Experimental Three-Dimensional Biomodel of Complex Aortic Aneurysms by Rapid Prototyping Technology

The rapid prototyping technology allows the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) biomodels from two-dimensional images. This process has been used in many areas, including the medical field; however, it seems to represent a new technology regarding vascular models. Although surgical techniques for treatment of aortic aneurysms (AA) have been developed recently, because of its anatomical limitations, complex AAs still remain a challenge. This study aimed to describe the manufacture of 3D biomodels of AA from computed tomography angiography images. Four cases of AA were selected: one abdominal, one thoracic, and the last contained bilateral aneurysms in the common iliac arteries. The images were edited with specific software, which built the 3D images and made them capable of being printed by a PolyJet technology machine. All biomodels represented the aneurysms in life-size dimensions and correctly reproduced their morphology. The average time of manufacture was 18 hours and the biomodels cost, on average, $850. It was demonstrated that it is feasible to manufacture 3D physical biomodels of AA. The utility of these prototypes extends from supporting the surgical planning of the AA, by previously giving the surgeons a panoramic view of the AA, to enhancing the patient's understanding of their diseases.