Applications of 3D Printing Technology in Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure

Abstract

Purpose of review: 3D printing (3DP) technology has emerged as a valuable tool for surgeons and cardiovascular interventionalists in developing and tailoring patient-specific treatment strategies, especially in complex and rare cases. This short review covers advances, primarily in the last three years, in the use of 3DP in the diagnosis and management of heart failure and related cardiovascular conditions.

Recent findings: Latest studies include utilization of 3DP in ventricular assist device placement, congenital heart disease identification and treatment, pre-operative planning and management in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, clinician as well as patient education, and benchtop mock circulatory loops.

Summary: Studies reported benefits for patients including significantly reduced operation time, potential for lower radiation exposure, shorter mechanical ventilation times, lower intraoperative blood loss, and less total hospitalization time, as a result of the use of 3DP. As 3DP technology continues to evolve, clinicians, basic science researchers, engineers, and regulatory authorities must collaborate closely to optimize the utilization of 3D printing technology in the diagnosis and management of heart failure.

Keywords: 3D printing; cardiomyopathy; clinical imaging; heart failure; patient-specific; pre-operative planning.

Figure 1.

(A) Overview of the 3DP process, from clinical imaging to manufacture of a 3D printed model. (B) Applications of 3DP technology in diagnosis and management of heart failure. Pictures of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in the presurgical planning quadrant reproduced with permission from refs. [11] and [12]. (Left): From Tadokoro et al. [12], with permission from Springer Nature; (Right): From Giorgi et al. [11], with permission from Elsevier. Figures were generated, in part, using BioRender.com.