Placement of a Word catheter: A resident training model

Objective The present study developed and evaluated a practical teaching model and training protocol for Word catheter placement in the treatment of a Bartholin gland cyst. Study design Residents were asked to treat a model of the female perineum, fashioned from harvested porcine tissue, with a simulated Bartholin cyst via Word catheter placement and drainage. Each resident was evaluated for procedural competence. They were retested after the viewing of a continuous 59-second video demonstrating catheter placement. Results The modelʹs resemblance to female genitalia was confirmed by 68% of residents. Correct diagnosis and treatment of a Bartholin gland cyst was made by 61%. The mean pretraining score was 5.5 ± 1.46, while the post-training average was 8.2 ± 1.20, indicating an approximate 58% increase in resident proficiency (P< .05). Conclusion A model of the female perineum fashioned from harvested porcine tissue is a suitable instructional aid in the recognition and treatment of a Bartholin cyst. Proficiency in Word catheter placement is improved through the use of the model and instructional video.