{"id":244953,"date":"2021-05-15T09:27:12","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T14:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=244953"},"modified":"2021-12-01T11:20:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T17:20:09","slug":"spina-bifida-surgeries-3d-models","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/spina-bifida-surgeries-3d-models\/","title":{"rendered":"Spina bifida surgeries in the womb get a little easier with new 3D models"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Operating on preborn babies with spina bifida in the womb is not without risk or uncertainty. But that risk has been mitigated with the introduction of lifelike 3D printed models of the tiniest patients to help doctors prepare for in-utero surgeries.<\/p>\n

Surgeons at the Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies are currently using the models to prepare for in-utero surgeries on babies with spina bifida, a birth defect in which a developing baby’s spinal cord fails to develop properly, according to a press release<\/a>. Spina bifida often leads to walking and mobility issues, and a potential loss of bladder and bowel control. The models were developed by expert 3D printers at Digital Anatomy Simulations for Healthcare, LLC in collaboration with Orlando Health using a combination of MRI, ultrasound imaging, and 3D printing technology.<\/p>\n

The realistic models enable surgeons to see details such as skeletal structure, nerve and vascular anatomy, and fluid sacs in the spine and brain caused by spina bifida, giving surgeons the information they need to plan in advance, identify potential obstacles, and even help reduce the duration of the surgery.<\/p>\n