2015 Volume 3 Issue 2 Pages 155-159
With recent advances in technology, the design and manufacturing industries now use computer-aided design and rapid prototyping to manufacture three-dimensional (3D) prototypes. Employing this technology and specialized software programs, 3D printing systems allow for the creation of surgical models mimicking real tissue. In this review, we introduced a kidney graft and pelvic cavity replica as a patient-specific 3D model using a 3D printing system with simultaneous jetting of different materials and subsequently evaluated the usefulness of surgical simulation and navigation of living kidney transplantation. The area of interest was extracted from the DICOM data and converted to STL data. After generating an STL file of the organ surface based on MDCT data, we created a 3D organ model using an inkjet 3D printer and manufactured a pelvic cavity replica using patient-specific data. The patients’ individual 3D printed models were used to plan and guide the surgical procedures for laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and recipient transplant surgery. The 3D organ replicas obtained using transparent materials allowed for the creation of models that showed the visceral organs, blood vessels and other details, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional image-guided navigation. Our pelvic replicas can be made according to each patient’s specific anatomical data, thus representing personalized surgical procedures. This level of detail of the anatomy enables the surgeons and trainees to virtually treat various pelvic conditions before they perform the surgical procedure. The use of these replicas may also reduce the length of the operation and provide better anatomical reference tools for tailor-made simulation and navigation of kidney transplantation surgery, consequently helping to improve training for the OR staff, students and trainees.
