Case Study: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center achieves safer, less-invasive heart tumor treatment planning with Materialise 3D-printed heart models

3D-Printed Heart Model Helps 16-Year-Old Heart Tumor Patient

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center faced a complex case: 16-year-old Bradley had a large congenital heart tumor causing electrical interference, and clinicians needed clearer anatomical insight to choose a safe treatment path. The hospital engaged Materialise, using the Mimics® Innovation Suite and Materialise’s 3D-printing services to turn Bradley’s CT data into a tangible model for planning.

Materialise produced a high-fidelity 3D-printed heart model—printing the tumor in a hard opaque material and surrounding anatomy in flexible, transparent material—so surgeons and electrophysiologists could study the tumor’s relationship to critical structures. That clarity enabled Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to proceed with an electrophysiology study and catheter ablation instead of a risky surgical resection, improved family understanding of the condition, and demonstrated Materialise’s ability to deliver accurate, timely anatomical models for pre-surgical planning.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

David Morales

Cardiothoracic Surgeon