Evaluation of novel materials for front-of-neck access simulations

Neck rescue encompasses a variety of techniques and terms used to describe direct access to the trachea to allow delivery of oxygen into the airway, typically in the context of a ‘can’t intubate, can’t oxygenate’ (CICO) scenario. Anaesthetists rely on CICO simulation exercises to obtain competency in neck rescue using commercially available plastic airway models. Recently, innovations in three-dimensional (3D)-printed airway models and ‘symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast’ (SCOBY) skins have been trialled for CICO training. We undertook a study to compare the fidelity of a 3D-printed airway model and SCOBY skin model with a commercially available plastic and foam model (Crico-Trainer ‘Frova’, VBM-Medizintechnik GmbH, Sulz am Neckar, Germany) trialled by 27 volunteer anaesthesia specialists and trainees. Study participants performed neck rescue on all model variants and provided structured feedback. The 3D-printed model with SCOBY skin was found to have the highest fidelity for neck rescue training and was the model preferred by most participants. Model fidelity, environmental impact, and ethical considerations were rated as important or very important by participants. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in other hospital settings.