3D printed model of heart helps doctors in Britain save two-year old's life
Life-sized replica of girl's heart created using CT scan data helped surgeons operate
A BBC presenter holds up the 3D printed replica of Mina's heart with the hole in the middle the defect for which she had undergo surgery. PHOTO: BBC SCREENGRAB
LONDON:
A two-year old Briton underwent a successful surgery on the hole in her heart thanks to a 3D printed model of the defect, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
While heart surgeries to repair holes in the heart are not uncommon, a doctor in King’s College in London created 3D printed plastic model of two-year old Mina’s heart and the defect, which allowed surgeons to perform a successful surgery.
Dr Tarique Hussain said that after doctors in Manchester created images of Mina’s heart using CT scans, he “segmented it out and got it into format using special software suitable for printing” a 1:1 life-sized representation model to show surgeons just where and of what size was the defect.
“A lot of people looked at it (defect) and every one was ... actually when it is in the hands of the surgeon he can say ‘I can do this, ’and he has the confidence going into the operation: ‘I know what this is, what I am looking for.”
Mina’s mother Natasha said that the defect had been detected in the 26-week scan, well before birth.
“After she was born, she was fine and they saw she had a 50% chance of living but needed breathing support.”
She said that Mina was kept in the hospital for three months during which period the little girl was sick a lot and did not put on weight. “She hardly woke up and had to be fed through a nasal tube.”
But after the operation, Natasha says that Mina “is great!”
A two-year old Briton underwent a successful surgery on the hole in her heart thanks to a 3D printed model of the defect, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
While heart surgeries to repair holes in the heart are not uncommon, a doctor in King’s College in London created 3D printed plastic model of two-year old Mina’s heart and the defect, which allowed surgeons to perform a successful surgery.
Dr Tarique Hussain said that after doctors in Manchester created images of Mina’s heart using CT scans, he “segmented it out and got it into format using special software suitable for printing” a 1:1 life-sized representation model to show surgeons just where and of what size was the defect.
“A lot of people looked at it (defect) and every one was ... actually when it is in the hands of the surgeon he can say ‘I can do this, ’and he has the confidence going into the operation: ‘I know what this is, what I am looking for.”
Mina’s mother Natasha said that the defect had been detected in the 26-week scan, well before birth.
“After she was born, she was fine and they saw she had a 50% chance of living but needed breathing support.”
She said that Mina was kept in the hospital for three months during which period the little girl was sick a lot and did not put on weight. “She hardly woke up and had to be fed through a nasal tube.”
But after the operation, Natasha says that Mina “is great!”