TissueDB/Simulators/Chest Tube Simulator (Brannan)
General Information
The Brannan Chest Tube Simulator is a low-cost 3D-printed multifunctional thorax model for training tube thoracostomy in medical learners. It combines a 3D-printed ribcage, sternum, clavicles, and spine (ivory PLA with soluble PVA support) with TPE 90A flexible joints, a three-layer silicone skin overlay (Ecoflex 00-30 outer, Soma Foama 15 middle expanding foam, Dragon Skin 10 innermost), a 3D-printed heart, and an internal air cavity that uses a bag valve mask to inflate two punching-balloon "lungs" connected by plastic-tubing "trachea."[1]
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| General Information | A low-cost, multifunctional 3D-printed thorax trainer for tube thoracostomy, developed by Brannan and colleagues as an initial prototype.[1] |
| Features and Basic Operation | Multifunctional 3D-printed thorax built from rigid and flexible components: a rigid PLA bony thorax with TPE 90A flexible joints between the ribs and the sternum and between the ribs and the spine. The skin is a single large overlay with a small replaceable cut-out window at the insertion site, so the model is reused between learners without replacing the whole skin. An internal air cavity inflates two balloon “lungs” (via a plastic-tubing “trachea”) using a bag-valve-mask setup. The authors note the platform is extensible to further high-acuity low-occurrence procedures.[1] |
| Current Development Status | Initial prototype, evaluated by local content experts in a brief realism survey; no validation study reported.[1] |
| Estimated Build Time and Cost | ~US$140 (CAD 180)[1] |
| Specialized Tools and Equipment | Build: Ultimaker 3 3D Printer (PLA + soluble PVA support for the bony thorax and support stand); Airwolf Axiom Dual Direct Drive 3D Printer (TPE 90A flexible joints with PVA support); Autodesk Meshmixer 3.5 (STL separation of the ribcage into anatomical components); Autodesk Fusion 360 (support-stand design). Use: chest tube and standard chest-tube insertion kit; bag valve mask for inflating the simulated air cavity.[1] |
| Version | Initial prototype (2021).[1] |
| Development Team Contact Information | V. Brannan (corresponding, vb6161@mun.ca), Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Co-authors: C. L. Dunne (Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary); A. Dubrowski (Canada Research Chair in HealthCare Simulation, maxSIMhealth Collaborative, Ontario Tech University); M. H. Parsons (Department of Emergency Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland).[1] |
Tissues
| Tissue | Qty | Material | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bone (ribs, sternum, clavicles, spine) | 1 set | PLA with PVA support | — | Rigid scaffold of the thorax, printed as separate rib, sternum, clavicle, and spine pieces.[1] |
| Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue | 1 overlay | Ecoflex 00-30 (top) + Soma Foama 15 (middle expanding foam) + Dragon Skin 10 (innermost) | — | Three-layer silicone laminate with a small replaceable patch, allowing repeated use between learners.[1] |
| Heart (3D-printed) | 1 | Material not specified by Brannan et al. 2021 | — | Anatomically realistic 3D-printed heart integrated into the model.[1] |
| Trachea (air-path tube) | 1 | Plastic tubing | — | Plastic-tubing air path from the bag valve mask to the balloon “lungs.”[1] |
| Lungs (air cavities) | 2 | Balloon (punching balloons) | — | Two punching balloons, inflated via the bag-valve-mask setup.[1] |
| Cartilage (costochondral flexible joints) | Unspecified count | TPE 90A with PVA support | — | Flexible joints between the ribs and the sternum and between the ribs and the spine, where flexibility was required.[1] |
Structural Parts
| Part Name | Qty | Material | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bag valve mask | 1 | Bag Valve Mask | — | Hand-operated source that inflates the balloon “lungs.”[1] |
| Support stand | 1 | PLA with PVA support | — | Holds the thorax in working orientation.[1] |
Build Instructions
Phase 1: 3D-Print the Rigid Skeleton
- Step 1: Obtain the thoracic ribcage base geometry from Thingiverse thing:1543880 (Rodriquez A., MakerBot 2016, spelling per source).[1]
- Step 2: Separate the single STL into anatomical components — ribs, sternum, clavicles, spine — using Autodesk Meshmixer (version three point five).
- Step 3: Print the separated components in ivory polylactic acid (PLA) with soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) support on an Ultimaker 3 dual-extruder printer.
- Step 4: Print the support stand in PLA with PVA support on the Ultimaker 3, designed in Autodesk Fusion 360.
- Step 5: Dissolve PVA support material in water after printing. Source does not specify dissolution time or water temperature.
Source does not report infill percentage, layer height, print orientation, nozzle temperature, or print time.
Phase 2: 3D-Print the Flexible Joints
- Step 6: Print the flexible joints in thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) 90A with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) support on an Airwolf Axiom Dual Direct Drive printer.[1]
- Step 7: Dissolve PVA support after printing.
Source describes the joints as located "such as between the ribs and sternum" and does not exhaustively name which other interfaces use these joints. Joint geometry, print settings, and the exact number of joints printed are not reported.
Phase 3: Pour the Three-Layer Skin Overlay
- Step 8: Pour the top layer of the skin laminate using Smooth-On Ecoflex 00-30.[1]
- Step 9: Pour the middle layer using Smooth-On expanding silicone foam Soma Foama 15.
- Step 10: Pour the innermost layer using Smooth-On Dragon Skin 10.
- Step 11: Prepare a replaceable cut-out window using the same triple-layer composition.
Source does not specify pour depth, layer thickness, cure conditions, mould geometry, or the sequence in which layers are poured.
Phase 4: Assemble the Internal Air-Cavity System
- Step 12: Construct the internal "lungs" from two punching balloons connected to plastic tubing acting as the "trachea."[1]
- Step 13: Connect the balloon "lung" assembly to a bag valve mask so the system is inflatable using the bag valve mask setup.
- Step 14: Install the 3D-printed heart in the thoracic cavity.
- Step 15: Secure all internal components inside the 3D-printed rib framework.
Source does not specify balloon brand or volume, plastic tubing bore or length, BVM make or model, or the junction fittings used between components.
Phase 5: Assemble the Final Simulator
- Step 16: Mount the skin overlay over the assembled ribcage so that the replaceable cut-out window is positioned at the intended chest-tube insertion site.[1]
- Step 17: Mount the assembly on the PLA support stand.
- Step 18: Install the flexible joints at the interfaces that require flexibility (described by the source as "such as between the ribs and sternum") so the simulator can be assembled from rigid and flexible components.
Source does not document fixation method between skin overlay and ribcage, nor between flexible joints and surrounding rigid components.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 Brannan V, Dunne CL, Dubrowski A, Parsons MH (2021). "Development of a novel 3D-printed multifunctional thorax model simulator for the simulation-based training of tube thoracostomy." CJEM 23:547–550. DOI: 10.1007/s43678-021-00102-1. PMID: 33783760.
| Alternative names | 3D-printed multifunctional thorax model simulator (full descriptive name given in the source paper title). |
|---|
| Authors | Arturopelayo |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Cite as | Arturopelayo (2026). "TissueDB/Simulators/Chest Tube Simulator (Brannan)". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026. |