Medical Bio-Modeling: A First Report on the Implementation of 3D Printing for Congenital Anomalies in Peru.

Congenital anomalies are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide, predominantly affecting lower-middle-income countries. Furthermore, these complex and rare anatomical structures are sometimes not fully comprehensible until the surgical procedure begins. To address these challenges, increased innovation and new procedures are needed, as multiple factors hinder the advancement of neonatal surgery in our country. Obtaining clinical models represented in three dimensions (3D) can provide additional details and hands-on surgical training for medical doctors, thereby reducing the risks associated with these surgeries. Clinical models have already demonstrated success as a potential supplementary technique for medical imaging. However, the existing infrastructure and local resources present significant challenges. Therefore, an in-house 3D printing fabrication procedure must be made available. In this retrospective study, we are combining image computing software and 3D printing technology to create, for the first time, five biomodels of patients with congenital anomalies in a real clinical setting in a middle-income country like Peru. The evidence obtained will contribute to the incorporation of 3D printing in the field of diagnosis and treatment at one of Peru's most critical public children's hospitals. This breakthrough opens the door for future developments and the integration of these facilities into more public institutions.