Innovation in medicine: Opportunities of 3D modeling and printing for perioperative care of cardio and thoracic surgical patients experiences in Hungary

Abstract

Use of 3D planning and 3D printing is expanding in healthcare. One of the common applications is the creation of anatomical models for the surgical procedure from DICOM files. These patient-specific models are used for multiple purposes, including visualization of complex anatomical situations, simulation of surgical procedures, patient education and facilitating communication between the different disciplines during clinical case discussions. Cardiac and thoracic surgical applications of this technology development include the use of patient-specific 3D models for exploration of ventricle and aorta function and surgical procedural planning in oncology. The 3D virtual and printed models provide a new visualization perspective for the surgeons and more efficient communication between the different clinical disciplines. The 3D project was started at the Semmelweis University with the cooperation of the Thoracic Surgery Department of the National Institute of Oncology in 2018. The authors want to share their experiences in 3D designed medical tools.