The Development, Quantification and Verification of a High-Fidelity Male Urethral Catheter Simulator

Abstract

Urinary catheter placement is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures in the hospital setting. Many papers present issues with current training tools and educational methods that ultimately may result in injury to patients in clinical practice. Here, the skill of catheter placement is evaluated two-fold through the lens of the educational tools available for teaching the skill and the quantification of force required to perform the skill. A novel, high-fidelity, urethral catheter simulator was developed to improve upon all current commercially available simulators. The life-like appearance, realistic tactile behaviors, and quantified forces of insertion all result in a realistic simulation for urinary catheter placement education. Additionally, the force required to place a urinary catheter is characterized and the effect that lubrication volumes have on the force curve are also explored. Resulting in a trend that suggests as more lubrication is added to the male urethra, less force is required to place the catheter until a lubrication threshold is met.