Precise surgery of skull base tumor based on 3D printing technology: a case report and analysis / 中国医学装备

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the significance of 3D printing technology in the treatment of skull base tumor.Methods: A 45-year-old male patient who felt headache and discomfort had progressive loss of vision to blindness in the left eye. Using MR plain scan found that there was a skull base tumor, so the patient was examined by brain CTA and 3.0T MR to obtain medical digital imaging of CT and MR and DICOM data which were input into computer for establishing three-dimensional model, and then printed it.Results: 3D reconstruction model can clearly display the anatomical structure of skull base tumor, three-dimensional space and peripheral blood around skull base tumor. Under the guidance of this new technology, the tumor was completely removed and the surrounding normal brain tissue was preserved as much as possible. The whole operation time was greatly reduced at the same time.Conclusion: The treatment of 3D printing technology is applied in skull base tumors can clearly display the anatomical structure, distinguish adjacent vessels around tumor; when it avoids missing tumor, also can more effectively assist preoperative planning, enhance the security for complex skull base surgery, accelerate the operation speed, improve operation accuracy; it has great application prospect in the precise treatment of neurosurgery.