Uni of Pavia surgical model - Stratasys
For years, the University of Pavia relied solely on the skill and judgement of its surgeons, but the emergence of 3D technology has seen the school embrace new methods.
An Italian research university has adopted Stratasys’ 3D printing technology to enhance its teaching and planning of surgical practices.
For years, the University of Pavia relied solely on the skill and judgement of its surgeons, but the emergence of 3D technology has seen the school embrace new methods. Using the Objet30 Pro 3D Printer, the university is now producing a range of surgical planning models in super-fine 16 micron layers. Typically these are used for all spleen and kidney surgeries, and around half of its pancreatic surgeries.
Founded in 1361, the university has been committed to offering specialisation in a range of facets, including robotic abdominal surgery and clinical research. The university continues to uphold these standards, aiming to maintain its position as one of Italy’s leading educational institutions. With a particular focus on its medical department, the university holds technical and practical experience at the forefront of its curriculum.
Uni of Pavia surgical models - Stratasys
The university has gone on to 3D print patient-specific anatomical models for the nearby General Surgery II division of San Matteo hospital.
“Working in tangent with our university surgery means that we are continually looking to improve patient care and equipping our surgeons with all the information they require to plan the surgery in detail. This often means seeking out alternative treatment methods,” said Ferdinando Auricchio, Professor of Mechanics of Solids at the university’s Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture. “When evaluating our surgery process we learnt that 3D printing could enable us to produce surgical planning models with the potential to reduce patient-theatre time. This is particularly the case for non-intrusive procedures – those that typically require only a minor incision.”
From its initial trial using the high-quality models, the university decided to bring 3D printing in-house to its prototyping laboratory, the Protolab. Having purchased its Objet30 Pro from Italian reseller, Overmach, the university has gone on to 3D print patient-specific anatomical models for the nearby General Surgery II division of San Matteo hospital.
Before the introduction of 3D printing technology, the medical department traditionally used CT scans and the judgement of its surgeons to plan procedures. This would often mean troublesome areas were accidentally overlooked, and at times prove costly in both time and money. By incorporating 3D printing, CT scanning has become even more effective. Now, the university can convert these CT images into 3D-printed surgical guides, revolutionising the process and producing models tailored to each patient. Using these models, surgeons can better locate the access point for surgical instruments during laparoscopic and robotic surgery, reducing unexpected risks.
Stratasys Objet30 Pro
Using the Objet30 Pro 3D Printer, the university is now producing a range of surgical planning models in super-fine 16 micron layers.
“With it’s super-fine 16 micron layer printing, the Objet30 Pro provides us with highly accurate 3D-printed models with the smallest of detail in VeroClear material. This is especially crucial for vascular models in order to locate the blood system,” added Auricchio. “In a recent kidney transplant performed through the robotic system DaVinci, we provided surgeons with a model 3D-printed in VeroClear material to detect and procure the organ. This enabled the surgeons to navigate through the complex vascular network and recognise the distances between organs. Importantly, this was critical to helping them avoid damaging crucial vessels.
“Thanks to its incredible accuracy, the 3D-printed surgical guides have proved instantly popular amongst the surgeons. With more of our surgeons having a physical model of the patient’s organs beforehand, they can determine the size of the tumour, where it is located and any vessel that may be entangled. All of this equips them with vital details before operations.”
Nominations and bookings for the inaugural TCT Awards can now be made on the TCT Awards website.
