University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock established a "green spine lab" with 3D-printed cadavers, the university said Feb. 1.
Glenn Pait, MD, director of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, and neurosurgeon Noonan Kazemi, MD, education director of spine and neurosurgery established the program, according to a news release. The initiative added three synthetic cadavers, which let students and faculty perform procedures.
Th synthetic cadavers have realistic skin and bones that won't deteriorate compared to human specimens. The cadavers were provided through an educational grant from Globus Medical.
"The use of synthetic spine models in the laboratory is a first step for building surgical confidence of residents," Dr. Pait said in the release.