Ops revolutionised by 3D heart models, surgeon says

Children's cardiac surgery has been revolutionised by the development of 3D-printed models of patients' hearts, a leading consultant has said.

Southampton Children's Hospital has created more than 100 exact replicas from medical scans since 2019, enabling surgeons to practise procedures in advance.

Doctors said the models had sometimes led to a change of plan in the operating theatre.

Southampton Consultant Congenital Cardiac Surgeon Nicola Viola said the technology lifted the "burden of potentially making a mistake".

Consultant surgeon Nicola Viola said the heart models were a "complete game-changer"

He said: "I think the burden on surgeons... has been long under-estimated.

"Being able to get to the patient with the operation trialled is a complete game-changer.

"It makes you an expert on that specific child's heart to a level that has never been seen before."

Three-year-old Fatima, from Oxford, had an operation in Southampton to replace her aortic valve.

Months later, she returned and was presented with a 3D model of her own heart, which Dr Viola had used to prepare for her surgery.

Her father Omar said: "Amazing to see that this is her heart.

"She was 24/7 with monitoring, oxygen attached, breathing tubes and as soon as this operation was done, after 24 hours, she was running around on the hospital wards which is quite a miracle."

The 3D hearts are partly funded by the Heartbeat charity, which has raised £130,000.

Belfast manufacturer Axial3D has worked with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust to evolve the technology, replacing early rigid models with soft ones that can be cut and stitched.

Southampton Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist Dr Tara Bharucha said: "There have been occasions where we've reversed a plan or changed a plan based on the model.

"The thing about the 3D models is that... I can say: 'This isn't a heart that's like your baby's heart. This IS your baby's heart and we know how to repair it.'"