BY AZMAN ZAKARIA
SERDANG: A group of researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has succeeded in developing an innovative 3D Medical Grade Print (MeG3rD) or ‘Method’ that is able to replicate a 3D anatomic printing of patients’ actual defect organ (pathology) at a 1:1 ratio.
The texture quality is also realistic and reflects the uniqueness or condition of each case thus, enabling doctors to carry out a medical procedure simulation using a 3D medical grade printing for pre-treatment planning on complex cases before carrying out the actual procedure on patients.
Hence, it helps doctors to gain a more realistic experience on medical procedure as if they were conducting it on real patients.
The head of the research group, Prof Dr Ahmad Sobri Muda, from the Imaging Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, said that MeG3rD is a customised anatomical model for medical treatment strategies that combine patients’ actual data and medical grade raw materials for 3D Printing.
He said it was not only capable of replicating a complex pathology (defect organs) but also developing a texture that was almost identical to simulate a more realistic anatomical structure.
He added that the MeG3rD is unique as it helps doctors to experience the actual medical procedure as if they were actually doing it on real patients.
He said it was because the raw materials used were tailored to the needs of the doctors, and the 3D printing replicates the complexity of the defect organ (pathology) with a 1:1 ratio.
“These factors can increase confidence in managing any complex cases because the MeG3rD innovation replicates the actual medical procedure, allowing the doctors to experience performing the procedure as if it was done on the actual patient,” he said.
He said the technology would allow doctors to achieve a better and safer treatment outcome and reduce medical complications.
Prof Dr Ahmad Sobri also said that MeG3rD could be used in the surgical or angiography room and with the actual medical equipment thus, making it suitable for the in-vivo environment in pre-planning medical treatment procedures for simple or complex procedures. ― UPM
