OSF Innovation has been on the leading edge of 3D modeling ever since printing its first pediatric heart for surgical planning in 2013. Today, the program led by the Advanced Imaging and Modeling (AIM) Lab, offers surgeons the ability to view complex anatomy in virtual reality, giving them a new perspective on how to proceed with an operation.
Since the program’s inception, hundreds of children’s surgeries have benefitted from VR nationwide, thanks to AIM’s free segmentation service. Dr. Mark Plunkett was an early adopter of the technology in his role as a heart surgeon for babies and children in 2017.
“It really helps you not only define the anatomy with great accuracy, but it also allows you to plan your surgical operation well ahead of time with confidence that your plan will work,” said Dr. Plunkett, chief of pediatric congenital heart surgery at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
This approach to viewing anatomy becomes integral when dealing with complex cases like Hamzah’s. The young child was born with a rare condition called heterotaxy, where his heart was located in the wrong position. In addition, the structure of Hamzah’s heart was pumping and draining blood incorrectly.
VR is an invaluable tool
Watch how Dr. Plunkett was able to leverage VR to perform a successful surgery.
Learn more about the exciting ways the AIM lab is advancing 3D technologies.
Last Updated: May 26, 2023