Simulation of Postpartum Hemorrhage Maneuvers Using an Educational Biomodel for Low-income Countries

Abstract

A key challenge in clinical teaching is to create alternative environments due to restricted access to rare emergency
practice settings, such as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Similarly, difficulties have emerged not only in representing
biomodels but also in ensuring maneuver performance, considering components and their ability to replicate sensations akin
to those felt by the affected tissues. A research initiative was launched to improve the training of healthcare personnel in
low-level care facilities and educational institutions on the management of PPH, given that it remains a significant cause of
maternal mortality globally. Consequently, doctors must develop proficiency in handling such emergencies. Hence, the
research was conducted to create solutions tailored to local resources, minimizing the reliance on external technology
through a collaborative approach between medicine and industrial design. The investigators focus on creating experiences
and perceptions through three key components: first, aligning student skills and situations with emergency protocols and
the medical curriculum; second, incorporating convergence technologies for emergency procedures; and third, employing a
phantom model of a female body segment to facilitate maneuvers related to PPH, named 4T (tone, tissue, trauma, and
thrombin). Methodological research conducted in the early stages of creating an intermediate-fidelity clinical simulator
highlights the importance of input from a multidisciplinary team. Initially, the review of the literature identified various
materials and feasible biomodels suitable for training exercises. Subsequently, the authors outlined the essential
requirements for the physical element. Following this, they developed biomodels that integrate diverse shapes and materials
to replicate the conditions encountered in obstetric interventions. Employing an iterative approach in conjunction with
digital and hybrid manufacturing technologies from our institutional laboratories, the prototype was refined to mimic
material perceptions. The next study phase will explore whether the model can enhance teaching and learning in various
applications. Due to the high cost of detailed anatomical models, the research proposes an affordable, mid-level fidelity
biomodel using digital manufacturing with elastomeric materials. However, our PPH biomodel needs to be improved for
testing with medical students at the Universidad Industrial de Santander, to validate their skills safely.