Preliminary Application of Three-Dimensional Printing Technique in Preoperative Localization of Meningioma in Primary Hospitals.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the preliminary application of three-dimensional (3D) printing technique in preoperative localization of meningiomas in primary hospitals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The enrolled subjects were 13 patients in the Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College, Shandong Province between December 2018 and June 2020, including CT or MRI data from eight cases of brain meningiomas and five cases of cerebrospinal meningiomas. The Mimics 17.0 software package was applied to reconstruct the 3D images and print out the 3D guide. The authors placed the 3D printed guide on the surgical area for preoperative tumor location. RESULTS: The 3D printed guides for all patients were successfully designed and printed out. Simpson grade I resection was performed on all tumors. No significant hematoma, brain edema, or neurological symptoms were observed in the postoperative patients, and the surgical results were good. CONCLUSIONS: The authors can use 3D printing technology for precise preoperative localization of meningiomas. Grassroots hospitals can also use this technique because of its economic, accurate, and personalized characteristics.