3D Modelling Introduced for Sinus Surgery
Researchers at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have developed a 3D modelling program for sinus surgery that will allows doctors to simulate a surgery prior to operating on the patient. Given how close the sinus is to the eyes and brain, the surgery can be risky and result in permanent damage if not done with precision. With the new program, doctors can create a 3D model of the patient’s sinus cavity, simulate the surgery, and predict what effects the surgery will have on the patient.
“It’s like playing a videogame to remove some of the tissues and then we can back-compute it to see how it impacts nasal airflow,” said Kai Zhao, a medical researcher at OSU Wexner Medical Center. “Folks in the aerodynamic industry have been using this kind of method for a long time and we started using it in the nasal airway to see if we’re able to get a better understanding of the physiology underlying nasal function and also nasal symptoms.”