A Low-Cost Facial and Dental Regional Anesthesia Task Trainer
Made from inexpensive, commonly found materials, it trains supra-orbital, infra-orbital, mental, and inferior alveolar nerve blocks.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddental proceduresTrainee feedback only
Subcondylar mandibular fracture fixation model
A 3D-printed mandible with a unilateral subcondylar fracture, designed from a computed tomography data set and mounted inside a dental phantom to reproduce intraoral working depth. It allows practice of intraoral open reduction and internal fixation using a 90 degree screwdriver system, a 1.0 subcondylar lambda plate and 5 to 6 mm screws. Eight experts tested the model in a face and content validation study.
Cost not stated in source3d-printed mandibledental phantomdental proceduresdrilling and bone workflaps and reconstructionValidity assessed
Simulating A Subcondylar Mandibular Fracture With Intraoral Open Reduction and Internal Fixation: A Novel Education Tool for Residents. Craniomaxillofacial trauma & reconstruction. 2023.
Read the source and build method →A Novel Silicone Simulation Model for Microvascular Anastomosis
Surgical simulation of microvascular anastomosis has become increasingly popular.
Cost not stated in sourceanastomosismicrosurgeryTrainee feedback only
Ballistic gel phantom for upper airway blocks
Ultrasound-compatible ballistic gel phantom task trainers for superior laryngeal nerve and transtracheal blocks, produced using three-dimensional printing and silicone moulds. They form part of a three-hour workshop teaching upper airway anaesthesia techniques and sedation strategies for awake fibreoptic intubation. Twenty-five anaesthesia residents completed surveys, with knowledge scores rising from a mean of 2.8 to 4.0 out of 5.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedballistic gelsiliconeairwayTrainee feedback only
Upper Airway Anesthesia Techniques and Sedation Strategies for Awake Fiberoptic Intubation: A Novel Workshop for Anesthesia Residents. MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources. 2026.
Read the source and build method →3D-printed mandible for sagittal split osteotomy
A 3D-printed mandible model produced from CT scans for practising bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and avoiding inferior alveolar nerve injury. Twelve resin mixtures were printed and biomechanically tested for percent elongation, tensile strength, yield strength and Young modulus, with a blend of 45% Anycubic Colored UV and 55% Siraya Tech Tenacious resins best matching human bone. Four surgeons tested the models and reported an accurate proprioceptive transition between cancellous and cortical bone, with osteotomy force profiles compared against cadaveric mandible and a commercial model.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedresindrilling and bone workCompared against another model
Methodology and Validation of 3D-Printed High-Fidelity Mandible Models for Surgical Simulation and Training. The Journal of craniofacial surgery. 2025.
Read the source and build method →Konnyaku shirataki noodle microsurgery training set-up
A low-fidelity microsurgery set-up pairing a cannulated Konnyaku Shirataki noodle with a low-cost industrial inspection trinocular stereo microscope. It lets a trainee practise approximating the noodle ends, placing a 7-0 nylon suture and completing an anastomosis. Fifteen participants grouped by microsurgical experience were scored on repair quality and time, with a 25-item survey used for face validity.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedkonnyaku shirataki noodlenylon sutureanastomosisknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingvascular accessValidity assessed
Tap-Tap midface model for endonasal and percutaneous osteotomy
A 3D printed midface task trainer, costing $12.37, for practising nasal osteotomy, one of the most challenging steps of rhinoplasty. It supports both endonasal and percutaneous osteotomy techniques. The paper describes the design, session organisation and curriculum, with pilot data showing educational and confidence benefits for trainees.
FrugalUnder $20drilling and bone workTrainee feedback only
Tap-Tap: Learning Endonasal and Percutaneous Nasal Osteotomy Techniques on 3D-Printed Midface Models. Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2023.
Read the source and build method →Konjac tissue mimic block
A plant derived konjac glucomannan gel with strength and strain properties comparable to animal muscle and liver under blunt dissection, suited to flap and energy device practice. Plant based, so free of animal, latex and allergen concerns by default.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedPlant baseddissection and tissue handlingflaps and reconstructionCompared against another model
Latex glove conduit for microvascular anastomosis
A blood vessel model made by rolling a cut sheet of latex glove twice over two glue-painted segments of an infusion giving set, which act as stents; the stents are then pulled out and the conduit is left to dry. Scissors, a tape measure and Swan glue CD 308 complete the kit. It gives budding microsurgeons a cheap conduit for microvascular anastomosis practice in an office or dry laboratory setting, and residents at the authors' institution have used it.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedlatex gloveinfusion giving setglueanastomosismicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
To Pack a Nose: High‐Fidelity Epistaxis Simulation Using 3D Printing Technology
3D printed model simulates epistaxis for ENT training.
Cost not stated in sourceairwayTrainee feedback only
Porcine trachea and synthetic skin surgical airway model
A hybrid medium fidelity model combining porcine tracheas with synthetic skin to mimic the anatomy of the human neck for emergency surgical airway training. Evaluated prospectively during Advanced Trauma Life Support courses.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedporcine tracheasynthetic skinairwayTrainee feedback only
3D‐printed model for gingival flap surgery simulation: Development and pilot test
To assess the feasibility of a realistic model for learning oral flaps using 3D printing technology. Materials and methods A mould was designed to reproduce the mandibular gingival mucosa, and a mandibular model was created using a three-dimensional printer for training undergraduate students to perform gingival flaps.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddental proceduresflaps and reconstructionTrainee feedback only
Microgrid colouring warm-up task for microsurgery
A printed microgrid that novice surgeons fill in under magnification as a daily warm-up during a five day basic microsurgery course, positioned below latex sheet and anaesthetised rat in the usual stepwise fidelity ladder. Each day participants recorded how many microgrids they could completely fill in twenty seconds, then sutured a simulated cut on a latex sheet with five sutures against the clock. Sutures were scored with a modified Global Rating Scale, and a statistically significant correlation was found between microgrid colouring and microsuturing proficiency.
Cost not stated in sourcelatex sheetknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingValidity assessed
Inferior alveolar nerve repair simulator for orthognathic surgery
An open-source model called RIANOS for practising intraoral microsurgical repair of a transected inferior alveolar nerve after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, an injury reported in up to 7% of cases. A CT scan of an orthognathic surgery patient was modified and a 3D model of a mandible with the osteotomy was printed, then 2.5 mm chicken sciatic nerves were dissected and mounted in it, with the whole assembly placed inside a dental phantom or medical glove box to reproduce intraoral working depth. Twelve experts tested it with both loupes and a double visor surgical training microscope and completed a face and content validity survey.
FrugalFree, open sourcechicken sciatic nervedental proceduresdissection and tissue handlingdrilling and bone workflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
Repair of Inferior Alveolar Nerve in Orthognathic Surgery Simulator (RIANOS): A Novel, Open-Source, Combined 3D Printed, and Ex-Vivo Chicken Sciatic Nerve Training Model. Craniomaxillofacial trauma & reconstruction. 2024.
Read the source and build method →Fresh chicken quarter microvascular anastomosis model
A microsurgery model using a fresh chicken quarter, in which the ischial artery and femoral vein are dissected out for microvascular anastomosis practice. Vessel external diameters were measured across 24 specimens to characterise the model. Trainee skills were assessed at six-month intervals using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills scale together with anastomosis time, with task-specific scores rising from 50% to 85.7% over the study period.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedchicken quarteranastomosisdissection and tissue handlingmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
An Innovative Technique of Microsurgical Training on Fresh “Chicken Quarter” Model: Our Experience. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery. 2023.
Read the source and build method →3D printed diverse facial overlays
Silicone facial and neck overlays that fit over an existing manikin to add skin tone diversity without buying an entirely new manikin, built for roughly 235 Canadian dollars for a pair.
Under $1503D printed, siliconeTrainee feedback only
The orange model for basic microsurgical skills
Dissecting a single orange segment under the microscope while preserving the neighbouring segments, scored on side tears and completion time. Across ten repetitions, tears fell from a mean of 12.7 to 4 and time from 28 to 16 minutes, and scores tracked operator seniority.
FrugalNear zeroorangedissection and tissue handlingmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
Microneurosurgical simulator covering the full operative workflow
A physical microneurosurgical simulator that reproduces the key steps of a cranial case, including patient positioning, craniotomy, microsurgical dissection, aneurysm clipping, tumour resection and closure. It is intended for structured skill acquisition rather than practice of a single isolated step. Fidelity was checked by rheological testing and tactile evaluation by experienced neurosurgeons, then used in a two-day course with 12 neurosurgical residents who completed pre- and post-course evaluations.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddissection and tissue handlingmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
Reshaping neurosurgical training: a novel simulation-based concept for structured skill acquisition and curriculum integration. Neurosurgical review. 2025.
Read the source and build method →Konjac noodle microsurgical anastomosis model
A microsurgery training model in which konjac noodles stand in for small vessels during end to end anastomosis practice. It lets a trainee rehearse suture placement and instrument handling under the microscope without animal tissue. Ten neurosurgery residents trained over ten non-consecutive sessions, with performance before and after measured on a human placenta artery using timing, the Anastomosis Lapse Index and fluorescein leak testing.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedkonjac noodleanastomosisknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingValidity assessed
Evaluation of konjac noodle as a microsurgery training model: learning curve analysis. Revista do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões. 2023.
Read the source and build method →Iteratively designed low-cost cricothyroidotomy simulator
A low fidelity cricothyroidotomy simulator built from universally available materials, developed through iterative design after a multidisciplinary team mapped the essential steps of the procedure and the anatomical layers needed to perform it. Intended to widen access to training in a rare, high stakes airway procedure.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedhousehold materialssynthetic skinairwayDescribed, not yet evaluated
Rolled latex glove conduit for microsurgical suturing
A low-fidelity microsurgical training conduit, named Eklavya, made by rolling a loose disposable glove around a K-wire to create a micro-vessel, using articles available in any plastic surgery operating theatre. It was assessed for quality, ease of use and cost effectiveness against other models. The chicken femoral vessel scored best overall compared with the rat model, while the rolled latex conduit was as good or second best on some of the features assessed, and the authors present it as an alternative that avoids the ethical and financial burden of live animal use.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedlatex glovek-wireknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingCompared against another model
Eklavya-Do-It-Yourself Model: A Rolled Latex Sheet Conduit for Microsurgical Training. Indian journal of plastic surgery : official publication of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. 2025.
Read the source and build method →Chicken thigh adductor profundus free muscle flap model
A more advanced version of the basic chicken thigh microsurgery model, in which a type 1 muscle flap, the adductor profundus, is dissected and anastomosed. It trains microdissection and microvascular anastomosis on non-living tissue, supporting replacement and reduction of animal use. Forty trainees performed the flap on the final day of a 5-day microsurgery course, with dissection times of 82 minutes for novices, 90 minutes for core trainees and 64 minutes for higher trainees.
Cost not stated in sourcechicken thighanastomosisdissection and tissue handlingflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
The Chicken Thigh Adductor Profundus Free Muscle Flap: A Novel Validated Non-Living Microsurgery Simulation Training Model. Archives of Plastic Surgery. 2017.
Read the source and build method →Mechanical needle and eyelet microsurgery tremor model
A custom-built mechanical model on which the user passes a suture needle through an eyelet, mimicking the fine control demanded by microsurgery. It records total time to complete the task and the contact time between needle and eyelet, which is used as a surrogate measure of fine tremor and agitation. Eight orthopaedic registrars used it in a pilot crossover study of caffeine abstinence.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedknot tyingmicrosurgeryneedle and drain proceduressuturingDescribed, not yet evaluated
The effect of acute caffeine abstinence on microsurgical performance: A pilot randomised crossover study using a low-cost mechanical simulation model. Journal of hand and microsurgery. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Open-source 3D printed cricothyrotomy model
A portable open-source 3D printed model for practising emergency cricothyrotomy, a rarely performed but critical procedure, used together with positive pressure. Emergency medicine residents and fellows were randomised to train on this model or a conventional manikin, then after a two-week washout performed a cricothyrotomy on an animal surrogate scored by blinded attendings using a standardised checklist. Checklist completion was similar between groups, consistent with non-inferiority.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairwayCompared against another model
Increasing access to simulation opportunities for emergent cricothyrotomy using a 3D model and positive pressure. Medical teacher. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Designing a 3D Printed Model of the Skull-Base: A Collaboration Between Clinicians and Industry
3D printed model made from polymer, trains on facial nerve course and neurovascular components.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddrilling and bone workTrainee feedback only
Cadaver soiled airway simulation technique
A technique for simulating a heavily soiled airway in clinical-grade cadavers, using a bougie, a Foley catheter and a continuous bladder irrigation system to deliver simulated bloody emesis rapidly into the proximal oesophagus and oropharynx. It lets trainees practise suction and intubation in a contaminated airway with cadaveric anatomy and haptics. It was used on nine cadavers during emergency medicine and anaesthesia airway training sessions, with all surveyed instructors reporting improved realism compared with manikins and no adverse events.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedcadaverbougiefoley cathetercontinuous bladder irrigation systemairwaycatheterisationTrainee feedback only
Self-made front of neck access airway model
A self-made task trainer for front of neck access, the rescue airway option when intubation and oxygenation both fail. It was built to the instructions of a previously described low-cost model and used as a cheaper alternative to a maintained high-fidelity manikin. Forty-four anaesthesiology residents were randomised to train on either the self-made model or the manikin, with skill retention reassessed at three months.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairwayCompared against another model
Sphenoid wing meningioma resection simulator
A patient-specific skull produced by fused deposition modelling three-dimensional printing, paired with custom-moulded tumour replicas, for practising sphenoid wing meningioma resection. Fourteen tumours made from seven candidate materials were compared using shear wave elastography measurements and blinded assessment by experienced neurosurgeons for tactile feedback, anatomical resemblance and microsurgical handling, and the best material was carried into training. Final-year medical students, neurosurgical residents and an expert surgeon then performed simulated resections scored with the OSAMS instrument.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
Combining 3D printing and elastographic characterization: A novel sphenoid wing meningioma simulation model for neurosurgical training. Neurosurgical review. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Turkey leg vascular microsurgery model
An ex vivo biological model using the leg of the domestic turkey for practising microsurgical vascular anastomoses. The measured vessel diameters, tibial artery 2.5 plus or minus 0.6 mm and tibial vein 3.5 plus or minus 1.2 mm, are similar to the human vessels most often used in microsurgical free flaps. The material is low cost and easy to obtain, making it suitable for repeated anastomosis practice.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedturkey leganastomosisflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
Training in Vascular Microsurgery: The Ex Vivo Biological Model on Domestic Turkey Leg (Meleagris gallopavo). Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open. 2024.
Read the source and build method →Surgical mask elastic band nerve repair model
A microsurgical nerve repair trainer made from the textile elastic band of a surgical mask, either left bare or covered with a fine silicone sheath made with silicone sealant. The band averages 2 mm in diameter, similar to nerves in the distal hand, and is used for end-to-end coaptation practice. It is presented as an initiation tool before trainees move on to biological specimens.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedsurgical mask elastic bandsilicone sealantsilicone sheathmicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
Injectable tumour phantom for transoral surgery
An injectable tumour phantom made from an agar and gelatin base with unsalted chicken stock, deionised water, food colouring for visual mimicry and iohexol for radiographic mimicry, solidified with four percent glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. It was injected into various mucosal sites in four unfixed cadaver heads to create lesions for transoral laser microsurgery and transoral robotic surgery practice. Visual, radiographic and tactile mimicry were assessed by endoscopy, CT and dissection with palpation.
Cost not stated in sourceagargelatinchicken stockdeionised waterfood colouringiohexolglutaraldehydecadaver headairwaydissection and tissue handlingendoscopymicrosurgeryrobotic skillsDescribed, not yet evaluated
Synthetic trainerHiFEC cricothyrotomy task trainer
A synthetic task trainer rated comparably realistic to a porcine model in trainee surveys, at a saving of over 650 US dollars per workshop when adopted in place of animal tissue.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedSyntheticairwayCompared against another model
Pasta, konjac and silicone microsurgical vessel simulators
A comparison of accessible materials used as blood vessel substitutes for microsurgical anastomosis practice. Bucatini pasta was excluded after preliminary assessment, leaving konjac noodle, Biomet silicone, Dragon Skin silicone and chicken thigh. Five students and five residents performed anastomoses on each, with lumen and vessel diameter, task time, suture count and patency recorded alongside pre- and post-surveys. Median anastomosis time was 29 minutes for students and 10.5 minutes for residents.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedbucatini pastakonjac noodlebiomet siliconedragon skin siliconechicken thighanastomosisknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingCompared against another model
Chicken wing microanastomosis model, three techniques
A single chicken wing used in situ to practise three microvascular anastomoses: end to end, end to side and side to side. The brachial artery is dissected free between the biceps and triceps brachii, then the proximal segment is looped back on itself, and the distal brachial artery with the proximal ulnar and radial arteries after the bifurcation are used for the side to side repair. Requires basic surgical and microsurgical instruments, 10-0 suture and a surgical microscope, and vessel patency can be checked after each anastomosis.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedchicken winganastomosisdissection and tissue handlingknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingDescribed, not yet evaluated
Bleeding cricothyrotomy task trainer
A cost effective realistic interactive cricothyroidotomy task trainer that bleeds, built for a procedure few emergency medicine residents ever see or perform in training. Seventeen residents and medical students were block randomised to learn cricothyroidotomy on either this trainer or the existing standard trainer, then performed the procedure on a pig trachea model in a randomised non-inferiority study. Outcomes were scores on a previously validated objective assessment tool, plus comfort levels and realism ratings.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairwaybleeding controlCompared against another model
Comparison of the bleeding cricothyrotomy model to SimMan for training students and residents emergency cricothyrotomy. Journal of Advances in Medical Education and Professionalism. 2019.
Read the source and build method →Chicken wing STA-MCA bypass microsurgery model
A chicken wing dissected to expose arterial segments standing in for donor and recipient vessels, mounted on a platform and used under an operating microscope to practise the end to side anastomosis of a superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedchicken winganastomosisdissection and tissue handlingmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
Development of a low-cost chicken wing model for STA-MCA bypass simulation in neurosurgical training: a technical note. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Nasal osteotomy task trainer with material testing
A 3D-printed task trainer for nasal osteotomy, designed from anatomic data and optimised for printability, usability and fidelity. It gives exposure to a step of rhinoplasty that is otherwise practised mainly on cadaveric bone. The paper also reports testing of several commercially available 3D printing materials against printing efficiency, cost and material performance.
Cost not stated in sourcedrilling and bone workDescribed, not yet evaluated
Chicken thigh free flap supermicrosurgery model
A chicken thigh dissected to raise a muscular free flap based on the puboischiofemoralis pars lateralis, presented as an illustrated step-by-step harvest and anastomosis guide. It lets trainees practise vessel preparation and anastomosis without using live animals, and the smallest vessels dissected measured 0.8 mm, bringing supermicrosurgery within range. The authors report the flap can be harvested consistently and its pedicle anastomosed to distal branches of the femoral vessels.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedchicken thighanastomosisdissection and tissue handlingflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
Air dried clay mandibular osteotomy model
A partial mandible model made from air dried clay using a template, dimensioned for sagittal split ramus osteotomy. It lets surgeons practise corticotomy and the split itself, with fracture patterns providing feedback on technique. Seventeen models were made and operated on by surgeons with at least three years of orthognathic experience, who rated cortical resistance similarity at a mean of 8.75 out of 10, and sixty percent of fractures occurred in the outer cortex. The paper reports a cost of 0.6 American Dollars.
FrugalUnder $20air dried claydrilling and bone workTrainee feedback only
SuturingOrange peel oral suturing model
Orange peel combined with putty impression material and plaster of Paris, buildable by a student in about ten minutes, built specifically for minor oral surgery suturing practice ahead of live patient work.
FrugalNear zeroPlant basedknot tyingsuturingEvidence appraisedDescribed, not yet evaluated
CASP appraisal & level of evidence
Study designTechnical note, build method only, no comparator or outcome data collected.
Level of evidenceOCEBM Level 5, expert opinion and mechanism, no trainee outcome measured.
CASP fit- No CASP checklist matches a build-only report, appraised on transparency and reproducibility instead. Clear, reproducible method. No claim of effectiveness is made, so none needs testing.
Kirkpatrick levelNot applicable, no evaluation was conducted.
BasisAppraised from the full text
Describes a ten minute build from orange peel, putty and plaster, published from an oral and maxillofacial surgery department. Reports no trainee outcome data of its own.
Read the sourcePig trachea holder for cricothyrotomy training
A reusable holding device, built from local hardware store supplies with beginner woodworking tools, that keeps a pig trachea in appropriate alignment and exposure. It addresses the difficulty of working with an unattached animal trachea and allows repeated practice of emergency cricothyrotomy. It has been part of emergency medicine resident airway skills training at the authoring site since 2011, with a survey administered to users.
Cost not stated in sourcepig tracheaairwayDescribed, not yet evaluated
Odontogenic infection incision and drainage model
A training model for incision and drainage of odontogenic infections, described by its authors as low cost and high fidelity. No abstract was available for this record, so the construction materials, assembly method and any evaluation are not described here. Consult the source paper before attempting to build it.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddental proceduresincision and drainageEvaluation not established
Edible cricothyrotomy trainer
A surgical airway trainer built almost entirely from edible components, with a piece of ventilator tubing standing in for the trachea. A tortilla forms the base layer, coloured licorice the great vessels, chocolate the thyroid cartilage, a gummy worm the cricoid and fruit leather the platysma, with a second tortilla as skin. It lets learners identify laryngeal landmarks and then perform a cricothyrotomy, and was compared with existing commercial trainers.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedtortillalicoricechocolategummy wormfruit leatherventilator tubingairwayDescribed, not yet evaluated
Edible Cricothyrotomy Model: A Low-Cost Alternative to Pig Tracheas and Plastic Models for Teaching Cricothyrotomy. Journal of Education and Teaching in Emergency Medicine. 2017.
Read the source and build method →Three-dimensional Veau II cleft palate model
A three-dimensional model of a Veau II cleft palate developed by a university plastic surgery department as a substitute for animal and cadaveric material, which is largely unavailable for palatoplasty teaching. It allows practice of palate repair using the modified Furlow technique. Six cases were run with the model and participants showed improved palatoplasty performance and reported greater self-confidence.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedflaps and reconstructionValidity assessed
Evaluation of a 3-dimensional Cleft Palate Model as an Aid in Learning Palatoplasty Technique. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Suction-assisted laryngoscopy and airway decontamination simulator
A standard airway management trainer modified with locally available equipment to simulate continuous vomiting or haemorrhage into the airway at varying flow rates, allowing suction assisted laryngoscopy and airway decontamination to be practised without a costly dedicated manikin. Tested during an advanced airway workshop.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairway trainerlocally available equipmentairwaybleeding controlTrainee feedback only
An Indigenous Suction-assisted Laryngoscopy and Airway Decontamination Simulation System. Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine. 2024.
Read the source and build method →Pig spleen vascular pedicle microsurgery model
A microsurgical training model using a pig spleen recovered after splenectomy, so no additional animal is sacrificed for early training. The splenic artery and vein are dissected under the microscope, clamped, divided and then re-anastomosed with 9.0 nylon. It was used by undergraduate medical students in an operative technique course and is reported to reproduce the consistency and handling of real vessels.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedpig spleennylon sutureanastomosisdissection and tissue handlingknot tyingmicrosurgerysuturingDescribed, not yet evaluated
Microsurgery3D printed low-fidelity microsurgery simulator
Two silicone tubes coated with resin, mounted in a printed polylactic acid holder, used to train vascular microanastomosis across five sessions with retesting at three months.
FrugalLow cost, not specified3D printed, syntheticanastomosismicrosurgeryEvidence appraisedValidity assessed
CASP appraisal & level of evidence
Study designUrology residents trained over five sessions, scored with the validated OSATS instrument and a satisfaction and self confidence scale, with a retention session at three months.
Level of evidenceOCEBM Level 4, before-after study without a control group, strengthened by validated instruments and a retention time point.
CASP fit- Appraised against the CASP cohort study checklist. Uses OSATS, a validated assessment tool, a genuine methodological strength.
- Strength, includes a three month retention session, rare among the papers in this library.
- Limitation, no comparator arm, single centre, small resident cohort.
Kirkpatrick levelLevel 2, edging toward 3, since skill was retested rather than only measured immediately after training.
BasisAppraised from the full text
Anastomosis time and OSATS scores improved significantly across sessions, with only a small dip at three month retesting, good early evidence that the skill held rather than decayed.
Read the sourceInnovations in Airway Education: 3D Printed Neonatal and Pediatric Needle Cricothyrotomy Trainers
3D printed model for training neonatal and pediatric needle cricothyrotomy procedures.
Cost not stated in sourceairwayneedle and drain proceduresTrainee feedback only
Cocoa-opacified haematemesis simulant
A reproducible haematemesis analogue made from three packets of a raspberry-flavoured powdered beverage mix, opacified with cocoa, for manikin-based training. It is formulated to occlude the optics of video laryngoscopes and flexible endoscopes and to look like real blood under high-intensity lighting, for contaminated airway management and upper gastrointestinal bleeding scenarios. The paper sets out the formulation rationale, a targeted review of bleeding simulant strategies and a cost analysis for repeated high-volume soiling curricula.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedcocoa powderpowdered drink mixairwaybleeding controlendoscopyDescribed, not yet evaluated
A Low-Cost Cocoa-Opacified Hematemesis Simulant for Manikin-Based Airway and Endoscopic Visualization Training: Formulation Rationale, Targeted Review, and Cost Analysis. Cureus. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Home-built microsurgical tool targeting and tremor device
A microsurgical training device assembled from commonly available commercial products, described in basic and advanced versions that residents can build themselves at home. It trains the spatial accuracy of microsurgical tool targeting and also allows assessment of hand tremor. It was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented in a neurosurgical residency training programme.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedmicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
3D-Printed Craniosynostosis Model: New Simulation Surgical Tool
Craniosynostosis is a complex disease once it involves deep anatomic perception, and a minor mistake during surgery can be fatal.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddrilling and bone workTrainee feedback only
An Innovative Inexpensive Portable Pulmonary Edema Intubation Simulator
Made of simple materials like baking soda, vinegar, and red food coloring, it trains intubation skills for pulmonary edema.
Under $150airwayTrainee feedback only
3D-printed cricothyrotomy task trainer
A 3D-printed task trainer for surgical cricothyrotomy, developed as an inexpensive alternative to pig tracheas, which are single use and need special handling and storage. It lets trainees rehearse the scalpel-finger-bougie technique for emergency surgical airway access. It was tested against pig tracheas in a randomised, unblinded, single-institution noninferiority trial with anaesthesiology residents, who were timed on a pig trachea before and after practice.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairwayCompared against another model
A Novel Approach to Emergency Airway Simulation Using a 3D-printed Cricothyrotomy Task Trainer. The journal of education in perioperative medicine : JEPM. 2021.
Read the source and build method →3D-printed midface model for nasal osteotomy
A midface model printed in polylactic acid on a desktop 3D printer, derived from a 3D reconstruction modified in the free open-source software Meshmixer, with the pyriform aperture smoothed and support rods added to hold the bone fragments generated during simulation. It lets trainees practise nasal osteotomy, a procedure that is hard to teach because it depends on nuanced tactile feedback and usually relies on costly cadaveric bone. Several infill densities were printed to find the one that best mimicked human facial bone, and an osteotomy was successfully simulated on the model.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedpolylactic aciddrilling and bone workflaps and reconstructionDescribed, not yet evaluated
Design and Printing of a Low-Cost 3D-Printed Nasal Osteotomy Training Model: Development and Feasibility Study. JMIR Medical Education. 2020.
Read the source and build method →Low-cost emergency airway simulator for paramedicine
An airway simulator built to widen access to prehospital airway training, covering endotracheal intubation and cricothyrotomy for emergency medical services providers in resource limited settings.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairwayDescribed, not yet evaluated
Development of a Novel Low-Cost Emergency Airway Simulator to Improve Access to Clinical Training in Resource-Limited Paramedicine. Cureus. 2026.
Read the source and build method →Ad-hoc pulsatile pump for microsurgical training
A closed-loop pulsatile pump assembled from readily available monitoring and infusion equipment, comprising two infusion pumps as pressure applicators, a monitoring set with transducer and display, drip sets, saline, three-way stopcocks, a Heidelberger extension line and pressure bags. Pulsation frequency, flow and pressure are adjustable with continuous pressure monitoring. It can be attached to existing artificial microsurgical training models so tasks such as microvascular anastomosis are practised under pulsatile flow, reducing reliance on live animals.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedinfusion pumpsmonitoring setpressure transducerintravenous drip setssalinethree-way stopcocksextension linepressure bagsanastomosismicrosurgeryvascular accessDescribed, not yet evaluated
Low cost microsurgery training model
A simple, cheap and easily assembled bench model for practising microvascular anastomosis, aimed at trainees without access to a microsurgery laboratory.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedreadily available materialsanastomosismicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
MicrosimUC: Validation of a Low-Cost, Portable, Do-It-Yourself Microsurgery Training Kit
A portable, low-cost DIY microsurgery training kit using a modified miniature microscope for residents.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryValidity assessed
3D printed Apert syndrome cranial model for osteotomy rehearsal
A patient specific 3D printed cranial model produced from high resolution CT data, used for presurgical planning in an infant with Apert syndrome in a resource limited setting. Reported as the first documented use of the technique in that context.
FrugalLow cost, not specified3D printdrilling and bone workDescribed, not yet evaluated
3D printed microsurgery suturing arena
A portable 3D printed microsurgery trainer designed with CAD, whose central section carries eight projections with holes arranged in a circle. The trainee passes a microsuture, preferably 7/0 or 8/0, through each hole in a clockwise sequence, needle out to in then in to out, which forces wrist flexibility and finer control of the micro needle. It is intended for maintaining microsurgical suturing skills between formal training sessions.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedflaps and reconstructionknot tyingmicrosurgeryneedle and drain proceduressuturingDescribed, not yet evaluated
Modified latex glove supermicrosurgery vessel model
A modified latex surgical glove fashioned into simulated submillimetre vessels for supermicrosurgery practice, offered as a non-animal alternative to rat mesenteric artery, cryopreserved artery and chicken wing models. Ten vessels were made at each size and divided and examined under a microscope against a calibrated vessel size ruler, giving average sizes of 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm and 1.0 mm. The equipment needed is available in most hospitals.
Cost not stated in sourcelatex gloveflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
Modified latex glove model for simulating a range of supermicrosurgical vessels. Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS. 2025.
Read the source and build method →Economical video laryngoscopy intubation training model
An inexpensive instrument built to work analogously to commercial video laryngoscopes, so that students, paramedics and emergency medical services providers in developing countries can practise video laryngoscope intubation without access to the devices themselves.
FrugalLow cost, not specifiedairwayDescribed, not yet evaluated
Sheep head model for eyelid and orbital surgery
Fresh sheep heads harvested after humane euthanasia at the end of unrelated research and refrigerated for 3 to 7 days, used as a tissue model for oculoplastic training. An oculoplastic surgeon and an otolaryngologist found it suitable for upper lid blepharoplasty, aponeurotic ptosis repair, gold weight lid loading, lateral canthotomy with inferior cantholysis, lower lid tightening and the transconjunctival approach to the orbital floor, as well as eye muscle advancement, optic nerve sheath fenestration and enucleation. Anatomical differences limit its use for orbital floor reconstruction.
Cost not stated in sourcesheep headflaps and reconstructionTrainee feedback only
Replicable microsurgical simulator for cranial procedures
A microsurgical simulator built from high-resolution anatomical reconstructions and additive manufacturing, with materials chosen to replicate the look and feel of living brain tissue. It supports repeated practice of sylvian fissure and white matter dissection, aneurysm clipping, and resection of anterior skull base, frontal and temporal lobe tumours. The build relies only on freely available software and the paper supplies a detailed blueprint for replication; three groups of participants totalling 22 tested it.
FrugalLow cost, not specifieddissection and tissue handlingflaps and reconstructionmicrosurgeryDescribed, not yet evaluated
GapTMJ, orthognathic & facial trauma
No frugal model has been catalogued here yet. This is exactly the kind of gap trainee submissions should fill, particularly for TMJ arthroscopy and open joint work, where commercial models are expensive and scarce.
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