3D Printed Models of Cleft Palate Pathology for Surgical Education

Abstract

Objective:To explore the potential viability and limitations of 3D printed models of children with cleft palate deformity.Background:The advantages of 3D printed replicas of normal anatomical specimens have previously been described. The creation of 3D prints displaying patient-specific anatomical pathology for surgical planning and interventions is an emerging field. Here we explored the possibility of taking rare pediatric radiographic data sets to create 3D prints for surgical education.Methods:Magnetic resonance imaging data of 2 children (8 and 14 months) were segmented, colored, and anonymized, and stereolothographic files were prepared for 3D printing on either multicolor plastic or powder 3D printers and multimaterial 3D printers.Results:Two models were deemed of sufficient quality and anatomical accuracy to print unamended. One data set was further manipulated digitally to artificially extend the length of the cleft. Thus, 3 models were printed: 1 incomplete soft-palate deformity, 1 incomplete anterior palate deformity, and 1 complete cleft palate. All had cleft lip deformity. The single-material 3D prints are of sufficient quality to accurately identify the nature and extent of the deformities. Multimaterial prints were subsequently created, which could be valuable in surgical training.Conclusion:Improvements in the quality and resolution of radiographic imaging combined with the advent of multicolor multiproperty printer technology will make it feasible in the near future to print 3D replicas in materials that mimic the mechanical properties and color of live human tissue making them potentially suitable for surgical training.

Use of 3D models of vascular rings and slings to improve resident education

“…3D printing is becoming a valuable resource in the world of medical and anatomical education, thanks to the ability to cheaply, efficiently, and rapidly reproduce complex relationships between structures. 14,15 To prove the versatility of this technology, educators have reproduced cadaveric limb segments, cranial sinuses, vascular structures, 16 orbital dissections, 17 pediatric laryngeal and cleft palate simulators, 18,19 training set ups for surgical valve replacement, 11 arterial access simulations, 12 and bronchial trees for simulated bronchoscopy. 20,21 This ability to reproduce complex structures with high fidelity for manipulation and examination has also made 3D printing an attractive modality in cardiology.…”

Three‐Dimensional Printing of Archived Human Fetal Material for Teaching Purposes

“…There are examples already where the use of printed anatomical structures in surgical training has been explored for pediatric surgery for cleft palate pathologies by authors of the current study (Lioufas et al, 2016), and developmental abnormalities of the ear, where surgery may involve both soft and hard tissues and close proximity to facial nerves (Barber et al, 2016). With access to digital data spanning a broad spectrum of fetal ages, the underlying data developed in the present study can be translated into several different printed formats, including multimaterial prints and 3D print-guided multimaterial simulators for practicing fetal surgery on 3D prints at appropriate stages of human development, as has been done for neurocranial surgical simulation (amongst other applications) (Waran et al, 2014;Ryan et al, 2016Ryan et al, , 2015Tai et al, 2015).…”

Comparing Cost and Print Time Estimates for Six Commercially-Available 3D Printers Obtained Through Slicing Software for Clinically Relevant Anatomical Models

“…3D printing technology is becoming increasingly involved in the current era of delivering medical care and is being applied towards creating personalized prosthetics, 3D printed surgical instruments, medical student and resident education, and patient-speci c anatomical models to help guide surgeons preoperatively and intraoperatively [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Previous studies have demonstrated the possibility of producing cost-effective yet robust 3D printed surgical retractors that far exceed the threshold for clinically excessive retraction in the operating room even after autoclave sterilization [6,8].…”