TissueDB/Materials/Pork Belly

Pork belly is porcine abdominal tissue with intact skin used in medical simulation to replicate the layered soft tissue structure of the human neck and torso. The intact skin, subcutaneous fat, and muscle layers provide visual and tactile fidelity for incision-based procedures. Used in cricothyrotomy simulation where trainees incise through skin and soft tissue to access the airway.

Tissues

Tissue	Simulator	Notes
Skin	Calvo Cricothyrotomy Simulator	Intact porcine skin layer; incision site for cricothyrotomy.
Soft tissue	Calvo Cricothyrotomy Simulator	Subcutaneous fat and muscle layers overlying trachea.
Skin	Kei REAL CRIC Trainer	Skin and soft-tissue overlay for 3D-printed trachea; cuttable during vertical skin incision.
Skin	Muller Cricothyrotomy Simulator	Section of porcine skin placed externally over the laryngeal structures of the Strategic Operations 3-in-1 TCCC manikin; provides the scalpel incision surface for the vertical skin incision of the scalpel–finger–bougie technique (Muller et al. 2020, p. e1781). Exact cut (belly, shoulder, or other) not disambiguated in source.

Used In Simulators

Simulator	Purpose	Notes
Calvo Cricothyrotomy Simulator	Covers 3D-printed trachea; trainees incise through pork belly to access airway.
Kei REAL CRIC Trainer	Overlay on 3D-printed PLA trachea; cuttable skin layer paired with red-dyed saline bleeding feedback during incision.
Muller Cricothyrotomy Simulator	External skin overlay on Strategic Operations 3-in-1 TCCC manikin, placed over the laryngeal structures as the scalpel incision surface for the scalpel–finger–bougie technique. US$1.00 per session per Muller 2020 p. e1781.

References

At a Glance

Overview

Pork belly is a cut of pork from the underside of the pig. In medical simulation, it is used as a fresh tissue overlay that replicates the layered structure of human skin, subcutaneous fat, and muscle. Cost approximately US$3–6 per piece (approximately 15 cm × 15 cm, 3 cm thick) from grocery stores or butchers.^[1] Wholesale approximately US$2/lb (USDA, April 2026). Price varies by region and availability. Pork belly is a consumable material — each piece is single-use.

Synonyms

Pork belly, porcine belly, pork skin with fat layer, fresh pork belly. Regional: panceta (ES), poitrine de porc (FR), Schweinebauch (DE).

Background

Clinical Context for Simulation

Processing & Preparation

Safety Considerations

Related Materials

Page data
Keywords	pork belly, porcine tissue, pork skin, simulation, cricothyrotomy, incision, TissueDB
SDG
Authors	Arturopelayo
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 4 pages link here
Views	4 page views (analytics)
Created	April 10, 2026 by Arturo Pelayo
Last edit	April 17, 2026 by Arturo Pelayo
Cite as	Arturopelayo (2026). "TissueDB/Materials/Pork Belly". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
API queries	basic, semantic, html, files, more

Page data
SDG
Authors	Arturopelayo
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 4 pages link here
Views	4 page views (analytics)
Created	April 10, 2026 by Arturo Pelayo
Last edit	April 17, 2026 by Arturo Pelayo
Cite as	Arturopelayo (2026). "TissueDB/Materials/Pork Belly". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
API queries	basic, semantic, html, files, more

↑ Kei J, Mebust DP, Engel JN. "The REAL CRIC Trainer." Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2019;56(4):e67-e72. DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.12.039. Reports approximately US$5 for grocery-purchased pork belly piece.

[kei2019_cost-1] Kei J, Mebust DP, Engel JN. "The REAL CRIC Trainer." Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2019;56(4):e67-e72. DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.12.039. Reports approximately US$5 for grocery-purchased pork belly piece.

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