Materialise : Personalized Patient Care in Veterinary Neurology Becomes a Reality Thanks to 3D Printing

What is your next goal/research topic?

There are two aspects to this question. The first one, that we have already discussed, is the quest for safer and more individualized surgical solutions. We should continue researching new solutions for old problems. And this is not only for small animals, colleagues that treat larger animals could surely benefit from this in their daily surgical practice, too. Having brainstormed with some of them, we know the need exists and solutions can be designed. The research published in veterinary medicine in the 3D printing field is currently small, yet the findings are unanimous, it is undoubtedly powerful for accurate and safe surgery. For example, research papers at NC State proved that students reached the same level of accuracy and safety as trained neurosurgeons when using a drill guide for vertebral column surgeries (2, 3). This quest is no different from our human peers. We all want accurate and safe techniques for our patients. The gold standard in human neurosurgery is computer-assisted neuronavigation, and soon robotic-assisted neurosurgery. Although they are fantastic technologies, they are also cost-prohibitive for most veterinary practices. This, in my opinion, is another box that 3D printing ticks. It is affordable.

The second one, which I am also very fond of, is the use of these models for education. There is an added value to 3D printing in academia, as the models could be used by residents in training to practice with and prepare complex and/or uncommon surgeries. Normally, there's a steep learning curve, but 3D printing can reduce this significantly. The big advantage is residents can visualize in 3D and touch a model instead of relying on a textbook. It won't be long until we start printing vertebral columns, muscle, and skin models to practice and train on.

Overall, the advantages of embracing 3D printing are very clear. I see many benefits, such as improving pupils' education, pet owners' awareness, the surgical training carried out, and last but not least, the safety of neurosurgery for cats and dogs. Innovation to improve animal health is my professional passion.