J. T. Toniolo1,2, A. Woo1, N. Chiang1, J. Chuen1,2 1Austin Hospital,Department Of Vascular Surgery,Melbourne, VICRORIA, Australia 2The University Of Melbourne,Department Of Surgery,Melbourne, VICTORIA, Australia
Introduction:
We present a simple technique for the pre-operative planning and technical practice of complicated aortic surgery using 3D printed models.
Methods:
A 1040 slice CT of a complicated aortic case was imported into imaging processing software and a stereolithographic replica printed using Formlabs Clear Resin and polished with Dulux Dura-Max plastic primer and White Knight Crystal clear acrylic to improve resin transparency.
The aortic model was suspended and secured in a plastic container filled with waterbeads and placed on an angiography suite table. Lengths of transparent polyvinyl tubing 6mm in diameter were aligned against and taped to the subclavian and external iliac arteries of the aortic model. A camera was placed on the gantry and video streamed to a monitor made visible to the operator
The surgical procedure was then recreated, allowing the operator to practice cannulating the model through the polyvinyl tubing and feeding chimney stents into the coeliac axis, SMA and bilateral renal arteries of the model aorta.
Results:
Whilst CT imaging is capable of stereoscopic rendering to provide a 3D representation of the aorta; these images can only be viewed in 2D, which makes subtleties of complicated anatomy difficult to appreciate. We offer a simple and cheap model that we predict will improve preoperative planning through a better understanding of the anatomy, improve the operative times through practice of key steps involved in the surgery and reduce complication rates by early identification of issues prior to performing the real surgery.
Conclusion:
The use of 3D printing in medicine affords surgeons the unique ability to simulate complicated operations on anatomy matched to individual patients. We provide an example of how a simple printed model can be used to improve operative planning and reduce both complication rates and operative times.