3D printing and virtual reality assisted a team of doctors to successfully separate twins attached at the head. The Jerusalem Post reported the 12-hour operation on the one-year-old twins born with craniopagus took place at Soroka-University Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel.
The achievement has been completed only about 20 times, according to the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Soroka Dr. Mickey Gideon, and this is the first time it has happened in Israel.
Surgical 3D printing company 3D4OP took images from MRI, CT, and angiography scans and produced models which showed the connection of the blood vessels, meninges, skull bones, and skin of the babies.
3D printing and additive manufacturing company Stratasys then printed the models so the doctors could analyze the complexities of the procedure.
For this analysis, the doctors turned to a VR model called Surgical Theater. During this preparation phase, the doctors were able to map out a precise process and make simulations.
Preparation for this surgery spanned across several months with tests and medical monitoring. Staff members had been conversing with the parents since the twins’ birth.
When it came time for the surgery, the blood vessels and bones were successfully separated and doctors went in teams to parallel rooms to reconstruct the skull and close the skin of the twins.
The reconstruction and closing processes were made possible by treatment that involved introducing skin and tissue extenders months before the surgery. The extenders provided excess skin the doctors could use to close the scalps.
Finally, after a year of prep and a 12-hour surgery, the little girls were able to have their first face-to-face encounter and are expected to make a full recovery.
