6/ SEPTEMBER 2020 THE RIDER


3-D Printing Research Creates Model of Equine Neck for Veterinary Training


Guelph, ON Aug. 19, 2020 - Prac- tice makes perfect and veterinari- ans spend countless hours honing their skills in laboratories before graduating and applying that knowledge in the field. Anatomi- cal models of the equine neck, cre- ated by 3-D printing, are revolutionizing how veterinary students and graduates will prac- tice the precise placement required in ultrasound-guided injections. Dr. Alex zur Linden, radiologist and Ontario Veterinary College re- searcher, teamed up with John Phillips, PhD Engineer and direc- tor of 3D printing in the University of Guelph’s Digital Haptic Lab to come up with some exciting mod- els that are the first of their kind in the veterinary field. “We hope the research to cre-


ate these models will serve as a re- source


for the scientific


community to make similar mod- els,” says zur Linden who pub- lished a paper on the research in 2019 with his graduate student Alexandre Beaulieu, and provided Equine Guelph with a fascinating video interview. Ultrasound guided injections


are a common method of treating osteoarthritis in the equine cervical vertebrae. Typically veterinary students, grad students, interns, faculty and graduate vets train for this procedure using cadavers which is a race against time itself. Add to that a delay in gaining feedback on the results and the ad- vantages of a 3D printed model be- come very clear. Since 2018, zur Linden and


his team have been working with Dr. Phillips, testing thirteen differ-


Archie the Mouse has a new Adventure!


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ent types of materials and printers in combination to compare which model would work best to simulate real bone using ultrasound. Six of the materials proved suitable for simulating bone or joints for use with ultrasound. The team has succeeded in creating model verte- brae of the equine neck and em- bedded them in ballistics gel to simulate the soft tissues surround- ing the bones. These models will give the veterinary community the opportunity to practice ultrasound guided procedures with instant feedback. The efficiency is be- yond compare and the models are completely reusable! Once the lab practice is complete, the model can be melted down to remove all nee- dle tracks and it is ready to go for the next use. Time will tell how many procedures can be practiced with one model. “To create one of these mod-


els, the design engineer has the most time consuming job,” ex- plains zur Linden. “Once we have a CT scan, a few weeks will be spent using software to segment out the anatomy that is to be printed. The printing of the model


only takes 3 – 6 hours.” Post pro- cessing may involve removing supports, removing excess resin and curing to reveal a model that closely mimics bone. Then the 3D printed models can be embedded in clear ballistics gel to mimic skin and muscle, and degassed to re- move all gas bubbles. There is great potential for


this technology to enhance student learning and to improve the quality of care for the patients. CT scans from unique cases could be used to create models that would provide vet students opportunities to prac- tice with an array of abnormalities. “This project, funded by


Equine Guelph, afforded the op- portunity to work with so many different printers and materials,” zur Linden says, “I am looking forward to sharing results and col- laborating with other researchers, working on more challenging and different models including con- structing blood vessels and air- ways for interventional radiology procedures.”


Story by: Jackie Bellamy-Zions


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