Comparison of phantom performance in replicating actual lateral C1–C2 spinal punctures
| Component of Phantom/Procedure | Comparison with Real-Life Experience of Lateral C1–C2 Spinal Punctures |
|---|---|
| Feel of alginate/soft tissue | Similar |
| Positioning of phantom/patient | Different: The patient is usually positioned prone for this procedure, while the training simulated the patient being in the lateral decubitus position due to constraints of the fluoroscopy room available for training (not related to the phantom itself) |
| Force required to penetrate outer latex tubing/dura | Different: The amount of pressure required to pop through the outer latex tube dura was greater than in real life; this difference was emphasized to the trainees who participated |
| Landmarks visualized under fluoroscopy | Similar |
| Speed of CSF egress | Variable: depending on how much pressure we applied to outer latex tubing via a syringe and the PVC on/off valve; future directions include construction of a model with a pressure gauge so that we could fill the tubing to match normal CSF pressure (∼15 cm H20) |
Note:—PVC indicates polyvinyl chloride.