One of the primary applications for patient-specific 3D printed medical models is to serve as a visual tool for case planning and reference in the OR.
Historically, Anatomical models have not been designed to be sterilized and must remain in the non-sterile portion of the OR during a procedure.
But now, for the first time, academic medical centers and hospitals can create full color models for presurgical planning that can be sterilized and referenced in a sterile environment such as the OR with indirect patient contact.
This innovation is made possible by the J5 MediJet all-in-one medical printer, Stratasys’ latest innovation at the leading-edge of medical modeling.
A recent study compared the characteristics of MediJet 3D printed full color models before and after sterilization, and concluded that hospitals can sterilize colorful models using steam, gamma, and EtO without sacrificing the accuracy, color, or mechanical properties of the model.
Why is this important? Bringing models into the OR is a common practice in many hospitals and care settings. Because these models can be sterilized, the risk of contaminating the sterile environment is removed and the model can be examined by the medical team during the procedure, while the risk to the patient is greatly reduced.
And when a case involves complex anatomy, this invaluable patient-specific tool for point-of-care planning can help reduce OR time, minimize complications, reduce length of hospital stay, and improve clinical outcomes overall.
Learn more about the amazing capabilities of the J5 MediJet.