This case marks one of only six full aortic replacements performed annually at the hospital.
Surgeons at Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital have carried out one of Australia’s most intricate vascular operations, replacing almost the entire aorta of a man in his late 50s with a synthetic graft after scans revealed the vessel had swollen to about four times its normal diameter.
The life-threatening bulge, described by doctors as a “ticking time bomb”, was discovered during routine monitoring and left the patient at imminent risk of a fatal rupture, ABC News reported.
Life-sized 3D map for a high-stakes repair
Well before the first incision, the surgical team turned to engineers and industrial designers at the nearby Herston Biofabrication Institute for help. Using detailed CT images of the patient’s chest and advanced computer modelling, the institute produced a life-sized 3D print of the distorted artery.
The “digital anatomy” printer layered multiple materials over four days to capture both rigid and pliable segments, giving surgeons a tactile rehearsal tool instead of relying solely on two-dimensional scans.
Industrial designer Liam Georgeson said the printer “has the ability to print many different materials into the one print” and can combine “hard materials with soft materials, so that gives us the ability to replicate the tactile nature of the aorta.” According to the report, the institute is already working on models that connect to pumps to mimic a beating heart, allowing teams to practise on vessels that pulse with simulated blood.
Cooling the body and swapping the artery
Vascular surgeon Dr Samantha Peden told the Australian News broadcaster that the patient’s aortic arch had ballooned to around eight centimetres, well beyond the usual two to three. The wall was so thin that rupture was inevitable if surgeons waited.
“Most patients would die,” she said, adding, “You can never tell with certainty when it was going to rupture, but it definitely was at the end of its ability to expand.”
During the nine-hour procedure, cardiac and vascular surgeons worked side by side to shorten the time the chest was open. They cooled the patient’s body and stopped circulation for roughly 20 minutes, an interval that allows surgeons to replace the upper aorta but comes with the danger that “they can wake up with a stroke or they might not wake up at all,” Dr Peden cautioned.
The diseased section was removed and swapped for a synthetic tube made from material she likened to “flexible, waterproof jackets.” She later compared the entire exercise to “fancy plumbing,” noting that full aortic replacements are offered in only half a dozen centres across Australia and New Zealand. Her unit performs only about six such cases a year.
Smooth recovery and the road ahead
Nearly three weeks after surgery, the patient remains in the hospital but has left intensive care and started rehabilitation. “He’s recovering really well, hasn’t had any major complications, so we’re all really happy with his progress,” Dr Peden said. “There’s no evidence of paraplegia.
He’s got full function in his arms and legs.” Strong family support, she added, has boosted the patient’s spirits during recovery. Later this year, the same team will tackle the lower section of the man’s aorta, which must also be replaced to eliminate all residual risk.
For Dr Peden, the case underlines how 3D printing moves from the research lab to the operating theatre. “It’s a real-world example of health innovation translating directly into improved clinical practice.”
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