Here, we demonstrate the design and creation of four custom ballistic gelatin ultrasound phantoms for ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia training. We designed the phantoms using computer-aided design software, used 3D-printed models to create silicone molds, and then poured melted ballistic gel into the molds to create custom tissue layers.
Ultrasound phantoms – alternatives to live human tissue – give learners the opportunity to practice ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia without introducing undue risk to patients. Gelatin-based phantoms provide educators with durable and reusable task trainers; however, commercially available gel-based phantoms are expensive. Here, we investigate the production of durable, low-cost, ballistic gel-based ultrasound phantoms for median, femoral, suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and serratus anterior plane nerve blocks, as well as a methodology for producing a phantom for any ultrasound-guided nerve block procedure.
Computer-aided design (CAD) software was utilized to design four phantoms replicating the anatomy of median, femoral, suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and serratus anterior plane nerve blocks, including relevant landmarks and tissue planes. Plastic models of the desired tissue planes were 3D printed and used to create silicone molds. Ballistic gel was melted and mixed with flour and dye to create a liquid, echogenic ballistic gel, which was poured into the silicone molds. Vessels were simulated by creating negative space in the ballistic gel using metal rods. Nerves were simulated using yarn submerged in ultrasound gel. Simulated bones were designed using CAD and 3D printed.
Ballistic gel is a versatile, durable medium that can be used to simulate a variety of tissues and can be melted and molded into any shape. Under ultrasound, these phantoms provide realistic tissue planes that represent the borders between different layers of skin, muscle, and fascia. The echogenicity of the muscle tissue layers, nerves, vessels, and bones is realistic, and bones have significant posterior shadowing as would be observed in a human subject. These phantoms cost $200 each for the first phantom and $60 for each subsequent phantom. These phantoms require some technical skill to design, but they can be built for just 4% of the cost of their commercial counterparts.
Ultrasound phantoms – alternatives to live human tissue – give learners the opportunity to practice medical procedures, including ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA), without introducing undue risk to patients1. While most commonly manufactured via injection molding of liquid silicone rubber, custom phantoms can be homemade using versatile materials at lower cost. Organic tissues such as tofu, pork, and beef are inexpensive but spoil quickly and are challenging to craft2. Human cadaveric tissue is ideal for anatomic accuracy but is difficult and costly to obtain and preserve1. More recently, virtual reality has been used to provide UGRA training; however, haptic feedback is a key component of procedural learning and is rarely implemented. Even when a hardware-software hybrid model provides high visual fidelity and tactile feedback, the hardware and software required to carry out such training are frequently cost-prohibitive3. Gelatin-based phantoms strike a balance between cost, longevity, and fidelity2.
Ballistic gelatin models are available commercially but are expensive for a perishable resource that is highly utilized in medical simulation centers. Small, simple, gel-based ultrasound phantoms with homogeneous parenchyma and two or three simulated vessels retail for hundreds of dollars. For example, the CAE Blue Phantom basic ultrasound training block costs upwards of $8004. Higher-fidelity phantoms specific to individual nerve block procedures cost thousands of dollars. The CAE Blue Phantom femoral regional anesthesia ultrasound training model costs $5,000 (Table 1)5. To bring down costs, educators have experimented with custom-made phantoms using gelatin or other low-cost or reusable materials6,7,8. Additives such as flour, corn starch, graphite powder, and Metamucil can be used to opacify the gelatin and customize the echogenicity of the phantom, thus increasing its fidelity8,9,10,11,12,13,14.
Previous attempts at homemade gelatin-based nerve block trainers were either unable to adequately recreate the appearance of nerves under ultrasound or utilized perishable items, thus limiting shelf life15,16. Even without these drawbacks, previous iterations did not include relevant anatomical landmarks and fascial planes that would allow trainees to practice specific nerve block procedures. Here, we investigate the production of durable, low-cost, ballistic gel ultrasound phantoms for median, femoral, suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and serratus anterior plane nerve blocks, as well as a methodology for producing a phantom for any ultrasound-guided nerve block procedure.
For this project, authors JR and PS volunteered as ultrasound subjects, and verbal consent was obtained from both. For those following this protocol, obtain approval from an ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) prior to using patients or human volunteers as study subjects.
1. Phantom design and silicone mold creation
Figure 1: Representative ultrasound images obtained from a human subject. Representative images for the (A) median, (B) femoral, (C) suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and (D) serratus anterior plane nerve block models obtained from volunteer human subjects. Abbreviations: A = artery; V = vein; M = median nerve; F = femoral nerve; RAD = radius; U = ulna; AIIS = anterior inferior iliac spine; R =rib; SART = sartorius muscle; IL=Iliacus muscle; IO = internal oblique; SA = serratus anterior muscle; LD = latissimus dorsi muscle. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 2: Cross-sectional schematics of nerve block ultrasound phantoms. (A) Median, (B) femoral, (C) suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and (D) serratus anterior plane nerve block ultrasound phantoms. Schematics were designed based on the representative human ultrasound images shown in Figure 1. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 3: Creation of median nerve block phantom components. (A) Representative image of the computer-aided design file used to print plastic models of each tissue layer for the median nerve block phantom. (B) Silicone molds for each tissue layer of the median nerve block phantom, including metal rods inserted to create vessels within the ballistic gel. (C) Pouring hot, liquid, dyed ballistic gel into the silicone molds. (D) Sealing the open end of simulated vessels using liquid ballistic gel after vessels have been filled with simulated blood. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
2. Creation of other phantom landmarks
3. Ballistic gel melting and pouring
4. Phantom assembly
Figure 4: Assembly of median nerve block ultrasound phantom. (A) Individual components of a disassembled median nerve block phantom, including ballistic gel tissue layers, 3D-printed radius and ulna, a yarn median nerve submerged in ultrasound gel, a bottle of ultrasound gel, and a pan filled with liquid ballistic gel. (B) Assembly of the median nerve block phantom, including insertion of tissue layers and simulated bones covered in ultrasound gel. (C) Sealing one end of the phantom by dipping into a pan of liquid ballistic gel. (D) Creating a layer of pseudo-skin by pouring liquid ballistic gel over a completed median nerve block phantom. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Four ultrasound phantoms were successfully designed and built using the methods described above. An ultrasound cross-section of each model aligned with an ultrasound of equivalent human anatomy is shown in Figure 5. Under ultrasound, these phantoms provide realistic tissue planes, which represent the borders between different layers of skin, muscle, and fascia. The muscle tissue is appropriately and homogeneously echogenic. This echogenicity can be adjusted based on the amount of flour added to the ballistic gel during melting. Fascial borders are hyperechoic compared to the background muscle tissue. The yarn appears irregularly hyperechoic, with well-defined borders, appropriately simulating the appearance of a nerve. The yarn is located in between tissue layers, and this part of the phantom can accommodate fluid injection to simulate injection of local anesthetic during a nerve block procedure. Furthermore, injection into a ballistic gel block encounters significant resistance when compared to injection into a simulated fascial plane, which may serve as a beneficial feedback mechanism for learners. The 3D-printed blocks made of ABS filament appropriately simulate the hyperechoic cortex and acoustic shadowing of human bone when visualized under ultrasound. Simulated vessels appear anechoic with well-defined borders, as also seen in their live human counterparts. Dyed water can be aspirated with a needle to confirm intravascular access when practicing relevant ultrasound-guided procedures.
Figure 5: Representative ultrasound images obtained from ultrasound phantoms compared with human subjects. (A) The median, (B) femoral, (C) suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and (D) serratus anterior plane nerve block ultrasound phantoms (left) and a human subject (right). For each ultrasound phantom (left), multiple still images obtained from scanning the ultrasound phantoms were stitched together to demonstrate the entire phantom under ultrasound. No other alterations were made to the images. The dashed yellow boxes represent the area of the ultrasound phantom that correlates with the human subject image immediately to the right. Abbreviations: A = artery; V = vein; M = median nerve; F = femoral nerve; RAD = radius; U = ulna; AIIS = anterior inferior iliac spine; R =rib; SART = sartorius muscle; IL=Iliacus muscle; IO = internal oblique; SA = serratus anterior muscle; LD = latissimus dorsi muscle. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Supplemental File 1: Computer-aided design of plastic models representing each desired tissue layer for the median nerve block ultrasound phantom. Please click here to download this File.
Supplemental File 2: Computer-aided design of plastic models representing each desired tissue layer for the femoral nerve block ultrasound phantom. Please click here to download this File.
Supplemental File 3: Computer-aided design of plastic models representing each desired tissue layer for the suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane block ultrasound phantom. Please click here to download this File.
Supplemental File 4: Computer-aided design of plastic models representing each desired tissue layer for the serratus anterior plane block ultrasound phantom. Please click here to download this File.
Supplemental Video S1: Addition of pseudo-skin to median nerve block ultrasound phantom. Pouring liquid ballistic gel over a finished ultrasound phantom with a minimal layer of ultrasound gel on top creates a thin cover, which feels and moves like skin. This video demonstrates the ability of the pseudo-skin to mimic the movement of human skin when pressed against. Please click here to download this File.
These custom ballistic gel-based phantoms provide trainees with medium-fidelity median, femoral, suprainguinal fascia iliaca plane, and serratus anterior plane nerve block training for a fraction of the cost of commercially available nerve block phantoms (Table 1). Our first median and femoral nerve block trainers were made in-house for 12% and 9% of the price of the cheapest commercially available median and femoral nerve block trainers, respectively. None of the available femoral nerve block phantoms are capable of simulating the suprainguinal approach to the fascia iliaca block as our phantom does. We could find no commercially available serratus anterior plane ultrasound phantoms.
Table 1: Summary of commercially available ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia phantoms. Please click here to download this Table.
In the last decade, 3D printing technology has become more accessible and more affordable. For example, the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 3D printer used in this protocol, though not the latest edition, costs just $64919. Even the smaller Prusa MINI+, which is sufficient for making the models detailed herein, costs just $42920. Most replacement parts for these printers are 3D-printed themselves, further minimizing repair costs. Students and faculty can generally access 3D printers for free through their institution's makerspace or design lab. Designing objects to 3D print is more convenient than ever using computer-aided design (CAD) programs, some of which are available for free21.
The length of time required to design the 3D-printed models and simulated bones varies depending on the user's skill and familiarity with CAD software; however, this process can be done without cost using software such as FreeCAD or by utilizing CAD software licensed by the host institution21. Creating silicone molds of each tissue layer is not time-intensive. Silicone costs $28 per kg with each phantom requiring 4-6 kg of silicone ($140 total). Since the silicone molds are reusable, this is a one-time expense.
Our commercial ballistic gel costs $86 per kg, and each phantom required approximately 0.7 kg for a cost of $60 per phantom. 3D printing structures required for molding require negligible costs of PLA or ABS filament. Two of our phantoms required 100 mm of yarn at $10 per m or $0.01 per phantom. In total, each phantom cost ~$200 to make the first model and $60 to make each subsequent model. The production process required 1 man-hour and 3-4 h of gel heating and cooling. We have been able to build four models concurrently in the same timeframe.
Ballistic gel is an ideal medium due to its versatility. It can be used to simulate a variety of tissues and can be melted and molded into any shape. Once the gel is solidified, any imperfections or needle punctures are somewhat self-healing and can be further mended using a heat gun. If there is a mistake in the phantom, or if it becomes damaged or overused, the ballistic gel components can always be disassembled, cleaned, and melted back down to be reused with minimal material loss. Ballistic gel is also cost-effective. Despite being the most expensive component of these phantoms at $86 per kg, these phantoms are still far more affordable than commercially available ultrasound phantoms (Table 1). Phantoms made using homemade gelatin have been previously described and are presumably even more affordable, but these phantoms will develop mold within days to weeks, even when stored in a refrigerator16. We have stored the phantoms in a clean, dry environment at room temperature for months to years without spoiling or degradation.
Simulating nerves in gelatin for ultrasound-guided nerve block models has proven difficult for educators. Previous attempts have utilized animal tendons22,23,24, electrical wire25, wooden dowels25, shoelaces26, metal rods27, bundles of rubber bands15, foam28, peas29, spaghetti30, and even an Ethernet cable31. These options are unrealistic, perishable, or create significant posterior acoustic shadowing under ultrasound. We used a household item, yarn, to create high-fidelity simulated nerves with little-to-no posterior shadowing for just $0.10 per m, or $0.01 per phantom.
ABS filament was used for 3D printing of imitation bone due to its higher heat tolerance than PLA, which warped in subsequent steps during the development of this method. We maximized the bake temperature to minimize melt times and decrease viscosity and number of bubbles. This allows for smoother, more space-filling pours into the silicone molds while also maintaining the temperature below the burning temperature of the gel, thereby avoiding excess smoke production.
The primary drawback to these phantoms is the time and energy required to design and build them. Designing tissue planes using CAD requires technical skill, and 3D printing models of them requires a basic knowledge of 3D printers, slicing an STL file, choosing a filament, and which settings and temperatures to use. Creating silicone molds for each tissue plane adds expense, as silicone is the second-most expensive component of this protocol at $28 per kg. However, these silicone molds are durable and reusable, so once they are made, they can be reused to create numerous ultrasound phantoms. Other drawbacks include the learning curve associated with mixing and pouring ballistic gel, as well as the lack of technological integration of these phantoms when compared with high-fidelity commercial mannequins. That said, we consider the relative ease of construction, ease of material acquisition, customizability, low cost, and recyclability of this model design to far outweigh its drawbacks. We hope that the dissemination of their construction method will facilitate improved training of nerve block procedures in facilities that cannot afford frequent replacement of expensive commercial medical simulation devices. Future studies should explore custom phantoms for additional nerve block procedures and assess the satisfaction and clinical performance of trainees utilizing these phantoms compared to their peers.
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This project was funded by the Simulation Training Center (STC) at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine in La Jolla, CA. We would like to thank Blake Freechtle for his contributions to Figure 5.
ABS Filament – 1.75 m+B+A2:A14 | Hatchbox (Pomona, CA) | https://www.hatchbox3d.com/collections/abs-1-75mm | |
Adobe Photoshop | Adobe (San Jose, CA) | https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html | |
Amber Tone Dye | Humimic Medical (Greenville, SC) | 852844007925 | Ballistic gel dye; https://humimic.com/product/amber-tone-dye/ |
Fusion 360 | Autodesk (San Franciso, CA) | Computer-assisted design (CAD) software; https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription&plc=F360 | |
Gelatin #1 – Medical Gel by the Pound | Humimic Medical (Greenville, SC) | 852844007406 | Ballistic gel; https://humimic.com/product/gelatin-1-medical-gelatin-by-the-pound/ |
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour | Arrowhead Mills (Hereford, TX) | Flour for echogenicity; https://arrowheadmills.com/products/gluten-free/organic-gluten-free-all-purpose-flour/ | |
Microsoft PowerPoint | Microsoft (Redmond, WA) | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/powerpoint | |
Mold Star 16 FAST Pourable Silicone Rubber | Smooth-On (Macungie, PA) | Pourable silicone rubber; https://www.smooth-on.com/products/mold-star-16-fast/ | |
Peach Tone Dye | Humimic Medical (Greenville, SC) | 852844007895 | Ballistic gel dye; https://humimic.com/product/peach-tone-dye/ |
PLA Filament – 1.75 mm | Hatchbox (Pomona, CA) | https://www.hatchbox3d.com/collections/pla-1-75mm | |
Prusa Original i3 MK3S+ printer | Prusa Research (Prague, Czech Republic) | 3D printer; https://www.prusa3d.com/category/original-prusa-i3-mk3s/ | |
Prusa Slicer 2.6.1 | Prusa Research (Prague, Czech Republic) | 3D printer slicer software; https://www.prusa3d.com/page/prusaslicer_424/ | |
Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn | Lion Brand Yarn (Lyndhurst, NJ) | 640-610B | Yarn for simulated nerves; https://www.lionbrand.com/products/wool-ease-thick-and-quick-yarn?variant=32420963516509 |