Patient-Specific 3D Printed Soft Models for Liver Surgical Planning and Hands-On Training

Area of Science:

• Medical Engineering
• Surgical Simulation
• 3D Printing Applications

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) models are increasingly used for pre-surgical simulation in complex surgeries, including liver surgery.
• Current simulation methods include animal, ex vivo, and virtual reality (VR) models.
• Realistic 3D-printed models offer an advantageous alternative for hands-on surgical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an innovative, low-cost approach for producing patient-specific 3D anatomical models for liver surgery simulation.
• To detail a digital workflow for liver cancer surgical planning using 3D printing.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of medical images for three pediatric cases with complex liver tumors.
• Segmentation of imaging data, followed by 3D printing and silicone molding techniques.
• Quality control, validation, and cost analysis of the developed 3D models.

Main Results:

• Three patient-specific 3D liver simulators were successfully created for complex pediatric liver tumor cases.
• The 3D models demonstrated high accuracy in replicating the patients' actual anatomy.
• The developed 3D models were found to be more cost-effective than existing simulation methods.

Conclusions:

• Accurate and cost-effective 3D-printed soft surgical planning simulators can be manufactured for liver cancer treatment.
• These 3D models facilitate effective pre-surgical planning and simulation training for surgeons.
• The study highlights the value of 3D-printed models as an aid in managing complex liver surgeries.