Case Study: Dante Pazzanese Cardiology Institute achieves safer, more accurate cardiac diagnosis and catheterization planning with Stratasys' Objet350 Connex 3D‑printed artery models

Dante Pazzanese Cardiology Institute Uses 3D Printed Arteries to Diagnose and Treat Diseases

Dante Pazzanese Cardiology Institute (DPCI), a São Paulo state hospital and research center with 1,500 employees and 300 beds specializing in complex cardiac cases, needed a way to assess patient arteries and catheterization risk without invasive procedures. Imaging alone was insufficient because blood vessels are hard to capture and their elastic behavior is critical, so DPCI implemented Stratasys’ Objet350 Connex multi‑material 3D printer (in use since 2012) to produce realistic, rubber‑like arterial prototypes.

Using Stratasys’ Objet350 Connex, multidisciplinary teams print patient‑specific arteries and embolic‑protection “umbrella” devices to simulate catheter passage, verify device fit, and test for distal embolization risk. The Stratasys solution lets clinicians pre‑test procedures, separate patients who can safely undergo catheterization from those who cannot, avoid unnecessary invasive procedures, and reduce the risk of embolic complications such as stroke—improving treatment planning and patient safety.

Dante Pazzanese Cardiology Institute

Tiago Senra

Cardiovascular MRI and CT Scanning Department