3D-Printed Patient-Specific Models of the Aortic Arch for Advanced Visualization of Complex Neurointerventional...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Cerebrovascular disease is a major global health concern, with endovascular therapies crucial for ischemic stroke treatment.
• Complex aortic arch anatomy poses significant challenges for accessing intracranial circulation during neurointerventional procedures.
• These anatomical complexities can negatively impact treatment efficacy and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of patient-specific 3D-printed models for understanding and navigating tortuous cerebrovascular anatomy.
• To assess the accuracy and feasibility of creating 3D models from patient imaging data.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 3D-printed models of the aortic arch and major branch vessels using imaging data from four patients.
• Validation of model accuracy by comparing measured diameters to established literature values.
• Quantification of the time and material costs associated with model creation.

Main Results:

• Patient-specific 3D models accurately represented intricate vascular pathways, offering enhanced visualization of complex structures.
• The physical dimensions of the 3D-printed models closely matched reported anatomical values.
• Average model creation involved 4 hours of digital processing and 13.71 hours of 3D printing, with a material cost of ~$17.31.

Conclusions:

• 3D-printed patient-specific models serve as valuable tools for neurointerventional training and preprocedural planning in cases of complex cerebrovascular anatomy.
• Enhanced visualization through these models can improve clinician preparedness.
• Utilizing these advanced visualization tools holds the potential to improve outcomes for ischemic stroke treatment.