Patient-Specific Cardiac Modeling for Cutting Edge Procedure Planning

Conference Abstract: 3D printed, patient-specific cardiac modeling for pre-surgical planning is an increasing facet of cardiothoracic surgical planning. A 3D-printed cardiac model allows the surgeon to physically manipulate the simulated tissue in ways that are impossible through standard 2D imaging. This ability to haptically perceive the information from the model rather than mentally constructing a 3-dimensional image brings pre-surgical planning back to the realm of the hands-on environment where a surgeon thrives. Through 3D-printed cardiac modeling, surgeons can pre-operatively plan their surgical approach and anticipate intraoperative guidance of surgical instruments. This advancement in the ability to evaluate pathology in a cardiothoracic surgical case can potentially lead to an increase in successful patient outcomes and reduce uncertainty in the operating room. Beyond the operating room, these cardiac models give the patient a deeper understanding of their pathology and corrective surgical care.
The goal is to share the knowledge and skills gained through case-specific examples of challenging cardiac modeling cases. Taking an end-to-end approach, topics ranging from imaging considerations and complex pathology segmentation to anatomically accurate surgical simulation 3D printed models will be covered in detail. This start-to-finish presentation on developing cardiac models for pre-surgical planning will educate attendees on the importance of this growing area of point-of-care manufacturing and provide a basis for onboarding this workflow at their respective institutions. Through tissue-mimicking materials and high-quality imaging, Mayo Clinic has successfully generated to-scale cardiac models for cutting-edge procedures to lead medical innovation.
Beyond patient-specific cases, the effects of cardiac modeling in education and training equip surgeons and researchers with the tools they need to test innovative ideas and educate others on surgical techniques. Attendees of this talk will understand how 3D-printed cardiac models go beyond clinical care and into areas of research and innovation.