van Lanen Rick H G J, Keizer Max E, Ter Laak-Poort Mariël P, Herrler Andreas, Poort Lucas J, Schijns Olaf E M G
Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Brain Spine. 2024 Aug 6;4:102906. doi: 10.1016/j.bas.2024.102906. eCollection 2024.
Headholders or skull clamps serve as indispensable tools in neurosurgery, facilitating the precise positioning and stabilization of the head for surgery. The realm of neurosurgical training in cadaver labs presents a clear challenge due to the lack of suitable non-clinical headholders.
We describe a 3D printed stainless-steel headholder for use in neurosurgical cadaver lab training.
Computer-aided design software was used to design a headholder, utilizing a three-pin skull fixation. Through an iterative process involving a plastic 3D printed prototype, ultimately a robust model was manufactured using a 3D stainless-steel printer.
The headholder was fixed to a multi-angle adjustable vise, enabling optimal positioning to support simulation of neurosurgical approaches and dissection training by neurosurgical residents and staff in the cadaver lab.
This custom-made headholder offers an effective solution for secure fixation of cadaver skulls during neurosurgical training, contributing to practicality and efficiency in cadaver dissection. Despite the lack of evidence-based guidelines for neurosurgical headholder use, this device provides a valuable tool for neurosurgical trainees to practice proper placement, understand associated complications, and improve their hands-on skills. The digitally available 3D model can be optimized, shared, and further improved by other neurosurgical units and trainees, fostering collaborative advancements in neurosurgical training.
头架或颅骨夹是神经外科手术中不可或缺的工具，有助于在手术过程中对头进行精确的定位和固定。由于缺乏合适的非临床头架，尸体实验室中的神经外科培训领域面临着明显的挑战。
我们描述了一种用于神经外科尸体实验室培训的3D打印不锈钢头架。
使用计算机辅助设计软件设计头架，采用三钉颅骨固定方式。通过涉及塑料3D打印原型的迭代过程，最终使用3D不锈钢打印机制造出一个坚固的模型。
该头架固定在多角度可调虎钳上，能够实现最佳定位，以支持神经外科住院医师和工作人员在尸体实验室中模拟神经外科手术入路和解剖训练。
这种定制的头架为神经外科培训期间尸体颅骨的牢固固定提供了一种有效的解决方案，有助于提高尸体解剖的实用性和效率。尽管缺乏关于神经外科头架使用的循证指南，但该设备为神经外科实习生提供了一个有价值的工具，用于练习正确放置、了解相关并发症并提高他们的实践技能。数字可用的3D模型可以由其他神经外科单位和实习生进行优化、共享和进一步改进，促进神经外科培训的协作进步。
