Case Study: Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine achieves clearer surgical planning and realistic hands-on training with Stratasys Objet500 Connex3 PolyJet 3D printing

Multi-Material Color 3D Printing Enables Bio-Texture Modeling of Internal Organs

Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine needed better ways to plan complex surgeries and train students because CT and MRI images can miss injuries or obscure vessels hidden by larger organs. Under Dr. Maki Sugimoto the school adopted PolyJet multi-material 3D printing and in 2014 added a Stratasys Objet500 Connex3 color multi-material 3D printer to produce lifelike organ models for pre-surgical assessment and hands-on training.

Using Stratasys PolyJet technology and the Objet500 Connex3, the team 3D printed full-size, multi-color, multi-material bio-models (transparent organ tissue with colored vessels and soft adipose textures) so surgeons can examine, mark up and rehearse procedures. The Stratasys solution helped uncover hidden tissues and blood vessels, improve treatment planning and patient communication, support realistic surgical rehearsal for trainees, and has been credited with drastically reducing operation time.

Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine

Maki Sugimoto

Associate Professor