Beverly Hills, Calif., facial plastic surgeon Paul Nassif, M.D., thinks incorporating 3D printing technology into cosmetic surgery could benefit both patients and surgeons, according to an October 19 press release.
Dr. Nassif, whose work fixing poor cosmetic outcomes is featured on the television show Botched!, says 3D surgical models are better than even a gifted surgeon’s freehand depiction of what a patient should look like post procedure.
The technology, which is a step up from computer-generated manipulations aimed at offering patients realistic results, adds the three-dimensional model component. Models created with 3D printer technology are especially helpful for patients with significant disfigurement, including trauma victims, according to Dr. Nassif.
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Surgeons have used the technology to provide symmetrical reconstruction guidelines in disfigured patients. Surgeons use CT scan series to create 3D skull models of significantly disfigured patients and 3D printing technology to provide realistic models post restoration of those facial features, according to Dr. Nassif.
"The 3D prints that are created as the surgical model can help all plastic surgery patients feel a greater sense of confidence in their potential results. Whether a person is coming in for a reconstruction or rejuvenation, I can provide exceptional precision as a benefit of this technology," Dr. Nassif says.
"It is an exciting time to work in the plastic surgery field with this type of advancement at our fingertips," he says.
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