3D organ printing supporting surgical planning, can now be obtained at a lower price thanks to a research made in Jagiellonian Medical College.
3D printed surgical guides have been used before for a number of different operations, but the costs involved in their production, as well as the necessity for a high level of expertise, tend to prohibit widespread implementation of the technology in hospitals. Jan Witowski, of the Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, recognized these limitations and sought to test a cheaper, easier alternative that would hopefully encourage more surgeons to use 3D printed models in their pre-operative planning.
Using CT scans of the patient’s liver, Witowski created separate 3D images for the various parts of the organ, including the blood vessels and the tumour that was to be removed. These were then 3D printed in bright, easily visible colors, and assembled. A “parenchyma scaffold,” shaped like the outer structure of the liver, was filled with transparent silicon which was allowed to set, and the scaffold was removed. The silicon allowed the texture of the real organ to be modelled, at the same time as allowing the internal structure of the organ to be visible. The surgeon making use of the 3D model was therefore able to plan the operation in an extremely high level of detail, and the operation to remove the tumour was a great success.
‘‘3D printed models offer great visualization of a patient’s anatomy and spatial relationships,” said Witowski. ‘‘It is easier to realize the size of a tumor and its proximity to surrounding vessels and liver margins.” He also pointed out the advantages of the surgeon being able to physically touch the organ. The low cost and efficiency of Witowski’s technique will hopefully mean that the results of his research are taken seriously across the medical world