Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use the Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) additive manufacturing (AM) technique for manufacturing a liver phantom which can mimic the corresponding soft living tissue. One of the possible applications is surgical planning.

Design/methodology/approach

A thermo-reversible Pluronic® F-127-based support bath is used for the FRESH technique. To verify how three-dimensional (3D)-printed new materials can mimic liver tissue, dynamic mechanical analysis and oscillation shear rheometry tests are carried out to identify mechanical characteristics of different 3D printed silicone samples. Additionally, the differential scanning calorimetry was done on the silicone samples. Then, a validation of a 3D printed silicone liver phantom is performed with a 3D scanner. Finally, the surface topography of the 3D printed liver phantom was fulfiled and microscopy analysis of its surface.

Findings

Silicone samples were able to mimic the liver, therefore obtaining the first soft phantom of the liver using the FRESH technique.

Practical implications

Because of the use of soft silicones, surgeons could practice over these improved phantoms which have an unprecedented degree of living tissue mimicking, enhancing their rehearsal experience before surgery.

Social implications

An improvement in surgeons surgery skills would lead to a bettering in the patient outcome.

Originality/value

The first research study was carried out to mimic soft tissue and apply it to the 3D printing of organ phantoms using AM FRESH technique.

中文翻译：

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使用有机硅进行软组织模拟，通过新鲜的 3D 打印制造软体模

目的

本研究的目的是使用悬浮水凝胶的自由形式可逆嵌入 (FRESH) 增材制造 (AM) 技术来制造可以模拟相应软活组织的肝脏模型。可能的应用之一是手术计划。

设计/方法/方法

FRESH 技术使用基于热可逆 Pluronic® F-127 的支撑浴。为了验证三维 (3D) 打印的新材料如何模拟肝组织，进行了动态力学分析和振荡剪切流变测试，以确定不同 3D 打印硅胶样品的机械特性。此外，对有机硅样品进行了差示扫描量热法。然后，使用 3D 扫描仪对 3D 打印的硅胶肝脏体模进行验证。最后，完成了 3D 打印的肝脏模型的表面形貌，并对其表面进行了显微镜分析。

发现

硅胶样品能够模拟肝脏，因此使用 FRESH 技术获得了肝脏的第一个软体模。

实际影响

由于使用了柔软的有机硅，外科医生可以在这些改进的模型上进行练习，这些模型具有前所未有的活体组织模仿程度，从而增强了他们在手术前的排练体验。

社会影响

外科医生手术技能的提高将导致患者预后的改善。

原创性/价值

第一项研究旨在模拟软组织并将其应用于使用 AM FRESH 技术进行器官模型的 3D 打印。