SURGICAL SIMULATORS

University of Michigan Biomedical Engineering + Michigan Medicine Otolaryngology Department

Zopf Lab

Presented at the Cleft & Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Interactive Conference

We manufactured 20 silicone cleft palate surgical simulators, enabling hands-on training for plastic surgery early-stage residents. 10 were Veau III (severe: complete unilateral cleft of the lip, alveolus, and the hard and soft palates on one side), and the other 10 were Veau IV (most severe: complete bilateral clefts involving both sides of the lip, alveolus, and the palate). 

 The mold was manufactured from CT scans of neonatal cleft palate anatomy. The mandibular jig was 3D printed in PLA.