Advanced 3D Printing Transforms Complex Procedures

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and USF Health are first in the Tampa Bay area and among the first in the nation to utilize innovative 3D printing technology to map out and practice complex surgeries, as well as provide patients’ families with information about those surgeries. The 3D models are accurate in size and shape to within one one-hundredth of an inch, are biomimetic and bio-compatible, and the models provide near-perfect replicas.

3D MODELS HELP ALLEVIATE PARENTS’ ANXIETY

The lifelike models are used to show parents in great detail the exact nature of their babies’ severe deformities in a way that can’t be viewed in an ultrasound. This approach helps parents better understand physician recommendations and make decisions based on more specific information. In addition, surgeons use the models to demonstrate how surgical procedures will be performed and reassure parents that they’ve come to the right place for their baby’s care.

3D MODELS IMPROVE SURGICAL PLANNING AND PRACTICE

For pediatric surgeons treating cranial facial deformities, 3D printing of the baby’s skull improves procedural planning and practice. As a result, surgeons spend less time performing surgeries, patients require less anesthesia, and the subsequent risks decrease.

Fetal medicine surgeons use this technology for high-risk procedures, such as EXIT, short for Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment. The introduction of 3D printing has allowed TGH surgeons to better plan and perform the operation with more confidence and less time in the OR, which significantly improves outcomes for the mother and baby.

3D MODELS IMPROVE WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE

Gynecologists at TGH and USF Health are using 3D modeling to improve care for patients with deep endometriosis, taking the guesswork out of choosing the most effective approach to treat patients suffering immense pain and discomfort.