A three‐dimensional model of the pterygopalatine fossa significantly enhances the learning experience

Abstract

The pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) is a small bilateral space deep within the skull that acts as a major neurovascular junction between the oral cavity, nasopharynx, orbit, infratemporal fossa, and middle cranial fossa. Because of its important crossroads of afferent sympathetic, and parasympathetic fibers, students, radiologists, ophthalmologists, neurosurgeons, and otorhinolaryngologists need to have a firm understanding of the PPF. However, its small volume, poor accessibility and numerous neurovascular connections make it a difficult space to comprehend using two‐dimensional illustrations and a single cadaveric dissection. We hypothesized that a 3D model of the PPF significantly improves the student's understanding of the PPF's boundaries, its communicating channels, and neurovascular structures as compared to traditional forms of pedagogy by promoting visual and kinesthetic learning experiences. We developed a 3D model of the PPF and an instructional manual describing the model. We evaluated our model by analyzing student performance on pre‐ and post‐quizzes and a student user satisfaction survey based on 5‐point Likert scale. A total of 43 undergraduate students enrolled in pre‐medical and dental schools completed the study; 21 students used a human half‐skull (control group) and 22 students used the 3D model (intervention group). The intervention group performed significantly better on the post‐quiz (p=0.01) when compared to the pre‐quiz; however, the control group did not improve their quiz scores (p=0.17). Surveys also indicated that the model enhanced the learning experience. We conclude that anatomy educational tools such as 3D models that would be easily accessible outside of the laboratory promote student learning ability.Support or Funding InformationUT System Shine Academy of Health Science Education Small Grants Program to Drs. Ramaswamy Sharma and Arunabh BhattacharyaThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Three‐Dimensional Virtual Pathology Specimens: Decrease in Student Performance upon Switching to Digital Models

“…Based on these virtual models, 3D printed specimens can be created (Adams et al, 2015; Mahmoud and Bennett, 2015, Lim et al, 2016). While many studies explored the methods in use for creating such models (Pongpaibul et al, 2017; Tanner et al, 2020; Li et al, 2020), only a few addressed learning outcomes when these novel teaching materials were employed (Muller‐Stitch et al, 2013; Preece et al, 2013; Allen et al, 2016; Pongpaibul et al, 2017; Mitrousisas et al, 2018; Wainman et al, 2018; Birbara et al, 2020).…”