Z Corp’s 3D Printed Models Aid Surgical Procedures

By DE Editors

The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. is using the Z Corporation Zprinter 450 to create multi-color physical models of anatomy to aid in performing delicate surgeries.

Beginning with CT scans or photos, the institution’s 3D Medical Applications Center transforms them into 3D files, applies any color to the resulting digital models, and then uses a Z Corporation 3D printer to produce multicolor physical models. These models can be held in the hand and examined from all angles, which helps surgeons get a better idea of what issues they will need to know about during surgery. Currently, the center prints several of these models per week. 

In particular, neurosurgeons have found the models useful as they make models of aneurysms and arterio-venous malformations to help them perform delicate surgeries. This way, surgeons report that they can know in advance the anatomical structures of the patient rather than discovering them after the incision is made, thus lessening the possibility of blood loss and chances of infections.

For orthopedic use, surgeons created a model for removal of bony growths on a patient’s knee. Surgeons used the ZCorp 3D printer to print a white model of the joint with blood vessels illuminated in red and nerves in yellow, which gives the surgeon a roadmap to figure out the best route to address the tumors.

In one case, the surgeon used a sterile bag to transport his model into the operating room. He aligned his cutting instrument on the model,  then aligned his instrument on the patient in the same manner.

For constructing facial prosthetics, a 3D printed mask is used in anaplastology to avoid the process of plaster on patients’ faces used to produce a moulage casting.

For more information, visit Z Corporation.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.