3D Printed Models Used to Train Surgeons & Reduce Surgery Time
A team of engineers and pediatric orthopedic surgeons are using 3D printing to help train surgeons and shorten surgeries for the most common hip disorder found in children ages 9 to 16. Shortening Surgery Times In a recent study, researchers showed that allowing surgeons to prep on a 3D printed model of the patient’s hip joint cut by about 25 percent the amount of time needed for surgery when compared to a control group. The team, which includes bioengineers from the University of California San Diego and physicians from Rady Children’s Hospital, detailed their findings in a recent issue of the Journal of Children’s Orthopedics. Dr. Vidyadhar Upasani, pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Rady Children’s and UC San Diego and the paper’s senior author, said: “Being able to practice on these 3D models is crucial.” In this study, Upasani operated on a total of 10 patients. For five of the patients, he planned the surgeries using 3D printed models. He didn’t use models to pla