Use of a Silicon Tendon Model in an Orthopaedic Skills Course

The use of animal tendons for teaching suture techniques is well established on surgical courses. While providing an authentic simulation of human tendons, these may pose a number of potential problems including cultural issues, health risks and difficulties maintaining the quality of specimens throughout the course. These were evident at a recent Royal College of surgeons orthopaedic skills course in Dubai, with the use of porcine tendons clearly unacceptable to Moslem participants. After trials with alternatives, a silicon-based model was selected and found to be highly satisfactory.