Amir Imanzadeh MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Maximilian Kueckelhaus MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kanako Kunishima Kumamaru MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Nicole Wake MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Bohdan Pomahac MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Frank John Rybicki MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Grant, Toshiba Corporation

Dimitris Mitsouras PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Elizabeth George MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gerald Thomas Grant DMD, MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Peter Constantine Liacouras PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Edward J. Caterson MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Based on this data, 3D printing is now a mandatory step in surgical planning for face transplantation and it is very likely to be implemented in the other VCA and complex surgeries in the near future.

The role of 3D printing in surgical planning has been assessed in some studies; however, to date there is only sparse data to assess clinical impact. Vascular CTA is performed for surgical planning before face transplantation, a large scale Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA). The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical impact of 3D printing in face transplantation.

This study was approved by the institutional human research committee. Four face transplantation patients from a single, large, urban teaching hospital prospectively underwent pre-procedure 320 x 0.5 mm detector row CT (Aquilion One , CITY, Japan) with 3D visualization (Vitrea, Vital Images, Minnetonka, MN, USA). For 3D printing, DICOM images were segmented and processed using customized software (Mimics, Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) and the STL files were created. The models were printed subsequently ( SLA 7000 ,3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC) from the STL outputs. The clinical impact of the 3D models was assessed by consensus between one senior surgeon and one senior radiologist.

3D printed models provide superior pre-operative data for face transplantation surgical planning when compared to 2D visualization. Complex anatomy and bony defects from either injury, prior surgeries, or both was better appreciated with 3D models. It was felt that the total procedure time was reduced with the prospective use of 3D models.

Imanzadeh, A, Kueckelhaus, M, Kumamaru, K, Wake, N, Pomahac, B, Rybicki, F, Mitsouras, D, George, E, Grant, G, Liacouras, P, Caterson, E, Application of 3D Printing in Face Transplantation.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14013670.html