A 3D-printed anatomical model or surgical cutting guide is made with using different types of medical imaging such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Then, a 3D printer makes a copy of the object through a series of compiled layers. This "additive manufacturing'' process lays down extremely thin layers of material in a liquid form and fuses them together to create a replica of the digital file. The technique can make complex shapes and sizes with a minimum of materials, so it's fast and relatively inexpensive.

"It's true bench to bedside in a short time frame, often same day,'' Decker said. "We can scan the patient, make a computer model of the organ or design a surgical cutting guide, use it to collaborate with all the teams so they know exactly what they need, print it, and then scrub it for surgery. It's an innovation that helps change the outcome for the patient.''

"Having an exact replica of a patient's real heart – including defects – is an invaluable tool, especially when it can be created in less than a day," said Jonathan Ford, PhD, assistant professor and biomedical engineer, Department of Radiology, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and the technical director for 3D printing, Tampa General Hospital. "A heart will take about 15 hours to reproduce on the printer, so by the time we come back in the morning, we can hand off the printed heart to the surgeon for reference."

The 3D clinical applications team currently houses seven medical grade 3D printers. The team has been located at the USF Health South Tampa Center for Advanced Healthcare on the Tampa General campus for the past eight years. The team plans to relocate their 3D lab and printers inside the main hospital radiology department, providing better access for surgeons and other clinicians at Tampa General.

Decker and USF Health's 3D clinical applications team were also recognized for their work on the 3D-printed nasal swabs with the inaugural Jack A. Kolosky Award for Healthcare Innovation from the Tampa Innovation Partners in 2021. The Kolosky Award is named after the retired president of Moffitt Cancer Center and recognizes health care innovation.

In addition, for her pioneering work with the 3D-printed swab, Decker was among three USF Health faculty members in June 2021 to share the national spotlight with health care professionals from across the country – including Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci – for being named 2021 Champions of Humanistic Care by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

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