Through the generosity of the Jedel Family Foundation, the neurosciences program is implementing three-dimensional presurgical modeling using a Formlabs 3BL 3D printer with Materialise Mimics software. This equipment will allow us to create three-dimensional models from a patient’s imaging studies that can facilitate surgical planning and serve as a teaching tool for patients, family members, and learners.
One patient who has benefited from 3D printing was a 17-year-old with Down syndrome who suddenly refused to swallow. A cervical CT confirmed a severe C1 dislocation with C1-2 instability and compression of the spinal cord. The 3D replica of the patient’s spine allowed for development of a surgical plan that avoided narrowing of the spinal canal, and the patient recovered completely after surgery.
