Letter to the Editor Comment on: The Space Child Neonatal Trainer (SCNT), a Novel 3D-Printed Simulator for Neonatal Laparoscopy

jpedsurg.org

The publication on “The Space Child Neonatal Trainer (SCNT), a Novel 3D-Printed Simulator for Neonatal Laparoscopy [1]” is interesting. Although this study shows great creativity in creating a low-cost, real-world patient-based model for training newborn endoscopic surgery, it is important to take into account certain conceptual and methodological limitations. First first, the SCNT model might not accurately represent the physical differences of babies in the actual population because it was created using CT images of just one baby.

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Article · Feb 2026 · 1 min read

In brief

This letter critiques a novel 3D-printed neonatal laparoscopy training simulator, highlighting methodological concerns about its development from a single patient's CT scan. The author questions whether the model adequately represents anatomical variability across the neonatal population for effective surgical training.

SCNT is a low-cost 3D-printed simulator designed for training in neonatal laparoscopic surgery techniques.
The model was derived from CT imaging of a single infant, limiting anatomical variability representation.
Single-patient imaging may not capture the full range of neonatal anatomical variations seen in clinical practice.
Cost-effectiveness and accessibility are key advantages of 3D-printed surgical training models.
Validation studies using diverse patient anatomy are needed to assess generalizability of single-source simulators.

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