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CC BY 4.0 · Aorta (Stamford) 2022; 10(05): 242-248
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1750410
Special Feature Article

Applications of Three-Dimensional Printing in the Management of Complex Aortic Diseases

Paolo Magagna
1   Operative Unit of Cardiac Surgery, AULSS8 Berica, “San Bortolo” Hospital, Vicenza, Italy
,
Andrea Xodo 
2   Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Division, Padova University, School of Medicine, Padova, Italy
,
Mirko Menegolo
2   Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Division, Padova University, School of Medicine, Padova, Italy
,
Carlo Campana
1   Operative Unit of Cardiac Surgery, AULSS8 Berica, “San Bortolo” Hospital, Vicenza, Italy
,
Luciano Ghiotto
1   Operative Unit of Cardiac Surgery, AULSS8 Berica, “San Bortolo” Hospital, Vicenza, Italy
,
Loris Salvador
1   Operative Unit of Cardiac Surgery, AULSS8 Berica, “San Bortolo” Hospital, Vicenza, Italy
,
Franco Grego
2   Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Division, Padova University, School of Medicine, Padova, Italy
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

The use of three-dimensional (3D) printing is gaining considerable success in many medical fields, including surgery; however, the spread of this innovation in cardiac and vascular surgery is still limited. This article reports our pilot experience with this technology, applied as an additional tool for 20 patients treated for complex vascular or cardiac surgical diseases. We have analyzed the feasibility of a “3D printing and aortic diseases project,” which helps to obtain a more complete approach to these conditions. 3D models have been used as a resource to improve preoperative planning and simulation, both for open and endovascular procedures; furthermore, real 3D aortic models were used to develop doctor–patients communication, allowing better knowledge and awareness of their disease and of the planned surgical procedure. A 3D printing project seems feasible and applicable as an adjunctive tool in the diagnostic–therapeutic path of complex aortic diseases, with the need for future studies to verify the results.

Keywords

3D Printing - 3D-printed models - aortic diseases - surgical training - preoperative planning

Ethical Approval

Patient provided her consent to have her images and her clinical history published in this work.




Publication History

Received: 09 January 2021

Accepted: 12 April 2022

Article published online:
20 December 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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