Personalised 3D-printed model of a chest-wall chondrosarcoma to enhance patient understanding of complex cardiothoracic surgery

Description

Novel technologies, such as additive manufacturing (also termed three-dimensional (3D) printing), play an important role in surgical planning. Their role in enhancing a patient's understanding of their medical condition and increasing their satisfaction with their treatment is also gaining increased attention in medicine and surgery. As an illustration, we describe the case of a 65-year-old Caucasian man who presented with left-sided anterior chest-wall pain which was associated with a visible palpable lump. He had a body mass index of 27 kg/m², and CT of the thorax demonstrated a 62 mm x 60 mm x 48 mm tumour involving multiple structures, including the left fourth to sixth ribs, costal cartilages and the pericardium overlaying the right ventricle (figure 1). Transthoracic echocardiography showed normal ventricular function without any indication of tumour infiltration into the myocardium.

Figure 1

Axial (right) and sagittal (left) CT slices of the thorax demonstrating a large chondrosarcoma...

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