The development of realistic dummies for training the distal phalanx amputation (DPA) technique in mouse pups is a promising alternative to reduce and replace animals in training for research and teaching. To test this, we obtained micro-CT data from postnatal day-five mouse pups, meticulously segmented them, and converted them into a 3D mesh format suitable for 3D printing. Once the dummy was printed, it was evaluated during actual training courses in two different groups: in the first group, users received no dummies to train the DPA, and in the second group, users were trained with three dummies. To assess the effectiveness of the dummy, we conducted a survey followed by an expert veterinarian evaluation. Our results showed that DPA is a complex procedure, and it is commonly poorly performed. When implementing the dummies, users who were not provided with dummies to practice only had an 8.3% success rate in DPA, while users provided with three dummies had a 45.5% success rate, respectively. Despite additional research being needed, our dummy offered improved practical training by providing a safe and effective alternative in line with ethical considerations while demonstrating the feasibility of using 3D printing technology to promote the 3Rs in experimental research.
Keywords: alternative methods; distal phalanx amputation; education; mouse marking; reduction.