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Novel cutaneous abscess model : model development and exploration of reliability and validity of detecting key diagnostic features

University of British Columbia

Introduction: The difficulty of differential diagnoses between cellulitis and occult cutaneous abscess remains the main issue in clinical practice. Educational efforts, however, have been invested into building simulation models directed toward the treatment of cutaneous abscesses. The discrepancy between the problem in clinical practice and educational efforts in this area requires simulation models that can provide an opportunity for trainees to practice their diagnostic skills. Aims: The study focuses on creating a cutaneous abscess model that is detectable by ultrasound and evaluating the reliability and validity of detecting clinical and sonographic features of cutaneous abscess disease on the basis of the model. Materials and methods: Six identical models were made, each consisting of a water balloon filled with mock abscess and two glue threads inside a pork belly, and radiologist standardized ultrasound images of the model. Reliability and validity of detecting key diagnostic features on the basis of the model by 24 judges were explored. Results: Cronbach’s alpha across all models were 0.89 and 0.87 for clinical and sonographic features, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.71 for both clinical and sonographic features. The correlation between all clinical and sonographic features and corresponding construct were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Content validity indices were 0.90 for clinical features construct and 0.85 for the sonographic features construct. Discussion: The model was constructed from simple, widely available and easy to assemble materials. It is a high fidelity, cost-effective model and can be used as a simulator for diagnosis of cutaneous abscess in medical education. Study data expressed excellent internal consistency and high agreement among judges. The clinical and sonographic features were significantly correlating to the overall corresponding construct. It also reveals strong content validity. The constructed cutaneous abscess model has reliable and valid ability in demonstrating both clinical and sonographic features. Further studies are needed to examine the efficacy of the model for training and correlations with the clinical outcomes in real practice. Conclusion: The novel high fidelity cost-effective cutaneous abscess model allows for reliable and valid detection of the clinical and sonographic diagnostic features of the cutaneous abscess disease.

Text

2015-08-31

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/54700

Surgery

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/