Development of Silicon-based Simulator for Thyroid Surgical Practice

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is commonly used and is essential for diagnosing thyroid diseases. Despite its widespread use, it presents a significant barrier for doctors who lack experience with this procedure, owing to the inherent difficulty involved in identifying and avoiding venous arteries such as the internal jugular vein, common carotid artery, and trachea. At this stage, a universal neck simulator supporting FNAC practice has yet to be developed. This project is based on an earlier simulator developed by the authors. However, a number of significant improvements have been made to bring this closer to what could be potentially a practical simulator for thyroid FNAC practice. Improvements have been made in terms of the accuracy of the organs and the addition of muscle tissue, but the most significant issue is the use of a material that does not require special storage, namely, silicone mixed with a number of compounds as required to sonographically and haptically simulate the neck and thyroid.