Affordable Three-Dimensional Printed Heart Models

Abstract

This is a 7-years single institution study on low-cost cardiac three-dimensional (3D) printing based on the use of free open-source programs and affordable printers and materials. The process of 3D printing is based on several steps (image acquisition, segmentation, mesh optimization, slicing, and three-dimensional printing). The necessary technology and the processes to set up an affordable three-dimensional printing laboratory are hereby described in detail. Their impact on surgical and interventional planning, medical training, communication with patients and relatives, patients' perception on care, and new cardiac device development was analyzed. A total of 138 low-cost heart models were designed and printed from 2013 to 2020. All of them were from different congenital heart disease patients. The average time for segmentation and design of the hearts was 136 min; the average time for printing and cleaning the models was 13.5 h. The average production cost of the models was €85.7 per model. This is the most extensive series of 3D printed cardiac models published to date. In this study, the possibility of manufacturing three-dimensional printed heart models in a low-cost facility fulfilling the highest requirements from a technical and clinical point of view is demonstrated.

3D Approaches in Complex CHD: Where Are We? Funny Printing and Beautiful Images, or a Useful Tool?

“…One of the limitations of 3D printing is that it remains an expensive imaging technique, currently used in specialised congenital cardiac centres, and requiring in depth training and specific expertise and resources. With appropriate protocol modifications, it seems possible to print high-quality and affordable 3D printed cardiac models that have been useful for improving the quality of care of the patients [ 63 ]. There also needs to be a thorough system in place allowing for the appropriate storage and maintenance of the physical models.…”

“…With the help of tissue engineering, biocompatible and human-like tissue materials are currently being developed. Surgical patches and parts of the heart are close to being manufactured, while aiming to be able to fabricate complete and functional hearts [ 63 ].…”

Current and possible future role of 3D modelling within oesophagogastric surgery: a scoping review protocol

“…19 As can be imagined, it is considerably easier to reconstruct solid bony structures in contrast to distensible and rapidly changing organs such as the stomach. However, as technologies advance and more work is done to make 3D reconstruction methodologies affordable, 20 it can be expected that 3D modelling will have increasing prevalence within oesophagogastric surgery.…”

Multimodality Imaging Is Key for a Successful Paravalvular Leak Repair

“…Although growing evidence supports the use of cardiac 3D-printed models in several clinical applications (preoperative planning, intervention simulation, intraoperative simulation, etc), the main limitation of this technology is the high cost inherent to the equipment and software needed to start a 3D-printing facility ( 11 ). However, cost-effective analysis has shown the feasibility of manufacturing low-cost 3D-printed cardiac models fulfilling the highest clinical and technical requirements ( 12 ). Ongoing efforts to develop new affordable materials and 3D printing technologies could increase accessibility of this tool across institutions and improve patients’ quality of care.…”

“…Ongoing efforts to develop new affordable materials and 3D printing technologies could increase accessibility of this tool across institutions and improve patients’ quality of care. Finally, the use of echocardiographic-fluoroscopy fusion imaging, through the real-time overlay of 2D, 3D, or color Doppler images onto the fluoroscopic image enhances procedural guidance by localization of the PVL defect allowing more efficient PVL device closure ( 12 , 13 ).…”