Wake Up Tired Eyes

One of the things patients considering plastic surgery are most nervous about besides the surgery itself is the results they’ll achieve from their surgery. If you’re used to looking in the mirror and seeing the same person every day, it’s difficult to envision yourself looking different than what you’ve seen your entire life. But while computer programs have been designed to give patients a preview of what they can expect from their surgery, wouldn’t it be nice to not just see the results, but touch them and look at them in three-dimensional form? While in the past it would have been bothtime and cost prohibitive for surgeons to hand create 3D models of each patient’s anticipated results, a new technology called 3D printing is changing that. We spoke to Dr. Ryan Mitchell of Henderson, NV about what the future of plastic surgery will look like.

You may have heard about three-dimensional (3D) printing in the news a lot over the past few years. 3D printing (also referred to as additive manufacturing, or AM) is the process of using thin layers of plastics to create a three-dimensional, physical object from a 3D digital model. 3D printing has been used to make everything from toys to medical devices to weapons and architectural prototypes- and with the price of 3D printers rapidly decreasing, more and more consumers are using them for a variety of creative endeavors, too. With all these innovative uses for these devices, it was only a matter of time before 3D printing made it to the plastic surgery space.

Currently being tested in only one or two practices around the world, 3D printed models have already helped plastic surgeons show patients what they can expect from their surgery. Mitchell thinks using 3D printing technology in plastic surgery is an inevitable step. "3D printing will enable the patient to better understand their options. Sometimes it’s hard for patients to see slight variations in results when presented with 2D images on a computer screen. 3D printing will allow the surgeon to print several models at once so the patient can do a side by side comparison and really see and feel the differences between each option, and choose which one they like best." According to Mitchell, once a model is selected, the surgeon can then bring that model with them to the operating room and use it as a three-dimensional guide. "Ultimately," says Mitchell "we want patients to be happy with the results of their surgery. 3D printing will help doctors give patients realistic expectations, so there are no surprises post-surgery, and hopefully, no regrets."