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. 2023 Aug 1;44(7):e497-e503.
doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000003936.

3-D-Printed Models for Temporal Bone Training: A Validity Study

Andreas Frithioff, Martin Frendø, Kenneth Weiss  1 , Søren Foghsgaard  2 , Peter Trier Mikkelsen  2 , Thomas Winther Frederiksen  3 , David Bue Pedersen  1 , Mads Sølvsten Sørensen  2 , Steven Arild Wuyts Andersen
Affiliations

3-D-Printed Models for Temporal Bone Training: A Validity Study

Andreas Frithioff et al. Otol Neurotol. .

Abstract

Objective: 3-D printing offers convenient and low-cost mastoidectomy training; nonetheless, training benefits using 3-D-printed temporal bones remain largely unexplored. In this study, we have collected validity evidence for a low-cost, 3-D-printed temporal bone for mastoidectomy training and established a credible pass/fail score for performance on the model.

Study design: A prospective educational study gathering validity evidence using Messick's validity framework.

Setting: Seven Danish otorhinolaryngology training institutions.

Participants: Eighteen otorhinolaryngology residents (novices) and 11 experienced otosurgeons (experts).

Intervention: Residents and experienced otosurgeons each performed two to three anatomical mastoidectomies on a low-cost, 3-D-printed temporal bone model produced in-house. After drilling, mastoidectomy performances were rated by three blinded experts using a 25-item modified Welling scale (WS).

Main outcome measure: Validity evidence using Messick's framework including reliability assessment applying both classical test theory and Generalizability theory.

Results: Novices achieved a mean score of 13.9 points; experienced otosurgeons achieved 23.2 points. Using the contrasting groups method, we established a 21/25-point pass/fail level. The Generalizability coefficient was 0.91, and 75% of the score variance was attributable to participant performance, indicating a high level of assessment reliability. Subsequent D studies revealed that two raters rating one performance or one rater rating two performances were sufficiently reliable for high-stakes assessment.

Conclusion: Validity evidence supports using a low-cost, 3-D-printed model for mastoidectomy training. The model can be printed in-house using consumer-grade 3-D printers and serves as an additional training tool in the temporal bone curriculum. For competency-based training, we established a cut-off score of 21 of 25 WS points using the contrasting groups method.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors disclose no conflicts of interest.

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