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TissueDB/Materials/Ink or Dye

From Appropedia
▼This page is a material entry for the SELF Tissue Database.It documents the tissue applications, practical guidance, and related simulators for this material to support low-cost, reproducible surgical simulator development.
Four bottles of liquid food colouring — blue, red, green and yellow — with the coloured liquid visible through the glass
Four bottles of liquid food colouring — blue, red, green and yellow.
License: CC-BY-2.0 by Larry Jacobsen

Ink or dye is a colourant — liquid, gel, powder or paint — used in medical simulation to give a fluid or a model surface a realistic colour; in TissueDB builds, most often red to mimic blood. A dye is mixed into water or saline to make simulated blood, or added to a fluid circuit so that a leak becomes visible. A paint is brushed onto a model to colour anatomy, mark a landmark, or finish a surface. The many named colours, forms and brands are grouped as one material class because the colour is a detail of the same colourant, not a different material.

Tissues

Tissue Visual Tactile Simulator Notes
Blood Peripheral Intravenous Catheterization Trainer, Hemorrhage Control Simulator (Malik), Synthetic Tourniquet Training Model (Souza Lima) Red food colouring mixed into water or saline to make simulated blood. The Souza Lima tourniquet model instead uses red school paint. The build mixes 250 mL with water to a near-blood consistency and holds it in a reservoir. When the air pump runs, it drives the paint through the latex tubing inside the leg. The fluid then gushes at the simulated wound.[1]
(Structural — leak-indicator dye, not tissue simulant) Grapefruit dACA Bypass Simulator The water-leak check uses a few drops of food colouring in the ~250 mL water reservoir. The colour makes an anastomotic leak visible.[2]
(Structural — surface finish on a paper-mache model, not tissue simulant) Bronchoscopy Anatomical Trainer (Di Domenico) The build paints the inner surface of the paper-mache airway model with water-based enamel. The exterior follows once the model has dried. The segmental bronchi then carry labels per the international classification.[3]
(Structural — landmark marking and vessel colour-coding, not tissue simulant) Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair Simulator (Hanssen) White paint marks the pork chop's transverse process to represent Cooper's ligament. Blue and red paint on two 30 Fr polyethylene hoses represents the iliac vessels.[4]
(Structural — anatomical colouring of a 3D-printed model, not tissue simulant) Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernioplasty TAPP 3D Simulator (Pires de Melo Filho) Gouache ink in anatomy-book colours covers the 3D-printed male pelvis. Two flat Condor brushes apply the ink, which characterises the anatomical structures.[5]
(Structural — colouring the herniated viscera, not tissue simulant) Abdominal Wall Defect Simulator (Medeiros) About 20 mL of fake blood makeup colours the herniated bowel loops of the gastroschisis model. The source notes the blood can be mistaken for bowel damage and suggests removing it in future versions.[6]
Blood Cricothyrotomy Simulator (Calvo) Food dye stains a 1 L bag of saline red. The build mounts the bag in an IV pressuriser. The pressuriser pushes the red-stained saline through the tunnelled IV set as the simulated blood.[7]
Blood Cricothyrotomy Simulator (Kei) The build injects 10 mL of red food colouring into a 1 L bag of normal saline. The red-dyed saline both feeds the subcutaneous weal and serves as the reservoir for the IV-tubing vessel.[8]
(Structural — colouring cast plastisol sheets, not tissue simulant) Emergency Department Thoracotomy Simulator (Misra) The build stirs two 4 oz bottles of plastisol colourant — one skin colour, one fat colour — into medium-density liquid plastisol. It then pours the coloured plastisol into skin and subcutaneous-fat sheets. Brand and colour codes are not stated in the source.[9]
(Structural — pigmenting cast silicone, not tissue simulant) Injection Laryngoplasty Simulator (Lee) Silc-Pig pigments (PMS 7421C and 488C) go into Smooth-On Ecoflex 00-20 silicone before injection into the mould. The pigments give the cast endolarynx a pink hue.[10]
Blood Intra-abdominal Bleeding Simulator (Fernandes) Red dye in the water of the one-litre reservoirs makes the simulated blood that feeds the aorta and vena cava. The source prices five units of food colouring.[11]
(Structural — colouring cast silicone, not tissue simulant) Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Simulator (Casas-Murillo) A colorant goes into the P53 silicone rubber before the pour into the ABS negative mould. The colorant colours the cast gallbladder and bile ducts. The source names no brand or colour code. A figure caption shows green dye.[12]
Blood Massive Hemoptysis Simulator (New) The artificial blood takes 20 mL of red food colouring, a few drops of blue food colouring and corn starch. These go into a 1 L bag of normal saline or water. The build pumps the artificial blood into selected airway segments.[13]
(Structural — colouring the cast gelatin block, not tissue simulant) Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation Simulator 0.5 g of powdered red pigment per model spreads over the glycerol with the gelatin powder. The water goes in afterwards, and the pigment colours the set gel.[14]
(Structural — opacifying a gelatin phantom for blinded training, not tissue simulant) Pediatric Forearm Fracture Simulator For blinded training, 40 drops of blue, 20 red and 20 yellow food colouring tint the gelatine phantom opaque. Alternatively, 80 drops of black food colouring tint it opaque. For unblinded training the phantom stays transparent.[15]
(Structural — tinting cast silicone components, not tissue simulant) Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair Simulator (Heo) Rit Dye in yellow, tangerine and cherry red tints the silicone components during assembly of the male and female cartridges.[16]
(Structural — simulated airway contaminant, not tissue simulant) Suction-Assisted Laryngoscopy and Airway Decontamination Simulator (Kumar) 10 g of red or green food colouring in two litres of water makes the soiling fluid — blood or vomitus. The garden spray pump drives that fluid into the manikin's airway for SALAD practice.[17]
(Structural — leak indicator and vessel-wall stain, not tissue simulant) Superficial Temporal Artery-Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass Trainer Rifocin (rifampicin) ampoules dye the 1000 mL reservoir water red, so an anastomotic leak is visible. Methylene blue on the vessel ends highlights the vessel wall under the microscope. The source itemises the Rifocin solution at US$2.50.[18]
(Structural — colouring the bowel stand-in, not tissue simulant) Trocar Placement Simulator A small amount of red lipstick finishes both sides of the inflated modeling balloon. The balloon sits beneath the peritoneum as the bowel.[19]
(Structural — colouring gelatin tissue layers, not tissue simulant) Z-Plasty Simulator Each gelatin recipe names its own colourant: red food colouring for muscle, yellow for subcutaneous fat, and pink/white/yellow for skin. Amounts vary with the desired skin tone. The connective-tissue paste is explicitly made with no colouring.[20]
(Structural — drawing muscle-fibre striations on the batting muscle layers, not tissue simulant) Open Appendectomy Simulator (Matthews) A red marker draws the perpendicular fibre striations on the two cotton-batting layers. Those layers simulate the external and internal oblique muscles. A reviewing surgeon asked for more colour and larger colour stripes on the muscle layer, and the red-marker instruction followed.[21]








References

  1. ↑ Souza Lima D, Almeida YADS, Cid DMC, Cardoso LC, Braga CS, Regis FGL. Low-cost synthetic tourniquet training model. Rev Col Bras Cir. 2019;46(6):e20192324. DOI 10.1590/0100-6991e-20192324. PMID 31967244.
  2. ↑ Cikla U, Rowley P, Jennings Simoes EL, Ozaydin B, Goodman SL, Avci E, Baskaya MK, Patel NJ. Grapefruit Training Model for Distal Anterior Cerebral Artery Side-to-Side Bypass. World Neurosurgery 2020;138:39–51. DOI 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.02.107. PMID 32109640.
  3. ↑ Di Domenico S, Simonassi C, Chessa L. Inexpensive anatomical trainer for bronchoscopy. Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery 2007;6(4):567–569. DOI 10.1510/icvts.2007.153601. PMID 17669940.
  4. ↑ Hanssen A, Hanssen DA, Hanssen RA, Plotnikov S, Haddad J, Daes JE. Implementation and Validation of a Novel and Inexpensive Training Model for Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair. J Abdom Wall Surg 2022;1:10305. DOI 10.3389/jaws.2022.10305. CC BY 4.0.
  5. ↑ Pires de Melo Filho L, Mano Almeida A, Marçal de Barros Filho E, de Oliveira Borges GC. Simulated training model in a low cost for laparoscopic inguinal hernioplasty. Acta Cir Bras. 2021;36(1):e360108. doi:10.1590/ACB360108. CC BY 4.0.
  6. ↑ Medeiros GA, Gualberto IJN, da Silva CHND, Diniz AMB, de Santana JBF, Volpe FP, Gadde R, Mazzo A, de Oliveira RC, Sbragia L. Development of a low-cost congenital abdominal wall defect simulator (wall-go) for undergraduate medical education: a validation study. BMC Medical Education. 2023;23(1):966. Open access (CC BY 4.0). DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04929-3. PMID 38102605.
  7. ↑ Calvo A, Ibañez Esteve C, Varela V, Gomez-Lopez L, Perdomo JM, Berge R, Gomar Sancho C. Design, application and evaluation of a cricothyrotomy model for a multidisciplinary simulation. An observational single centre study. Educación Médica 2021;22:305–310. DOI: 10.1016/j.edumed.2020.12.003.
  8. ↑ Kei J, Mebust DP, Duggan LV. The REAL CRIC Trainer: Instructions for Building an Inexpensive, Realistic Cricothyrotomy Simulator with Skin and Tissue, Bleeding, and Flash of Air. Journal of Emergency Medicine 2019;56(4):426–430. DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.12.023. PMID: 30685221.
  9. ↑ Misra A, Chapman A, Watson WD, Bach JA, Bonta MJ, Elliott JO, Dominguez EP (2024). "Use of Low-Cost Task Trainer for Emergency Department Thoracotomy Training in General Surgery Residency Program." Journal of Surgical Education 81(1):134–144. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.09.009. PMID: 37926660. © 2023 Association of Program Directors in Surgery, published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
  10. ↑ Lee M, Ang C, Andreadis K, Shin J, Rameau A. An open-source three-dimensionally printed laryngeal model for injection laryngoplasty training. Laryngoscope 2021;131(3):E890–E895. DOI: 10.1002/lary.28952. PMID: 32750164.
  11. ↑ Fernandes CO, Rodrigues LR, Silva do Amaral MLBS, de Morais Rodrigues SJ, Marton-Filho MA. Low-cost simulator for intra-abdominal bleeding. Rev Col Bras Cir 2023;50:e20233512. DOI: 10.1590/0100-6991e-20233512-en. PMID: 37971114. PMC: PMC10618030.
  12. ↑ Casas-Murillo C, Zuñiga-Ruiz A, Lopez-Barron RE, Sanchez-Uresti A, Gogeascoechea-Hernandez A, Muñoz-Maldonado GE, Salinas-Chapa M, Elizondo-Riojas G, Negreros-Osuna AA. 3D-printed anatomical models of the cystic duct and its variants, a low-cost solution for an in-house built simulator for laparoscopic surgery training. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy 2021;43(4):537–544. DOI 10.1007/s00276-020-02631-3. PMID 33386458.
  13. ↑ New ML, Amass T, Neumeier A, Jacobson NM, Huie TJ. Creation and validation of a massive hemoptysis simulator. Chest 2024;165(3):636–644. DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.10.014. PMID 37852436.
  14. ↑ Cardiac Surgical Skills Training Module, SELF-Training team / Global Surgical Training Challenge, Appropedia, 2021. Build and operation: Phase 2 (Simulator Setup), Phase 3 (Skills Practice) and Phase 4 (Self-Assessment).
  15. ↑ Pediatric Distal Forearm Fractures/Pediatric Forearm Simulators, Appropedia.
  16. ↑ Heo K, Greaney E, Haehl J, Stunden C, Lindner A, Malik PRA, Rosenbaum DG, Muensterer O, Zakani S, Jacob J, Joharifard S. Iterative Design and Manufacturing of a 3D-Printed Pediatric Open and Laparoscopic Integrated Simulator for Hernia Repair (POLISHeR). Journal of Pediatric Surgery 2025;60:162232. DOI 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2025.162232 PMID 40011165. CC BY-NC 4.0.
  17. ↑ Kumar R, Kumar R. An Indigenous Suction-assisted Laryngoscopy and Airway Decontamination Simulation System. Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine 2024;28(7):702–705. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-24760. PMID: 38994267. PMC: PMC11234124. License: CC BY-NC 4.0.
  18. ↑ Akdag BA, Akdag B, Ikizoglu E, Husemoglu B, Kizmazoglu C, Aydin HE, Ozer E. "A Novel Training Model for Superficial Temporal Artery- Middle Cerebral Artery Anastomosis Using Microsurgical Techniques." World Neurosurgery. 2024;190:e665–e674. DOI 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.07.200. PMID 39098505.
  19. ↑ ALL-SAFE Consortium. ALL-SAFE Trocar Placement Simulation Build Instructions. Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons, University of Michigan, Southern Illinois University, Soddo Christian Hospital, AIC Kijabe Hospital, Mbingo Baptist Hospital. Available at: PDF.
  20. ↑ AmoSmile Physical Simulator. AmoSmile team, Appropedia.
  21. ↑ Matthews J, Bhatia MB, Thomas C, Okoth P, Martinez CR, Levy JS, Stefanidis D, Hunter-Squires JL, Saruni SI (2022). "AMPATH surgical app: Low-cost simulator for the open appendectomy." Surgery 172(6):1656–1664. DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2022.07.023. PMID: 36123174. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.


Page data
Keywords ink, dye, food colouring, food coloring, black ink, red dye, green dye, red food coloring, green food coloring, colourant, simulated blood, leak indicator, TissueDB
SDG
Authors Arturopelayo
License CC-BY-SA-4.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 28 pages link here
Redirects TissueDB/Materials/Black Ink, TissueDB/Materials/Food Colouring, TissueDB/Materials/Red Dye, TissueDB/Materials/Green Dye, TissueDB/Materials/Red Food Coloring, TissueDB/Materials/Green Food Coloring, TissueDB/Materials/Food Coloring, TissueDB/Materials/Green dye, TissueDB/Materials/Red dye, TissueDB/Materials/Paint
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Created July 3, 2026 by Arturo Pelayo
Last edit August 11, 2026 by Arturo Pelayo
Cite as Arturopelayo (2026). "TissueDB/Materials/Ink or Dye". Appropedia. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
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