尽管医疗保健尚未证明3D打印的医疗辅助工具更好比conventionally-made模型,学术研究is gradually feeding positive data to the cause.
在人民医院郑州大学, China, a group of doctors have conducted a study demonstrating how 3D printed anatomical models are an asset to heart operations.
How to mend a broken heart
Zhenghou大学的研究是由25例患者组成的，每组受双重出口右心室疾病（DORV）的影响。出生时，DORV是一个缺陷，将主动脉与心脏的右心室与肺动脉旁边连接起来，而不是其在左心室中的应有位置。
The condition, which affects between 1% and 3% of newborns with congenital heart defects, can be treated with surgery.
郑州研究中的八名患者分为一个3D打印组。其余17名患者组成了一个非3D打印对照组。
3D打印特定于患者的模型
Patients in the 3D Printing Group underwent a procedure which was planned with the aid of a 3D printed anatomical model and CT scan data.
用于模型的CT图像以DICOM标准医疗格式进行了格式，并使用物质化模拟软件. A patient-specific model was 3D printed at a 1:1 scale using a ZPrinter 650 SLA 3D printer originally from Z Corporation – now 3D Systems.
The Control Group on the other hand were treated without the use of a model, and only in reference to CT scans.
To asses the clinical value of the 3D printed models, a comparison of the two groups was then made considering the time taken to complete the operation, and the speed of the patients’ recovery.
3D printing speeds operation times and recovery
On average, surgeons succeeded in saving around 30 minutes of operation time due to pre-planning with 3D printed heart models. Patients in the 3D Printing Group were also shown to spend significantly less time recovering in intensive care.
结论确实指出，样本量是研究的关键限制。必须进行较大的小组研究来证实这些发现。
A paper containing the results of this study, titled“三维印刷增强了修复双出口右心手术的准备工作”，可以在线阅读Journal of Cardiac Surgery.它由Liyun Zhao MR，Sijie Zhou MR，Taibing Fan MD，PhD，Bin Li MD，Weijie Liang MD和Haoju Dong MD合着。
3D打印可以改变医疗保健吗？
3D印刷在外科计划中的优势的具有里程碑意义的案例是3D系统在麦当劳双胞胎的分离. In China, a case at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University details two3D打印的心脏操作在3岁和13岁的患者中。
医院还设立了许多3D打印设施，包括心脏3D印刷实验室at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Arizona, and3D LifePrints Innovation Hubs在英国。
有趣的是，这些程序和设施将来如何蓬勃发展。
有关医疗保健3D印刷的未来的更多信息，订阅此处行业中最广泛读取的新闻通讯,like 3D Printing Industry on Facebook和在推特上关注我们。
郑州大学人民医院是否对医疗部门表现出了开创性的努力？现在提名研究团队2018 3D Printing Industry Awards.
Featured image shows a 3D printed anatomical heart model. Photo via Materialise NV
