Building CauterClay, a low-cost, high-fidelity training model for nasal cautery: a technical report

TY - JOUR

T1 - Building CauterClay, a low-cost, high-fidelity training model for nasal cautery

T2 - a technical report

AU - McLoughlin, Wesley Kai-Xian

AU - Chen, Pin-Yu

AU - Kim, Valerie Yujin

AU - Jones, Stephen

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED.

PY - 2026/7/24

Y1 - 2026/7/24

N2 - Epistaxis requires prompt treatment; commonly nasal cautery (NC) carried out by junior or non-ENT clinicians. There is no existing low-cost model for simulating nasal cautery. We created a low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model (CauterClay) with an air-dry clay scaffold, simulated nasal mucosal lining and bleeding point. We then assessed this model for improving user confidence in NC and fidelity. Assessment from a variety of nasal cautery naive and experienced users of varying grades (foundation doctor to consultant) was carried out. Here we demonstrate how users can create their own model to practice nasal cautery and outline our findings showing improvement in self-reported confidence in all NC-naive users. Objectives: To design and evaluate a low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model (CauterClay) for increasing user confidence in carrying out nasal cautery (NC). Methods: We created CauterClay with an air-dry clay scaffold, simulated nasal mucosal lining and bleeding point. We carried out single-centre assessment with a variety of NC naive and experienced doctors. Doctors were asked to complete pre and post-induction surveys regarding confidence, prior experience and model fidelity. Results: CauterClay use was associated with a statistically significant increase in user confidence in carrying out nasal cautery. All NC-naive users reported an increase in self-reported confidence following model use. Users rated the fidelity of our model highly, here we demonstrate how others can create their own CauterClay model. Conclusion: Here we outline the first published low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model. Our findings demonstrate it is associated with increased user confidence, suggesting it may be valuable for training NC-naive clinicians

AB - Epistaxis requires prompt treatment; commonly nasal cautery (NC) carried out by junior or non-ENT clinicians. There is no existing low-cost model for simulating nasal cautery. We created a low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model (CauterClay) with an air-dry clay scaffold, simulated nasal mucosal lining and bleeding point. We then assessed this model for improving user confidence in NC and fidelity. Assessment from a variety of nasal cautery naive and experienced users of varying grades (foundation doctor to consultant) was carried out. Here we demonstrate how users can create their own model to practice nasal cautery and outline our findings showing improvement in self-reported confidence in all NC-naive users. Objectives: To design and evaluate a low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model (CauterClay) for increasing user confidence in carrying out nasal cautery (NC). Methods: We created CauterClay with an air-dry clay scaffold, simulated nasal mucosal lining and bleeding point. We carried out single-centre assessment with a variety of NC naive and experienced doctors. Doctors were asked to complete pre and post-induction surveys regarding confidence, prior experience and model fidelity. Results: CauterClay use was associated with a statistically significant increase in user confidence in carrying out nasal cautery. All NC-naive users reported an increase in self-reported confidence following model use. Users rated the fidelity of our model highly, here we demonstrate how others can create their own CauterClay model. Conclusion: Here we outline the first published low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model. Our findings demonstrate it is associated with increased user confidence, suggesting it may be valuable for training NC-naive clinicians

KW - Otolaryngology

KW - Epistaxis

KW - Simulation Training

KW - Silver Nitrate

KW - Medical Education

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105045992821

U2 - 10.1017/S0022215126105465

DO - 10.1017/S0022215126105465

M3 - Article

SN - 0022-2151

VL - 140

SP - 998

EP - 1003

JO - The Journal of laryngology and otology

JF - The Journal of laryngology and otology

IS - 9

ER -