TissueDB/Materials/Polyurethane Foam
License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 by Silverchemist
Polyurethane Foam is a synthetic polymer foam (open-cell or closed-cell) used in medical simulation to represent soft tissue layers and provide structural support in surgical training phantoms. Available in variable densities, polyurethane foam is used for tissue layering, needle insertion trainers, and box trainer construction.
Tissues
| Tissue | Visual | Tactile | Simulator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fascia | Closed-cell formulations provide resistance for abdominal wall layering. | |||
| Subcutaneous Tissue | Open-cell foam compresses under needle penetration for procedural trainers. | |||
| Muscle | Layered foam provides bulk tissue feel for suturing and needle insertion. | |||
| Skin | Partial | Partial | Man-O-War Chest Tube Simulator | 60×30×5 cm extra-firm foam mattress simulating combined chest wall soft tissues; composition unconfirmed in source. |
| Subcutaneous Tissue | Partial | Partial | Man-O-War Chest Tube Simulator | Shared chest wall layer with Skin; single undifferentiated foam block. |
| Subcutaneous Tissue | Partial | Partial | Multipurpose Thoracic Simulator (Carter) | 6 mm (1/4 in.) headliner foam variant placed between the Ioban2-wrapped outer drape and the porcine rib segment (Carter 2010, lines 181–189). Delivers tactile resistance during needle and incision traverse across both Station 1 (thoracentesis) and Station 2 (thoracostomy) via the shared chest wall module. Fig 1 caption describes the same layer as "thin felt"; body text is authoritative — single foam layer, not two distinct materials. |
| Cartilage | White UW Cricothyrotomy Simulator, D'Auria Cricothyrotomy Simulator | Compliant foam strips standing in for the tracheal cartilage rings, covered with conductive-foil sensor strips for contact detection. Foam grade, ring count, density, thickness and spacing are not specified in the accessible source. | ||
| Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue | Partial | Partial | Ewald Percutaneous Renal Access Trainer | Premium Poly Foam (American Excelsior Company, Arlington TX). Layers of thick, visually opaque foam encase gelatin block and limit visualization, providing resistance and visual obstruction simulating overlying skin, fat, and muscle.[1] |
| Lung | Emergency Department Thoracotomy Simulator (Misra) | Soft packing-foam block (16 in × 10 in × 4 in / 40.6 cm × 25.4 cm × 10.2 cm) handcrafted into lung shape; substrate for the lung model, then wrapped in pink-coloured gauze and coated with medium-density liquid plastisol (Bait Plastics LLC). $18 USD for both blocks per Table 1 of the source.[2] | ||
| Subcutaneous Tissue | - | - | Synthetic Tourniquet Training Model (Souza Lima) |
Troubleshooting
Content pending — add source-traced entries only.
References
[edit source]- ↑ Ewald JM, Cheng JW, Engelhart SM, Wilkinson MC, Hajiha M, Wagner H, Baldwin DD. A realistic, durable, and low-cost training model for percutaneous renal access using ballistic gelatin. Turk J Urol 2019;45(1):31–6. DOI: 10.5152/tud.2018.43569. PMID: 30668307.
- ↑ Misra A et al. 2024 J Surg Educ 81(1):134–144. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.09.009. PMID: 37926660.
At a Glance
Overview
[edit source]Synonyms
[edit source]PU foam, polyurethane sponge, open-cell foam, closed-cell foam, upholstery foam, craft foam
Background
Clinical Context for Simulation
[edit source]Processing & Preparation
[edit source]Safety Considerations
[edit source]Related Materials
[edit source]| Authors | Arturopelayo |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Cite as | Arturopelayo (2026). "TissueDB/Materials/Polyurethane Foam". Appropedia. Retrieved July 15, 2026. |