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Potential of 3D-printed models in planning structural interventional procedures

GGomez-Ciriza, T Hussain, T Gomez-Cia & I Valverde

The interventional horizon in the field of structural heart disease is increasing as new indications can now be successfully treated for conditions that were previously left untreated or necessitated a surgical approach. The complexity of the interventional skills required to successfully treat these new indications are unprecedented. Interventional planning is therefore essential to identify in advance the existing anatomical issues, evaluate the best interventional strategy to avoid unexpected findings and optimize the procedure time to reduce radiation dose. Furthermore, since many of the cardiovascular anomalies targeted for catheter-based interventions are infrequent and because no two cases are alike, it is difficult to accumulate experience. All these new challenges demand better training and improved planning in the field of structural interventional catheterization. 3D cardiovascular models are an accurate representation of the patient’s anatomy and are a novel and appealing technique, which have a huge potential in the field of intervention in structural heart disease. Its applications range from training staff to simulation of complex and challenging cases. This review article will summarize the basic principles, the techniques and the current applications.