3d Heart Models: Technology, Impact & Outcomes

Three-dimensional printing, also commonly called “additive printing,” is proving to be a disruptor in a variety of industries. The 3D printer is similar to a regular printer, but it can also print 3D objects and not just pages. Its ink can be anything from gold to living cells to plastic granules. Without spending money on a separate dye or cast to cast it, the printer allows the creator to print a prototype directly from the computer screen.

Did you know – Chuck Hull, who is from California obtained the 3D printing patent in August 1984, currently owns and operates his own 3D printing business.

In a 2017 interview, he said that he was shocked by how quickly the medical industry adopted this technology, which he named “Stereolithography.” It’s true that the medical industry is going a rapid change and if the prediction goes right, by the next decade, the 3D printing market in the medical sector will be worth $2 billion. Today, this is probably a common topic in the best heart hospital in India!

Computer Aided Design (CAD) files serve as the foundation for every 3D printed model. Information from a CT scan, MRI scan, or any high-resolution imaging study may be used in the file. The CAD file is changed into the stereolithography (.stl) file type, which the 3D printer uses to print an object. Some of the most popular 3D printing technologies include Fusion Deposition Modelling, Thermal Inkjet Printing, and Selective Laser Sintering. The most effective method for bioprinting is thermal inkjet printing (with bio-ink).

The dental industry was one of the first specialties to use it to create implants. Currently, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, oncosurgery, plastic surgery, oto-laryngology, and cardiology are actively using 3D printing.

In fact, the experts of heart transplant surgery in india have found it an interesting way to treat cardiac conditions in patients. Structure-related problems with the heart and/or its arteries are the focus of paediatric cardiology. Little babies and kids are routinely treated for the illness, and it frequently necessitates intricate repairs. The echocardiogram, which is sufficient in the majority of instances, is the instrument for interpreting the anatomy. However, in rare circumstances, additional specific details are required. Some of these difficult instances benefit from a heart MRI or CT scan. 3D printed heart models of the sick heart help in some of these cases.

For the greatest results, an infant with the Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV) heart defect needs to undergo heart surgery within the first six months of life. Having a post-operative heart that looks normal is key to getting the best long-term results.

The procedure includes intricate tunnelling into the heart, therefore it is very helpful if the surgeon is completely aware of what to expect once the Heart is opened up on the operating table. The surgeon can closely examine the organ, thanks to a 3D printed replica. The model might be printed on soft material so that the physician can practise on it by stitching it together and be better prepared for any issues that might emerge. As a result, the actual surgery can be safer and quicker and might have much less chance of medical risks. Numerous scientific studies have discussed the use of 3D printing for difficult heart operations as well as the results.

Similar to how intracardiac anatomy is defined, in some defects, minute vascular anatomical features increase patient safety, and 3D printing the thoracic cage has been demonstrated to be beneficial. There is ongoing 3D printing research being done for additional heart conditions and disorders. Radiation exposure (if a CT scan is utilised), a composite model of the heart (which does not accurately represent the Systolic or Diastolic phases), a lack of fine resolution, and the cost of printing are currently the downsides to using models to examine conditions more thoroughly.

It is simple to custom-print mechanical or bioprosthetic valves and vascular components to fit the patient’s size. The ultimate goal is to be able to bioprint the Heart or the damaged areas of it in a lab; according to recent findings, this is a possibility. The potential applications of 3D printing in medicine, particularly in the field of cardiac surgery, are intriguing. It is only a matter of time until its use spreads widely.

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Tags: 3D Heart Models, Cardiologist