More precise and successful kidney surgery.
According to Prof. Bernhard, the clearer view
offered by the 3D printed model increases the
ability to perform precise and successful
kidney-sparing surgery under super selective
clamping. The model aids with pre-surgery
planning, identifying the delicate nearby arteries
and vessels that can result in complete kidney
removal if damaged.
“A scan gives us good information, but it’s in 2D,”
said Prof. Bernhard. “This relies on the surgeon to
mentally reconstruct the tumor volume in 3D and
estimate its location inside of the total volume of
the kidney. The same process has to be done to
clearly understand the relations between the tumor,
the vessels and the collecting system. As you can
imagine, this is difficult and time-consuming for
the surgeon.
“Conversely, having a 3D printed kidney model in
your hands that corresponds specifically to that
of the patient you’re going to operate on, quite
literally, offers us a view from a new perspective.
The only thing more accurate than that is the
patient himself,” he added.
Prof. Bernhard initiated a research project entitled
“Rein 3D Print.” The study aims to improve the
communication process with patients and assess
their satisfaction with 3D printed models for
pre-therapeutic education. Moreover, boosting
patient understanding of their surgical procedure
can potentially increase the possibilities of
ambulatory care (same-day surgery that doesn’t
necessitate an overnight stay). Crucial to the project
is the J750, which was acquired from Stratasys
reseller CADvision and funded by the European
Union and the Regional Council of France’s Nouvelle
Aquitaine region.