title: Ultrasound phantoms made of gelatin covered with hydrocolloid skin dressing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ultrasound-guided invasive procedures, such as central venous catheter insertion, soft-tissue abscess drainage, and foreign-body removal are essential competencies for Emergency Physicians. Such competencies can be trained using ultrasound phantoms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim is to describe ultrasound phantoms that are easily made, inexpensive, reusable, and can withstand multiple punctures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Previously recommended gelatin-only ultrasound phantoms have inadequate surface tension resulting in surface disruption, and cannot tolerate multiple punctures when simulating cyst drainage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By covering the gelatin phantom with a hydrocolloid skin dressing, we are able to minimize physical surface disruption (by transducer or needles) and might reduce biological breakdown due to bacterial propagation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elements required to construct homemade reusable ultrasound phantoms are inexpensive and can be easily obtained.
authors: Emergency Department, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors: Shao-Lun
authors: SL
authors: Chao
authors: Kuo-Chih
authors: KC
authors: Chen
authors: Li-Wei
authors: LW
authors: Lin
authors: Tzong-Luen
authors: TL
authors: Wang
authors: Chee-Fah
authors: CF
authors: Chong
mesh_terms: D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods; D005780:Gelatin; D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin
keywords: Emergency Medicine; ultrasound