Looking Beyond the Horizon: Patient-Specific Rehearsals for Complex Liver Surgeries With 3D Printed Model

Impact of three-dimensional-printing technology guidance on surgical outcomes for retroperitoneal sarcoma: A propensity score-matched study

BACKGROUND

The surgical treatment of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is highly challenging because of its complex anatomy. In this study, the authors compared the surgical outcomes of patients with RPS who underwent surgical resection guided by three-dimensional (3D) printing technology versus traditional imaging.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 251 patients who underwent RPS resection guided by 3D-printing technology or traditional imaging from January 2019 to December 2022. The main outcome measures were operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and hospital stay.

RESULTS

In total, 251 patients were enrolled in the study: 46 received 3D-printed navigation, and 205 underwent traditional surgical methods. Propensity score matching yielded 44 patients in the 3D group and 82 patients in the control group. The patients' demographics and tumor characteristics were comparable in the matched cohorts. The 3D group had significantly shorter operative time (median, 186.5 minutes [interquartile range (IQR), 130.0-251.3 minutes] vs. 210.0 minutes [IQR, 150.8-277.3 minutes]; p = .04), less intraoperative blood loss (median, 300.0 mL [IQR, 100.0-575.0 mL] vs. 375.0 mL [IQR, 200.0-925.0 mL]; p = .02), shorter postoperative hospital stays (median, 11.0 days [IQR, 9.0-13.0 days] vs. 14.0 days [IQR, 10.8-18.3 days]; p = .02), and lower incidence rate of overall postoperative complications than the control group (18.1% vs. 36.6%; p = .03). There were no differences with regard to the intraoperative blood transfusion rate, the R0/R1 resection rate, 30-day mortality, or overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in the 3D group had favorable surgical outcomes compared with those in the control group. These results suggest that 3D-printing technology might overcome challenges in RPS surgical treatment.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

The surgical treatment of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is highly challenging because of its complex anatomy. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether three-dimensional (3D) printing technology offers advantages over traditional two-dimensional imaging (such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) for guiding the surgical treatment of RPS. In a group of patients who had RPS, surgery guided by 3D-printing technology was associated with better surgical outcomes, including shorter operative time, decreased blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and fewer postoperative complications. These findings suggested that 3D-printing technology could help surgeons overcome challenges in the surgical treatment of RPS. 3D-printing technology has important prospects in the surgical treatment of RPS.

Influence of Three-Dimensional Visual Reconstruction Technology Combined with Virtual Surgical Planning of CTA Images on Precise Resection of Liver Cancer in Hepatobiliary Surgery

Hepatobiliary malignancies, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and biliary tract cancers, namely, gallbladder carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, are linked to a high rate of morbidity and mortality, depending on the phase of the disease. The intricate hepatobiliary anatomy and the need for accurate peroperative management, especially in patients with advanced liver disease, make these tumors difficult to treat. Surgical resection is a notable therapy for hepatobiliary cancers. Unnecessary or excessive liver excision influences patient rehabilitation, normal liver function, and postoperative complications. Hepatobiliary operations must therefore include accurate liver removal. The present advancements in imaging technology are aimed at improving the diagnostic efficacy of liver injury even more. Three-dimensional visual reconstruction is becoming more important in the diagnosis as well as treatment of a variety of disorders. In this paper, we proposed a novel three-dimensional visual reconstruction technology using enhanced nonuniform rational basis spline (ENURBS) combined with virtual surgical planning of Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) images for precise liver cancer resection. The purpose of this project is to rebuild 2D CTA scan images of liver cancer into a 3D reconstructed model for efficient visualization and diagnosis of liver cancer and to prepare an effective preoperative surgical plan for precise liver excision based on a 3D recreated liver model. This method's performance is compared to that of 2D planning in terms of accuracy and time taken to complete the plan. It is concluded that our proposed technique outperforms the planning technique based on 2D images.

How specific are patient-specific simulations? Analyzing the accuracy of 3D-printing and modeling to create patient-specific rehearsals for complex urological procedures

PURPOSE

In the field of urology, 3D printing and modeling are now regularly utilized to enhance pre-operative planning, surgical training, patient-specific rehearsals (PSR), and patient education and counseling. Widespread accessibility and affordability of such technologies necessitates development of quality control measures to confirm the anatomical accuracy of these tools. Herein, we present three methods utilized to evaluate the anatomical accuracy of hydrogel PSR, developed using 3D printing and molding for pre-operative surgical rehearsals, of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).

METHODS

Virtual computer-aided designs (CADs) of patient anatomy were created through segmentation of patient CT scan images. Ten patient-specific RAPN and PCNL hydrogel models were CT scanned and segmented to create a corresponding model CAD. The part compare tool (3-matic, Materialize), point-to-point measurements, and Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) analyzed surface geometry, alignment, and volumetric overlap of each model component.

RESULTS

Geometries of the RAPN parenchyma, tumor, artery, vein, and pelvicalyceal system lay within an average deviation of 2.5 mm (DSC = 0.70) of the original patient geometry and 5 mm (DSC = 0.45) of the original patient alignment. Similarly, geometries of the PCNL pelvicalyceal system and stone lay within 2.5 mm (DSC = 0.6) and within 15 mm (16% deviation) in alignment. This process enabled the refinement of our modeling process to fabricate anatomically accurate RAPN and PCNL PSR.

CONCLUSION

As 3D printing and modeling continues to have a greater impact on patient care, confirming anatomical accuracy should be introduced as a quality control measure prior to use for patient care.