Three-Dimensional Printing Model of Anomalous Bronchi before Surgery

Abstract

Lung surgeries in patients with bronchial variations have rarely been reported. Here, we describe the case of a patient along with lung cancer with variant anatomy of the right upper lobe bronchus. This variation was evaluated by three-dimensional multi-detector computed tomography angiography with bronchography and a three-dimensional printing model using rapid prototyping. The variant anterior segment bronchus (S3) of the right upper lobe arising from the middle lobe bronchus was confirmed before surgery using the printing model, which helped to determine the extent of resection required and facilitated the understanding of the patient's anatomy during surgery. A thoracoscopic anterior segmentectomy and middle lobectomy were performed. The printing model was useful for detecting and evaluating the variant bronchi.

3D Printing of Surgical Instruments for Children: Testing the Novel Concept

“…The main applications of 3D printing in the field of surgery include manufacturing of anatomic models based on patient imaging studies, instrument, device, implant production and regenerative medicine (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7).…”

Three-Dimensional Pulmonary Model Using Rapid-Prototyping in Patient with Lung Cancer Requiring Segmentectomy

“…However, there are few reports regarding a pulmonary model using rapid-prototyping; therefore, we began to construct models for complex pulmonary resection for thoracoscopic segmentectomy. 4) It is difficult to measure the distance between the tumor and the lung structures using computed tomography, because it is 3-D. But in 3-D model in this manuscript, you can sense or measure the accurate distance of the depth.…”

A Three-Dimensional Mediastinal Model Created with Rapid Prototyping in a Patient with Ectopic Thymoma

“…A few pulmonary models have been reported in the literature in the field of general thoracic surgery. [5][6][7] However, there have been no reports on a 3D mediastinal model that was created using rapid prototyping. Therefore, we constructed a model of an undiagnosed mediastinal tumor for thoracoscopic surgery.…”

“…Three-dimensional (3D) models that are created using the rapid prototyping technique have been adopted in some fields of surgery, [1][2][3][4] and in general thoracic surgery, only a few pulmonary models have been reported. [5][6][7] To the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports of mediastinal models that were created with rapid prototyping technique. In order to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of the preoperative creation of a 3D mediastinal model with rapid prototyping, we created a model and report its results.…”