(CCSP036) PAINTING OF 3D MODELS OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL FOR PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) can be challenging to understand, especially in the 3-dimensional (3D) form. Understanding CHD includes acquiring knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the lesion. 3D models of CHD have been used to teach cardiac anatomy to pediatric residents. Our team sought to determine if the painting of 3D models could help pediatric residents to better understand both the anatomy and physiology of complex CHD.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a prospective assessment of pediatric resident perceptions regarding a novel teaching session on the 3 stages of single ventricle palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The learners were provided with 3D models representing each surgical stage (Norwood-Sano, Glenn, and Fontan) and were guided in painting them using acrylic paint to represent the presumed oxygen saturations of each model’s chambers (blue, red, and purple representing deoxygenated, oxygenated, and partially oxygenated blood, respectively), in conjunction with a discussion about each palliative stage. Questionnaires were used to assess self-perceived understanding of the anatomy, pathophysiology, and management before and after the session using 5-point Likert scales. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired samples T-test.

There were 36 pediatric residents from 2 institutions, with 16, 11, and 9 in their first, second, and third years of training, respectively. There was an increase in mean self-perceived understanding of the anatomy (2.14 vs 3.94, p< 0.001), pathophysiology (2.14 vs 3.72, p< 0.001), and management of single ventricle palliation (2.19 vs 3.78, p< 0.001) before and after the session. All 36 participants enjoyed the session and reported wanting to participate in future sessions. Ninety-seven percent found that the instructional material improved their understanding of single ventricle heart disease.

Conclusion: Painting of 3D models increased knowledge acquisition among pediatric residents. Future directions include investigations of the effectiveness of similar teaching sessions for other types of CHD.