← Back to Previous Page

 

S165: SKULLPTURE: AN EDUCATIONAL SURGICAL AND ANATOMY 3D ONLINE MODEL FOR ENDOSCOPIC ENDONASAL APPROACHES
Guilherme Mansur, MD¹; Guilherme Finger, MD, MsC²; Moataz D Abouammo, MD, MsC³; Rodrigo D Gehrke, MD³; Ricardo L Carrau, MD³; Daniel M Prevedello, MD³; ¹Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; ²Indiana University; ³The Ohio State University

Introduction: Skull base surgery demands spatial precision across highly complex anatomy and multiple approach options, skills that are hard to consolidate with textbook images alone. Many residency programs cannot guarantee consistent hands-on experience with advanced endoscopic endonasal procedures, leaving trainees less confident and less prepared for complex cases. To address this gap, educational strategies must pair rigorous anatomical instruction with immersive, practice-oriented tools that simulate the operative environment. Interactive three-dimensional simulators and web/mobile platforms offer a realistic, accessible means to reinforce spatial understanding, standardize training experiences, and accelerate the transition from knowledge to technical competence.

Objective: To develop a three-dimensional model of endoscopic endonasal skull base approaches designed to facilitate the learning of surgical anatomy and to optimize integrated theoretical-practical training.

Methods: Cadaveric specimens were dissected in an anatomy laboratory (ALT-VISION) for the performance of endoscopic endonasal approaches to the skull base. The approaches included the nasosinusal corridor, sphenoidotomy, transellar, transtuberculum, transplanum, transcribriform, transclival, transpterygoid, and craniovertebral junction approaches. Each stage of every approach was video recorded and subsequently reconstructed into three-dimensional models using 3D Scanner App, Reality Scan, and Blender softwares. The models were then refined in Sketchfab, where image resolution was enhanced and anatomical structures were labeled. A dedicated website ( https://skullpture.mycarejs.com) was created to host and organize the models according to the surgical approach and to create features such as visualized or hidden labels.

Conclusion: The interactive endonasal 3D platform translates cadaveric dissection into a hands-on, self-directed learning environment that clarifies stepwise operative maneuvers and the spatial relationships of critical structures. By making high-fidelity endonasal anatomy and procedural views widely accessible, the tool can reduce dependence on limited lab exposure, accelerate residents’ anatomical comprehension, and boost operative confidence. Designed to complement, not replace, traditional dissection and supervised operative training, this resource is readily scalable for incorporation into residency curricula and future validation studies assessing learning outcomes and skill transfer to the operating room.

 

← Back to Previous Page