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3D Systems cranial surgery 2
The new feature, VSP Cranial, is 510(k) cleared for use in the operating room and will enable surgeons to create a virtual pre-surgical plan.
3D printer provider, 3D Systems has expanded its Virtual Surgical Planning service to include a virtual planning technique for cranial and craniofacial procedures.
The new feature, VSP Cranial, is 510(k) cleared for use in the operating room and will enable surgeons to create a virtual pre-surgical plan that can be instrumented with sterilisable, patient-specific 3D-printed anatomical models, guides and templates.
Using VSP Cranial to prepare for complex and sensitive procedures allows doctors to become more familiar with a patient’s specific anatomy, and is intended to facilitate the pre-surgical planning process as well as the transfer of that plan to the operating room. The informative digital tools and accurate 3D-printed surgical guides are supplied to enhance the delivery of surgical practices.
“As someone who has routinely used VSP for over five years, I have quickly adopted cranial applications into my practice,” said Dr. Oren Tepper, Director of Aesthetic Surgery, Montefiore Health System and Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Fortunately, my neurosurgery colleagues also recognise the clinical value of VSP Cranial, and this technology now plays an integral role in many of our combined intracranial cases. 3D Systems’ engineers make the process seamless, especially for physicians who may be less familiar with these applications.”
3D Systems’ VSP service combines medical image processing, surgical simulation and 3D printing to deliver patient-specific surgical plans under the direction of the presiding doctor. The 3D printing manufacturer’s engineers use CT scans of patients to extract 3D anatomical data and transform them into 3D images. This information can then be sued to form the foundation of a digital surgical plan, enabling the surgeon in charge to better visualise the procedure beforehand.
3D Systems
3D Systems cranial surgery
3D Systems’ VSP service combines medical image processing, surgical simulation and 3D printing to deliver patient-specific surgical plans under the direction of the presiding doctor.
Through online meetings with the surgeon, engineers offer assistance in the creation of the plan in which a range of age-matched normative data can be digitally overlaid to help establish a normal reference contour for the patients.
The VSP Cranial service supports a variety of craniofacial cases, especially those requiring cranial vault distraction and procedures relating to craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis is believed to occur in one of every 2,000 births. It is a condition whereby one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant’s skull prematurely fuses and turns into bone, changing the skull’s typical growth pattern. In some cases, the resulting growth pattern creates enough space for a growing brain, but causes an abnormal head shape and abnormal facial features. In other cases, the growing brain does not have enough room, causing an increase of intracranial pressure, which can lead to visual impairment, sleeping impairment, eating difficulties, impaired mental development and a significantly reduced IQ.
By performing surgery, doctors aim to intervene and prevent abnormal growth patterns before they develop into more serious conditions. If craniosynostosis is left untreated, the deformity is likely to worsen over time, threatening both aesthetic and functional outcomes for these patients.
“The addition of VSP Cranial affords surgeons the ability to visualise and pre-plan complex cranial reconstructive surgeries that may not have been possible previously,” said Kevin McAlea, EVP, General Manager, Metals and Healthcare, 3D Systems. “3D Systems is committed to expanding our solutions to support the most advanced patient care available.”
