At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, cardiothoracic surgery fellows receive a unique surgery simulation training found at only a handful of centers in the nation. The yearlong curriculum uses the KindHeart Cardiac Surgery Simulator to allow trainees to experience a real surgical setting to perform a variety of cardiac surgery procedures. The system uses a pig heart modified with balloons and “stage blood” to simulate the pumping of a human heart.
“What makes this simulator good is that it is high-fidelity. The tissue feels real, the bleeding feels real, the stiches feel real. It helps our fellows prepare for how to handle when things go wrong in a low-risk setting. It’s incredibly valuable training,” says Dr. Mokadam. “I think this highlights the commitment to education that we have at The Ohio State University to take training to the next level,” he says.