Stereolithography (medicine)
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Stereolithographic models have been used in medicine since the 1990's, for creating 3D corporeal models of various anatomical regions of a patient, based on datasets from CT-scans.
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[edit] Usage
- Stereolithographic models have been used in medicine, in order to provide surgeons a better 3D image of the anatomical situation of a patient, before the operation. With the advent of improved 3D computer reconstruction, based on datasets recorded from the patient, the stereolithographic models are nowadays less used for this purpose.
- Stereolithographic models are used as models for preoperative planning, for example by recreating osteotomies with repositioning of the fragments.
- The surgical result regarding the position of bone autotransplants or after the osteosynthesis of bone fractures can be forseen using stereolithographic models.
[edit] Medical stereolithographic models today
Due to high costs and progressive replacement by virtual models, corporeal stereolithographical models in medicine have lost their sense, in a certain manner.
[edit] Manufacturing particularity
Because the materials used for stereolithographic models suffer from a normal shrinkage phenomenon during polymerisation, the starting-point model should be a little bit bigger than the original CT dataset would indicate.
[edit] References
- Klimek L, Klein HM, Schneider W, Mosges R, Schmelzer B, Voy ED: Stereolithographic modelling for reconstructive head surgery. Acta Oto-Rhino-Laryngologica Belgica. 47(3):329-34, 1993
- Bouyssie JF, Bouyssie S, Sharrock P, Duran D: Stereolithographic models derived from x-ray computed tomography. Reproduction accuracy. Surgical & Radiologic Anatomy. 19(3):193-9, 1997
