Having proved their continued leadership in soft-tissue technology over the years, the Seattle-based Simulab Corporation received increased requests to create a best-in-class airway management trainer over the past few years. After having released the soft-tissue adult airway management trainer, AirwayMan System, in 2019, increased demand for a hyper-realistic pediatric airway management trainer led to this year’s new release of the AirwayChild. While AirwayMan has become the intubation trainer of choice, and a hero at large hospitals in training nurses to manage ventilator complications, AirwayChild offers the unique opportunity to train with these methods on a simulated child.
Historically airway management trainers were rigid, plastic, and sacrificed comprehensive realism to maintain durability. However, educators and simulationists wanted a trainer that presented realistic head movement, a soft-tissue mouth, tongue and internal airway anatomy. They were looking for a clinical skills trainer that easily moves to more difficult airway training on-the-fly with modularized airway variations.
As listening to customers is a core value at Simulab, building products based on customer feedback and the evolving needs of healthcare education training is in the company’s culture. Leading up to the AirwayMan System’s release, Simulab recognized the instructor and simulation technologist’s usability requirements. This included being able to change replaceable parts and repair systems in minutes, with no special tools or adhesives, and respecting the course’s time constraints.
“Educators are demanding greater realism in pediatric airway management trainers. They expect softer, more lifelike tissue yet require durability, ease-of-use, portability, and simple maintenance during lab sessions and courses,” said Doug Beighle, FSSH, president and COO of Simulab Corporation. “The innovation in AirwayChild hits the sweet spot of all these needs, while still remaining affordable.”
With all this in mind, the company found considering low-cost replaceable tissues a priority. Simulab addition sought to keep the cost of ownership within budget — and the Simulab AirwayMan System met this need. The trainer has made an impact and continues to receive positive reviews.
“Great product, [we] could not be happier with these airway manikins. [They are] extremely lifelike in feel, realistic anterior airway with or without enlarged tongue module, and the ability to perform a cricothyroidotomy. AirwayMan is the BEST airway trainer for any program,” said David Kashnow, BSCRC, RRT-NPS, program manager at GME Simulation Lab, The Valley Health System in Las Vegas.
With the overwhelming popularity of AirwayMan, Simulab was asked to bring the same soft-tissue technology to a pediatric airway trainer — hence the release of AirwayChild. This healthcare simulator represents the anatomy of a five year old child, and allows for training in both nasal and oral intubation, as well as open or needle cricothyroidotomy. The soft-tissue trainer has key landmarks such as a functioning epiglottis, vallecula, vocal cords, trachea and esophagus.
“A child is not just a smaller version of an adult. Pediatric intubation is always a high-stress procedure. When you compound that stress with the unique anatomical differences in children, it highlights the need for more frequent and increasingly realistic training for all practitioners,” said Stephen Hertz, the director of sales at Simulab Corporation.
The trachea tissue block is capable of being used with an ultrasound to allow learners to incorporate ultrasound guidance and location verification during the procedure. AirwayChild also includes palpable landmarks, a hyoid bone and the sternal notch. Simulated lungs allow for added feedback and confirmation of proper intubation. Overall, the AirwayChild System provides an immersive, ultra-realistic training experience, is easy-to-use and maintainable, yet is affordable and portable.
More About Simulab
Simulab Corporation is a medical simulation company that specializes in soft tissue task trainers, mostly in surgical simulation. The company’s most notable product is a surgery simulator called TraumaMan, which was first developed in 2001 for use in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training programs, but is now used worldwide.
Simulab focuses on creating realistic human anatomy with easy to setup and teardown training tools. The company works closely with leading medical educators to develop their vast array of healthcare simulation task trainers. Through realistic medical simulators, Simulab is able to immerse learners into simulated experiences.
In addition to TraumaMan, Simulab also offers a complete line of task trainers that offer medical training programs realistic, durable and affordable tools for highly effective training. This includes central line trainers like CentraLineMan and VascularAccessChild, partial task trainers like the Lumbar Puncture Trainer and the Paracentesis Model, an array of laparoscopic trainers, and various tools to improve suturing and knot tying skills.
