3D-Printed models for left atrial appendage occlusion planning: a detailed workflow

What is it about?

Atrial fibrillation is common in elderly people, and one of its most critical consequences is an increase in stroke risk due to thrombi formation in the left atrial appendage. Left atrial appendage occlusion is one of the surgical interventions used to reduce this risk. The intervention, performed via catheter, consists in the installation of a plug device in the neck of the left atrial appendage, preventing thrombi from leaving it. Given the great anatomical variability of the left atrial appendage, the correct sizing and individuation of the device placement might result challenging if based only on diagnostic images. 3D printing technologies can provide support in the intervention planning phase with patient-specific appendage models, useful for three-dimensional visualization of the appendage and for supporting the device selection. In this article, a workflow for the creation of these models is described, starting from standard diagnostic images used for procedure planning and ending with patient-specific flexible 3D-printed models which can be used by physicians to support the intervention decision-making process.

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