Now 4-year-old Adaenelie Gonzalez was born with a heart anomaly, where the pulmonary veins that transport oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, were connected to other parts of the heart instead. The two open-heart surgeries she had undergone so far were only a temporary relief and further treatment was necessary.
Dr. Redmond Burke, chief of cardiovascular surgery at Miami Children’s Hospital, was able to plan the surgery, that had never been performed before, based on a 3D printed model of Adaenelie’s heart. It was printed by the Atlanta-based company AdvancedRP, after a 3D model had been created using CT scan data. According to Dr. Burke he “couldn’t picture” the operation before seeing the actual 3D model.
The hospital has since purchased its own industrial 3D printing system including software and is currently waiting for it to be delivered.
Adaenelie is still in hospital recovering from the successful procedure, however is walking around and playing already.
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