproductions of organs and tissues for a variety of applications. We hypothesized that
using 3D printed models of congenital cardiovascular lesions to supplement an educational lecture
would improve learners’ scores on a board-style examination.
Design and Intervention: Patients with normal and abnormal aortic arches were selected and
anonymized to generate 3D printed models. A cohort of pediatric and combined pediatric/emergency medicine residents were then randomized to intervention and control groups. Each
participant was given a subjective survey and an objective board-style pretest. Each group
received the same 20-minutes lecture on vascular rings and slings. During the intervention group’s
lecture, 3D printed physical models of each lesion were distributed for inspection. After each lecture, both groups completed the same subjective survey and objective board-style test to assess
their comfort with and postlecture knowledge of vascular rings.
Results: There were no differences in the basic demographics of the two groups. After the lectures, both groups’ subjective comfort levels increased. Both groups’ scores on the objective test
improved, but the intervention group scored higher on the posttest.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated a measurable gain in knowledge about vascular rings and
pulmonary artery slings with the addition of 3D printed models of the defects. Future applications
of this teaching modality could extend to other congenital cardiac lesions and different learners.},
DOI = {10.1111/chd.12486}
}