• Fredrick J Joseph, Hanne E R Vanluchene, Johannes Goldberg, and David Bervini.
• Image Guided Therapy, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: fredrickjohnson7@gmail.com.
• World Neurosurg. 2023 Jul 1; 175: e1069e1074e1069-e1074.

BackgroundComputed tomography (CT), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 3D reconstruction from Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) are currently used in clinical consultations for patients diagnosed with intracranial aneurysms; however, they have limitations in helping patients understand the disease and possible treatments. This study investigates the use of a 3D-printed model of the patients' neurosurgical anatomy and vascular pathology as an educational tool in outpatient clinics.MethodsA 3D-printed model of a middle cerebral artery aneurysm was created for use during patient consultations to discuss microsurgical treatment of unruptured cerebral aneurysms. In total, 38 patients and 5 neurosurgeons were included in the study. After the consultation, the patients and neurosurgeons received a questionnaire to assess the effectiveness of the 3D-printed model as an educational tool.ResultsThe 3D model improved the patients' understanding of the diagnosis, the aneurysm's relationship to the parent artery; the treatment process as well as the risks if left untreated. The patients found the 3D model to be an interesting tool (97%). The neurosurgeons were satisfied with the 3D-printed model as a patient encounter tool, they found the model effective during consultation (87%) and better than the conventional education tools used during consultations (97%).ConclusionsUsing a 3D model improves communication, enhances the patient's understanding of the pathology and its treatment and potentially facilitates the informed consent process in patients undergoing intracranial aneurysm surgery.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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