Virtual Bodies Created to Help Train Surgeons

Virtual human bodies that can help surgeons train for minimally invasive procedures have been created by scientists at Cardiff University (UK).

Two average individuals, one male and one female, were scanned from neck to upper thigh, using a magnetic resonance (MR) tunnel scanner. Engineers from Cardiff's Manufacturing Engineering Center (MEC) then processed these data sets to produce the organs and skeletal structure in a format compatible with computer-aided design (CAD). Close collaboration between engineers and surgeons has been necessary to ensure that the parts are anatomically accurate and could be produced by existing injection-molding techniques.

The next step will be to make prototype physical versions for evaluation by surgeons across Europe. Once the prototypes are approved, final organs and bones will be produced, using novel materials and MEC's rapid-tooling technology. The surgical trainer will be called Primacorps.

"Such artificial bodies are now needed because of recent advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as laparoscopy or key-hole surgery,” said Julien Etienne, project engineer at MEC. "The success of these technical advances relies heavily on the skills training of surgeons.”




Related Links:
Univ. of Cardiff