The Use of a 3D Printing Model in Planning a Donor Hepatectomy for Living Donor Liver Transplantation: First in India

Introduction: Three-dimensional (3D) anatomical relationships between the hepatic veins and portal structures can serve as a guide to plan resections in donor hepatectomy during living donor liver transplantation. We present the first case report from India on the use of a 3D printed liver model, as an assist to living donor liver transplantation.

Methods: A 3D model of the donor liver with hepatic venous structures printed within it was prepared using image acquisition data. The model was used for a simulated cut preoperatively, to mimic the donor hepatectomy based on the venous structures seen through the transparent material used for making the liver model. The volume of the graft measured by volume displacement in the actual surgery was compared with the volume of the model after the simulated cut.

Results: The calculated volume of the graft was 359 ml as per the preoperative simulation, and the observed weight/volume was 380 gm/310 ml.

Conclusion: Three-dimensional printing of liver models using imaging data can help predict the actual size of the graft after donor hepatectomy, in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation.