A 3-Dimensional Printed Patient-Specific Surgical Guide to Facilitate Transsphenoidal Hypophysectomy in Dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary neurosurgery
• Surgical innovation
• 3D printing applications

Background:

• Hypophysectomy in dogs is a complex surgical procedure requiring specialized skills.
• Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is used to treat Cushing's disease in dogs.
• Accurate surgical planning is crucial for successful hypophysectomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of a 3D-printed patient-specific surgical guide for canine hypophysectomy.
• To assess the guide's ability to facilitate entry point selection in the basisphenoid bone.
• To improve the safety and efficacy of transsphenoidal hypophysectomy in dogs.

Main Methods:

• Two canine cadavers and 8 dogs with Cushing's disease were used.
• A 3D-printed surgical guide was designed and fabricated based on pre-operative measurements.
• The guide's accuracy was assessed by comparing pre-operative planned entry points with post-operative computed tomography (CT) measurements.

Main Results:

• The 3D-printed guide demonstrated high accuracy in locating the burring site.
• Pre-operative and post-operative measurements showed no statistically significant difference (median difference <0.1 mm).
• The guide was adaptable to various canine skull sizes and shapes.

Conclusions:

• A 3D-printed surgical guide can aid veterinary neurosurgeons in accurately locating the entry site for canine hypophysectomy.
• The guide assists in precise burring of the basisphenoid bone, facilitating access to the sella turcica.
• This tool can support the training of specialist veterinary neurosurgeons performing hypophysectomy.