Michael Slag had a rare type of lung cancer. Being a doctor himself was not much of a comfort: with his medical knowledge, Michael was acutely aware of everything that could go wrong with the surgical removal of the Pancoast tumor growing around his ribs. The location of the tumor, intertwined with several critical nerves and blood vessels, made it dangerously possible that the functioning of his arm could be damaged. How could his surgical team reduce this risk and keep the intervention minimally-invasive? Through 3D Printing, and with the help of the Mimics Innovation Suite.
3D Printing for Surgery: Because Forewarned Is Forearmed
Given that this was the type of intervention that could not afford surprises in the operating room, the surgical team at the Mayo Clinic prioritized a strong pre-operative plan. In order to comprehensively prepare for the surgery, the team at the Mayo Clinic recognized that a 3D-printed model of the tumor would be a valuable tool. Thoracic surgeon Shanda Blackmon says, “We frequently may have a plastic surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a vascular surgeon, and myself: all involved in a Pancoast tumor resection. When that’s the case, there’s nothing better than having a model, for the whole team to meet around and plan the case.”
To begin, the team turned to Materialise’s Mimics Innovation Suite software to create a 3D model of the tumor and surrounding tissue, based on Michael’s MRI and CT scans. The virtual model was then 3D printed – in a 70-hour print job – to create a physical replica that the doctors could hold and observe. The team could see exactly how the tumor was wrapped around several of Michael’s critical nerves and blood vessels.
Shorter Surgery, Faster Recovery
Armed with the knowledge of what they would find, surgeons were able to keep the surgical intervention far less invasive than it would have been without 3D planning. Less cutting meant that the surgery was short, and Michael was back on his feet the very first night. Three days later, he was even able to go back home.
As a doctor, Michael knew from the beginning that his tumor’s location was fraught with complications. But when the 3D-printed model entered the plan, it put him more at ease: “Knowing that I was going to come out of it with an arm that worked… was just a big load off my mind,” he said.
Watch Michael Slag and the surgical team at the Mayo Clinic recount their experience:
All images courtesy of the Mayo Clinic
Materialise is unfamiliar with the 3D-printed model used in this case. When evaluating a 3D-printed device which is intended for the use in the diagnosis, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, where applicable, ensure that the manufacturer is registered or cleared with the FDA for distribution in the United States.