Burr Hole Model

This is medical model or task trainer for Burr Hole procedures. If there is bleeding (or pus or other fluid) around the brain, the pressure from the built-up fluid can compress the brain tissue, creating a life-threatening condition. A “burr hole” is a small hole that a physician (usually a neurosurgeon or emergency room doctor) makes in the skull to remove some of the blood and relieve the pressure on the brain. This is a rare, but emergent, procedure – so practicing it is essential, but can be challenging. I created this model to help train the emergency medicine residents at my hospital on this procedure. There’s room between the skull and brain for a bag of “blood.” And only the smaller bone insert needs to be reprinted each time. Use a sheet of silicone or modeling clay for “skin” and “soft tissue.” An incision is made into the skin with a scalpel, and then the hole is carefully drilled into the bone, while carefully avoiding the brain underneath. I included a model of an ear as a