Scott Drapeau
Scott is a designer in the Makers Lab. Contact Scott with questions about the Makers Lab, 3D printing technologies, and design project assistance.

Meet the Maker – Maytal Firnberg

This week’s maker is Maytal Firnberg, MD, a pediatric emergency care physician at UCSF’s Benioff Children’s Hospital. Let’s take a look at what they made.

Lumbar puncture prototype with vertebra visible and tattoo skin sitting on a table.
Lumbar puncture block proof of concept prototype with tattoo skin

Q: What did you make?

We made a lumbar puncture proof of concept model that is ultrasound compatible for an upcoming emergency ultrasound workshop hosted by the Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Q: Why did you want to make it?

Ultrasound is a useful tool to assist and guide important procedures for sick and injured children. We are hosting a workshop for faculty to learn and practice the techniques, and hands-on skills for these procedures. Having realistic models greatly improves the learning experience.

Q: What was your process?

I reached out to the Makers Lab with an idea for a lumbar puncture model that would be compatible with ultrasound, and could be poked with a needle for workshop participants to practice an ultrasound guided lumbar puncture. I met with Scott virtually over Zoom and we strategized the ideal dimensions, materials, and capabilities of the model.

Q: What was the hardest part of the process?

The toughest part of the process was to determine which materials would work best with the ultrasound. To address this, Scott was thoughtful enough to send a few options and I sent him back videos and feedback about how each material performed.

Three side-by-side photos of person with a gloved hand using ultrasound device on lumbar models with latex resistance band as skin, practice tattoo skin, and no skin. The different tests are show on a monitor.
Clarity tests from left to right: Latex resistance band as skin, practice tattoo skin, no skin

Q: What was your favorite part of the process?

I really enjoyed working with Scott and learning about the Makers Lab’s process for creating things. It was fun to experiment and create a tangible model that came out of an idea and collaboration. I am so excited for my learners to practice and learn on the model to improve their skills!

Q: What do you want to make next?

I hope to create an ultrasound-able model for pericardiocentesis, a medical procedure that removes excess fluid from the pericardial sac, the thin membrane that surrounds the heart!