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With the 3D model it became evident how to redirect the blood flow to the right places to provide oxygen to the body.”ĭr. Spatial relationships are a lot easier to conceptualize with a 3D model. It is difficult to capture all the information in one plane even with a 3D reconstruction on a 2D screen. “It’s hard to judge what to do looking at 2D images on the screen. Using an MRI dataset, the team 3D printed a model of the infant’s heart using a Stratasys J750™ 3D printer. For complex cases like this, the Cardinal Glennon surgical team relies on 3D printing. From the imaging studies alone, it was impossible to tell, limiting our ability to confidently develop a surgical plan,” said Dr. Others thought it was accessory tissue not critical to mitral valve function. “After reviewing the echocardiogram, many of our cardiologists as well as the referring cardiologists were convinced it was part of the structural integrity of the mitral valve and resecting it would mean replacement of that valve and subjecting the child to lifelong disease. Damaging the mitral valve would result in significant problems for the patient. This is a challenging operation that redirects the oxygenated blood to the aorta and deoxygenated blood to the pulmonary arteries by creating intra-atrial baffles.Īddressing the subaortic stenosis was extremely problematic, as it appeared that much of the obstruction was caused by tissue that was extremely close to the mitral valve. A neonatal atrial switch seemed to be the best strategy. Due to the rarity of this condition, there was controversy over how to repair the infant’s heart. The cardiothoracic surgical team led by Charles Huddleston, M.D., and members of the cardiac medical team including Wilson King, M.D., agreed that surgery was required. 3D Printed Model provides clarity for Surgical Planning It became clear that the degree of subaortic narrowing was more severe than originally anticipated, and this resulted in significantly depressed left ventricular function. However, significant tachycardia persisted. A balloon atrial septostomy performed in the first few days of life resulted in some improvement. It was apparent early on that the patient was becoming fairly blue as deoxygenated blood was being directed towards the aorta. The patient also had a very large ventricular septal defect (VSD) connecting both ventricles and severe narrowing between the left ventricle and the aorta.
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Deoxygenated blue blood entered the right atrium which connected to the left ventricle and then the aorta, and oxygenated red blood entered the left atrium which connected to the right ventricle and then the pulmonary artery. One such patient was an infant diagnosed in utero via fetal ultrasound with an unusual form of transposition of the great arteries. As a pediatric referral center, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital sees some of the most complex patients, requiring repair within days or weeks of birth on hearts the size of a walnut.
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While congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects worldwide according to the American Heart Association, affecting eight out of every 1,000 babies born in the United States, fortunately only one in four requires surgery during the first year of life. Louis, Missouri, embraced 3D printing as a solution for better surgical planning for these patients. 3D printing is transforming surgical planning and enabling the delivery of personalized medicine to infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD).įive years ago, the cardiovascular team at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, a pediatric medical center in St.