A randomized, controlled simulation study comparing single and double operator ultrasound-guided regional nerve block techniques using a gelatine-based home-made phantom

The aim of this study was to compare anesthesiology residents’ acquisition of gripping and needling skills in either single-or double-operator ultrasound-guided nerve block using a hand-made phantom. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized controlled study. METHODS: After a tutorial session, 47 ultrasound-novice residents performed needling with double and single operator (Jedi, Bedforth, On-lock) grip techniques in each of the 3 interventional task sessions. RESULTS: The time to perform the correct grip and needling decreased significantly between sessions for each technique (P < .001). While the double operator tasks required a shorter time than the single operator tasks in all 3 sessions (P < .001), there was no significant difference between the single-operator techniques. The number of needling attempts was similar between techniques and sessions. Participants rated the workload higher for the single-operator techniques on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index. CONCLUSION: Hands-on training of phantom models may be beneficial for the acquisition of single-operator grip skills.