Cricothyroidotomy Simulator: A Makerspace and Augmented Reality Approach

A cricothyroidotomy is an incision made on the cricothyroid membrane at its midline to create an airway for oxygenation and ventilation. Cricothyroidotomy is a complex procedure involving motor, psychological, and decision-making skills, amply used during the COVID-19 pandemic. This procedure requires extensive training, and simulators facilitate teaching advanced airway management techniques to health care professionals. However, upper airway simulators are expensive and limited to specialized facilities inaccessible during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-laboratory practices shifted to online synchronous and asynchronous teaching. Such a scenario sparked interest in makerspace technologies for creating cost-effective simulators. This paper presents the prototyping of a cricothyroidotomy simulator through a Design Thinking approach to ideate a cost-effective solution that contains all 3D printed structures properly representing the real anatomical parts needed for the procedure. Additionally, we propose an augmentation of the 3D printed model employing Augmented Reality (AR) to enhance how information about the procedure can be accessed without relying on traditional instruction materials. Our preliminary results have led to a makerspace cricothyrotomy simulator used in training sessions in conferences and workshops and the prototyping of an AR complementary tool.