Exploring the Use of Genelyn Cadavers for Advancing Medical Education of Central Line Placement
Abstract
Background: Annually, over five million central venous catheters are placed in intensive care units across the United States. Relying solely on anatomical landmarks raises the risk of complications including malposition, pneumothorax, hemothorax, embolism, thrombosis, bleeding, and infection. Rates of these complications vary, ranging from 4% to 45%. These statistics highlight the necessity of effective training to enhance patient outcomes. Previous literature has explored the effectiveness of different types of soft-embalmed cadavers for training in ultrasound-guided procedures. This study compares the use of Genelyn embalmed cadavers versus silicone models for ultrasound-guided central line placement among medical students. Methods: Seventeen students from Quillen College of Medicine participated. The study began with a lecture portion on anatomy and techniques for ultrasound-guided central line placement. Participants were randomly assigned to start at one of three stations: internal jugular vein (IJV) central line placement on silicone model, IJV placement on Genelyn cadaver, and femoral vein placement on Genelyn cadaver. Each station was equipped with an ultrasound and a central venous catheter kit. Students rotated at each station and were then asked to evaluate their experiences using a Likert Scale Survey. Results: The findings revealed a statistically significant increase in the perceived straightforwardness of procedures performed on Genelyn cadavers compared to silicone models (P=.0089). However, no significant differences were noted in time efficiency (P =.173) and reliability (P=.055). The null hypothesis, asserting no significant difference between the two modalities, was rejected (P=.0027). Conclusions: Our study revealed that Genelyn cadavers showed a statistically significant advantage in perceived straightforwardness for teaching IJV central line placement, while maintaining similar levels of time efficiency and reliability compared to silicone models. These findings suggest that Genelyn cadavers may serve as superior teaching tools for ultrasound-guided procedures, warranting further investigation into their application across other procedures to enhance learner competence.
Start Time
16-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Time
16-4-2025 4:00 PM
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Category
Education
Student Type
Clinical Doctoral Student (e.g., medical student, pharmacy student)
Faculty Mentor
Brock Blankenship
Faculty Department
Medical Education
Exploring the Use of Genelyn Cadavers for Advancing Medical Education of Central Line Placement
Background: Annually, over five million central venous catheters are placed in intensive care units across the United States. Relying solely on anatomical landmarks raises the risk of complications including malposition, pneumothorax, hemothorax, embolism, thrombosis, bleeding, and infection. Rates of these complications vary, ranging from 4% to 45%. These statistics highlight the necessity of effective training to enhance patient outcomes. Previous literature has explored the effectiveness of different types of soft-embalmed cadavers for training in ultrasound-guided procedures. This study compares the use of Genelyn embalmed cadavers versus silicone models for ultrasound-guided central line placement among medical students. Methods: Seventeen students from Quillen College of Medicine participated. The study began with a lecture portion on anatomy and techniques for ultrasound-guided central line placement. Participants were randomly assigned to start at one of three stations: internal jugular vein (IJV) central line placement on silicone model, IJV placement on Genelyn cadaver, and femoral vein placement on Genelyn cadaver. Each station was equipped with an ultrasound and a central venous catheter kit. Students rotated at each station and were then asked to evaluate their experiences using a Likert Scale Survey. Results: The findings revealed a statistically significant increase in the perceived straightforwardness of procedures performed on Genelyn cadavers compared to silicone models (P=.0089). However, no significant differences were noted in time efficiency (P =.173) and reliability (P=.055). The null hypothesis, asserting no significant difference between the two modalities, was rejected (P=.0027). Conclusions: Our study revealed that Genelyn cadavers showed a statistically significant advantage in perceived straightforwardness for teaching IJV central line placement, while maintaining similar levels of time efficiency and reliability compared to silicone models. These findings suggest that Genelyn cadavers may serve as superior teaching tools for ultrasound-guided procedures, warranting further investigation into their application across other procedures to enhance learner competence.