Belfast-based medical 3D printing specialists Axial3D has signed a new deal that will help transform children's heart surgery in Southampton.
Local firm Axial3D turns medical data from MRI scans into accurate 3D-printed physical models of bones or organs, which are then used by hospitals to aid in pre-operative planning for complex surgeries. The company famously helped in a life-saving kidney transplant that involved excising a tumor from the kidney to make it suitable for transplant, a surgery that may not have been possible without the 3D printed visual guide.
The company has now signed a new deal with Hampshire-based charity Wessex Heartbeat to transform the way children's heart surgery takes place at the University Hospital Southhampton. The smaller size of children's organs makes it more important to plan a minimally invasive procedure, which is where Axial3D's 3D printing programme will come in.
The hopsital will send Axial3D a CT scan or MRI scan data and the company will process it into a printable 3D model and have it with the hospital in under 48 hours, allowing hospitals to get a more accurate model for planning surgery on children with congenital heart disease. The model will help doctors see any tiny imperfections they may have missed in the scan, and plan a minimally invasive surgery to improve success rates and recovery times.
Cardiac surgeon Mr Nicola Violacommented on the scheme: "3D printing is an incredible piece of technology which can change the way we approach congenital heart disease treatment in children. The ability to customise each model before printing allows us to personalise treatment further, ensuring that we know exactly what we are dealing with before reaching the operating theatre.”
Source: Written based on rpess release
