Thoracentesis is a surgical procedure involving the drainage of fluid from the pleural space for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. Emergency surgeons have expressed a need for physiologically accurate surgical models on which medical professionals can train. This paper describes the design of a new model to provide repeatable hands-on training of the Thoracentesis procedure. It uses inexpensive and replaceable materials to mimic the different parts of the thoracic cavity. The penetration force and tensile testing confirmed anatomical accuracy, while Thoracentesis performed by a surgeon on the model confirmed surgical accuracy. We conclude that model is able to bring good function and value to a training need at a low manufacturing cost with quality.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Schopka, Brian Arthur
• Shukla, Shashank
• Zuschlag, Caitlin Marie

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042313-164350

Advisor

• Taylor, Melinda
• Norige, Mark A.
• Heitmann, Debra

Year

• 2013

Sponsor

• UMass Medical School

Date created

• 2013-04-23

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-09-19