3D hearts help advance children’s cardiac care
Medics at our Children’s Hospital are using 3D -printed hearts to plan complex procedures and give families a clearer picture of their child’s condition.
The detailed models are created from scans by biomedical engineers at Aston University, allowing clinical teams to closely examine the anatomy of a patient’s heart.
One family who have already benefited from the innovative process are parents Brad and Lizzie and their toddler Penny, from Worcestershire .
The one-year-old needed open heart surgery after being diagnosed with Tetralogy of F allot, a congenital heart disease which affects about five out of every 10,000 babies.
After she was diagnosed, the parents were shown the model of Penny ' s heart in an appointment at the specialist Cardiology Centre at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Using the model, doctors could explain Penny's heart condition more clearly, rather than relying on a black and white ultrasound or CT image on a computer screen.
Brad explained: “It was incredible to see. The model mean t there would be no surprises for the surgeons on the day, which was really reassuring.”
After seeing the 3D model, surgeons performed a successful five-hour surgery to repair her hear t on 29 September, which also happened to be World Heart Day.
Brad shared: “When she went for surgery, our whole world stopped. I don’t think we realised how difficult it would be, but she is doing so well. We’re over the moon.”
The 3D heart project, funded by the our charity, is championed by Penny’s Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Tristan Ramcharan.
He explained: "We could use 3D hearts to visualise where the hole in Penny's heart is and see a relationship to the structures inside and outside the heart.
“It was also really useful to show Brad and Lizzie the replica to explain Penny’s condition more, rather than relying on a black and white CT image on a computer screen.”
Brad added: “Penny is recovering really well at home and back to her bubbly self.
“Everyone who has looked after Penny has been amazing, we can’t thank them enough.”
Antonio Fratini, who leads the Engineering for Health Research Centre at Aston University, said: “This is a unique project that brings together engineers and clinicians to make a huge impact on people’s lives. Seeing the difference we can make to children, young people and their families is hugely rewarding for everyone involved.”
Dr Ramcharan added : “Our collaboration with Aston University is hugely exciting. By using 3D printing, we’re exploring innovative ways to support the care of babies and children with complex heart conditions. I’m proud to be part of that work and incredibly thankful to our charity for funding this project.
“We’re delighted that Penny is recovering so well following her surgery. The toddler and her family have shown incredible bravery throughout and it’s wonderful to see them able to look forward to the future.”