3D printed model to assist endovascular prostate artery embolization for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract

With the growth and ease of 3D printing accessibility, the medical community has begun to adopt it in various ways. Modeling of prostatic arteries for embolization is an application that has yet to be fully explored. We present a case where a patient specific 3D-printed model was used as a reference during prostate artery embolization for a 70-year-old male with obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia refractory to medical treatment. The prostate arteries were segmented from preoperative contrast enhanced computed tomography using 3D Slicer software and printed on a FormLabs Form2 resin printer. The models were then used for operative planning for the embolization of both right and left prostate arteries. The procedure was a success without complications and the patient returned 1 month later with significantly improved symptoms. Additionally, interventionists found the model to be helpful in selecting approach for arterial embolization.

Keywords

• 3D printing
• Prostate artery embolization
• Image processing
• Medical devices