TheVeterans Affairs(VA)Puget Sound Health Care System, a network of medical centers under theVeterans Health Administration(VHA), and theUniversity of Washington School (UW) of Medicinerecently announced a two-year partnership aiming to advance medical 3D printing. Both organizations are collaborating to develop new applications for 3D printing in the diagnosis and treatment of complex heart conditions.
As part of the agreement, both organizations will share 3D printers, 3D materials, software and staff (physicians, researchers and engineers), with the goal of quickly developing new protocols for operational planning procedures using the technology. Examples include creating patient-specific 3D printed models to help treat mitral valve disease, a complex heart abnormality. Dr. Beth Ripley is a VA Puget Sound radiologist, VHA Senior Innovations Fellow and VHA 3D Printing Advisory Committee chair. Speaking to 3D Printing Industry about the recent partnership, Dr. Ripley explains her view for the future of 3D printing in hospitals and medical care.
“Imagine the power of holding a life-sized 3D model of your own heart in your hands while your cardiologist discusses your treatment plan and walks you through your upcoming procedure step by step. This is the reality that we want for all of our patients,” comments Dr. Ripley.
“随着th最大的综合医疗保健系统e United States and one of the largest hospital-based 3D printing networks, the VA is defining how 3D printing is being used now and how it will be used in the future.”
VA Puget网络和VHA 3D打印网络
VA Puget网络涵盖了为华盛顿州西雅图和塔科马地区提供服务的VHA医疗中心，为西北太平洋海湾附近14个县的105,000多名退伍军人提供医疗保健。VA Puget Sound专注于为退伍军人提供医疗保健的创新，这表明在将3D打印带入患者护理方面持续不断努力。
它是VHA 3D打印网络的旗舰网站，该网络始于2017年，领导了研讨会3D printing in medicine，并与喜欢的人合作GE Healthcareto improve clinical outcomes andmedical treatment for veterans using 3D printing.The hospital’s 3D printing network has grown to contain 20 hospitals in the past two years. The benefits some of these hospitals have already gained include the production of model肾脏为手术前的计划提供信息，并有助于防止截肢截肢。
任何复杂解剖结构的3D打印特定于患者的模型
The UW School of Medicine is home to a nationally recognized 3D printing lab that has produced over 100 patient-specific models for cardiologists and surgeons. Research Scientist Dmitry Levin, who manages the lab, says that by partnering with VA Puget Sound, “we merge all of our collective expertise into a unified effort to offer patients personalized cardiac care based on their unique needs.”
Together,UW Medicine和Puget Sound寻求改善对I的访问不及时治疗，例如经导管主动脉瓣置换（TAVRS）。手术O。utcomes are also expected to improve under the partnership, as 3D printing enable cardiologists to better visualize each patient’s unique anatomy.Ripley解释说：“患者特定的3D模型是由横截面成像研究创建的，最常见的是CT或MRI扫描。”“我们通过确认3D模型尺寸与成像尺寸相匹配来验证模型的准确性。这是我们质量保证实践的一部分，这是我们为确保患者带来最佳健康成果所做的一切。”
Initially, the partnership will focus on using 3D printing to create cardiac models, however, it will also expand to comprise any part of the body. Dr. Ripley comments that “VA Puget Sound and UW Medicine will print patient-specific models for any complex anatomy, from head to toe. This includes the brain, skeleton and heart, as well as abdominal and pelvic organs.” She adds that the team will first focus “creating standardized pathways” for heart models as these are in the highest demand. In addition, Dr. Ripley states, “Patient-specific 3D models are being printed in the medical centers at VA Puget Sound and University of Washington. The majority of models will be printed at the facility where the patient is receiving care.”
UW Medicine和VA Puget都将使用FDA清除模拟3D打印软件from实现to create their medical models, as well as GE Advanced Workstation Volume Share software. VA Puget Sound will be providing its selection of 3D printers, including theF370,Mojo,Objet 30andObjet 350 Connex33D printers from Stratasys, and theFormLabs Form2. UW Medicine on the other hand also has the Formlabs Form2, as well as 3D printers fromDremel,newpro 3d,Uniz,普鲁萨andZ Corporation (now 3D Systems).
Helping hospitals adopt 3D printing on a global scale
The developments and results of VA Puget and UW Medicine’s research agreement are expected to create benefits that extend beyond VA’s 9 million enrolled patients and UW Medicine’s broad geographic patient base. Both organizations hope to inform future research, and help to develop and scale 3D printing applications for advanced treatments on a global scale. When asked how the two organizations plan to help hospitals outside their own networks adopt 3D printed models, Dr. Ripley states that establishing best practices is key,“Once we have created and validated standardized workflows for creating 3D models, we plan to share them with the community through publications, hands-on courses offered at academic meetings and free online content,”
“目的是鼓励随着该领域的发展，在3D打印中的最佳实践。”
“In the near future,” Dr. Ripley adds, “we anticipate significant growth in the number of both public and private hospitals acquiring 3D printers. And we hope the workflows we create will help facilitate adoption of best practices at these new health care facilities.”
Ripley博士认为，医疗中3D打印的下一个重大步骤现在在于生物打印和开发FDA-Clearance。尽管还有很长的路要走，但VA的最终目标是创建可以整合到患者身体的组织和器官。然而，生物打印的短期目标围绕创造生物，血管化的骨头。
Ripley博士总结道：“希望将来，我们可以创建可以解决未满足移植器官需求的替代器官merge with the patient’s bone. This could be used to replace bone that is lost from infection or malignancy. For this to become a viable technology, we need to perfect the process of printing bone and demonstrate to the FDA that it is safe and effective.”
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Featured image shows an aortic arch annotated on 3D printed model to support procedural planning for treatment of mitral valve disease. Photo via VA Puget Sound Health Care System
