Enhancing Surgical Training and Patient Outcomes Using Customizable 3D Printed Surgical Models for the WATCHMAN Device Insertion Procedure

Abstract

In atrial fibrillation, the vast majority of stroke-causing clots originate in the left atrial appendage. The WATCHMAN Procedure takes a minimally invasive approach by threading a catheter through the left femoral vein and deploying the WATCHMAN device into the left atrial appendage to decrease risk of atrial fibrillation-related strokes. Currently, no tailored surgical models exist for this procedure. This means surgeons who are learning the procedure must perform on patients instead of practice models. This project aims to fill that gap and create an interactive, customizable model for surgical practice. Using software within the Materialise Suite, student researchers can convert 2D DICOM files into 3D stereolithography files (3D). These 3D files can be read by the 3D printer software, producing a physical model of the original 2D images. The patient’s leg will be printed in a flexible material in the same manner utilizing SolidWorks. Models of customizable patient heart and femoral vein anatomy will be printed in a flexible material for surgical practice. Surgical outcomes utilizing the educational model will be compared with previous outcomes for surgeons of various education and experience levels. This project will reveal if customizable models are significantly beneficial to surgical practice by observing patient outcomes.