3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation

Abstract Videolaryngoscopes have been designed to improve the success rate of tracheal intubation on the first attempt; however, their high cost, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is a major disadvantage. Considering the clinical importance of this device, the Engineering School in par...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andréa Jorge Silva, Nubia Verçosa, Lucas G. Lima, Marcio Cataldi, Ivanovich L. Salcedo, Marco A. C. Resende, Carlos E. L. G. Silva, Eduardo L. Monteiro, Mateus S. Bandeira, Gabriel S. S. Pacheco, Ismar L. Cavalcanti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10332-3
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849387874410037248
author Andréa Jorge Silva
Nubia Verçosa
Lucas G. Lima
Marcio Cataldi
Ivanovich L. Salcedo
Marco A. C. Resende
Carlos E. L. G. Silva
Eduardo L. Monteiro
Mateus S. Bandeira
Gabriel S. S. Pacheco
Ismar L. Cavalcanti
author_facet Andréa Jorge Silva
Nubia Verçosa
Lucas G. Lima
Marcio Cataldi
Ivanovich L. Salcedo
Marco A. C. Resende
Carlos E. L. G. Silva
Eduardo L. Monteiro
Mateus S. Bandeira
Gabriel S. S. Pacheco
Ismar L. Cavalcanti
author_sort Andréa Jorge Silva
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Videolaryngoscopes have been designed to improve the success rate of tracheal intubation on the first attempt; however, their high cost, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is a major disadvantage. Considering the clinical importance of this device, the Engineering School in partnership with the Anesthesiology Department developed a videolaryngoscope using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology at a more affordable cost. The methodology consisted of three stages: prospecting, modeling and prototyping, and realistic simulation on airway mannequins. The primary objective was to describe the creation and development process of the prototypes. The secondary objective was to determine the final production cost. This was an applied project utilizing an exploratory and descriptive approach. The study was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, between May 2020 and June 2021, at the School of Engineering and in the realistic simulation room at the university hospital. Ten prototypes were produced before the final product, and they were subjected to strength and bending tests and evaluated on airway training mannequins to simulate the procedure conducted by anesthesiologists. As a result, we obtained a resistant, and low-cost device, named VLG3DUFF.
format Article
id doaj-art-cc84c3228139426e87e0a825701ba767
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-cc84c3228139426e87e0a825701ba7672025-08-20T03:42:27ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511910.1038/s41598-025-10332-33D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubationAndréa Jorge Silva0Nubia Verçosa1Lucas G. Lima2Marcio Cataldi3Ivanovich L. Salcedo4Marco A. C. Resende5Carlos E. L. G. Silva6Eduardo L. Monteiro7Mateus S. Bandeira8Gabriel S. S. Pacheco9Ismar L. Cavalcanti10Department of General and Specialized Surgery, Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Fluminense Federal UniversityDepartment of Surgery, Postgraduate Program in Surgical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de JaneiroDepartment of Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Studies, Fluminense Federal UniversityClimate System Monitoring and Modeling Laboratory (LAMMOC), Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engeneering, Fluminense Federal UniversityDepartment of Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Studies, Fluminense Federal UniversityDepartment of General and Specialized Surgery, Fluminense Federal UniversityDepartment of Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Studies, Fluminense Federal UniversityDepartment of General and Specialized Surgery, Fluminense Federal UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Fluminense Federal UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Fluminense Federal UniversityDepartment of General and Specialized Surgery, Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Fluminense Federal UniversityAbstract Videolaryngoscopes have been designed to improve the success rate of tracheal intubation on the first attempt; however, their high cost, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is a major disadvantage. Considering the clinical importance of this device, the Engineering School in partnership with the Anesthesiology Department developed a videolaryngoscope using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology at a more affordable cost. The methodology consisted of three stages: prospecting, modeling and prototyping, and realistic simulation on airway mannequins. The primary objective was to describe the creation and development process of the prototypes. The secondary objective was to determine the final production cost. This was an applied project utilizing an exploratory and descriptive approach. The study was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, between May 2020 and June 2021, at the School of Engineering and in the realistic simulation room at the university hospital. Ten prototypes were produced before the final product, and they were subjected to strength and bending tests and evaluated on airway training mannequins to simulate the procedure conducted by anesthesiologists. As a result, we obtained a resistant, and low-cost device, named VLG3DUFF.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10332-3PrintingThree-dimensionalVideolaryngoscopyPolymers
spellingShingle Andréa Jorge Silva
Nubia Verçosa
Lucas G. Lima
Marcio Cataldi
Ivanovich L. Salcedo
Marco A. C. Resende
Carlos E. L. G. Silva
Eduardo L. Monteiro
Mateus S. Bandeira
Gabriel S. S. Pacheco
Ismar L. Cavalcanti
3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
Scientific Reports
Printing
Three-dimensional
Videolaryngoscopy
Polymers
title 3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
title_full 3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
title_fullStr 3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
title_full_unstemmed 3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
title_short 3D printing of a low-cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
title_sort 3d printing of a low cost videolaryngoscope for tracheal intubation
topic Printing
Three-dimensional
Videolaryngoscopy
Polymers
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10332-3
work_keys_str_mv AT andreajorgesilva 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT nubiavercosa 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT lucasglima 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT marciocataldi 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT ivanovichlsalcedo 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT marcoacresende 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT carloselgsilva 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT eduardolmonteiro 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT mateussbandeira 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT gabrielsspacheco 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation
AT ismarlcavalcanti 3dprintingofalowcostvideolaryngoscopefortrachealintubation