Experimental Mechanical Examination of Artificial 3D Printed and Post Processed Vascular Silicone Models.

Anatomical models have gained increasing visibility over the last years. Their application in surgical education could have a great impact and many benefits. Vascular haptic models consist of soft materials like silicones, which can be 3D printed for complex geometries. This study focuses on quantifying mechanical behaviors as tensile strength, elongation and Shore A hardness for healthy and pathological silicone based vascular models. The quantification enables a more specific modelling of vessel properties, which leads to a more accurate simulation and therefore better education.