Soft-tissue-mimicking using silicones for the manufacturing of soft phantoms by fresh 3D printing

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use the Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) additive manufacturing (AM) technique for manufacturing a liver phantom which can mimic the corresponding soft living tissue. One of the possible applications is surgical planning.

Design/methodology/approach

A thermo-reversible Pluronic® F-127-based support bath is used for the FRESH technique. To verify how three-dimensional (3D)-printed new materials can mimic liver tissue, dynamic mechanical analysis and oscillation shear rheometry tests are carried out to identify mechanical characteristics of different 3D printed silicone samples. Additionally, the differential scanning calorimetry was done on the silicone samples. Then, a validation of a 3D printed silicone liver phantom is performed with a 3D scanner. Finally, the surface topography of the 3D printed liver phantom was fulfiled and microscopy analysis of its surface.

Findings

Silicone samples were able to mimic the liver, therefore obtaining the first soft phantom of the liver using the FRESH technique.

Practical implications

Because of the use of soft silicones, surgeons could practice over these improved phantoms which have an unprecedented degree of living tissue mimicking, enhancing their rehearsal experience before surgery.

Social implications

An improvement in surgeons surgery skills would lead to a bettering in the patient outcome.

Originality/value

The first research study was carried out to mimic soft tissue and apply it to the 3D printing of organ phantoms using AM FRESH technique.

Citation

Tejo-Otero, A., Colly, A., Courtial, E.-J., Fenollosa-Artés, F., Buj-Corral, I. and A. Marquette, C. (2022), "Soft-tissue-mimicking using silicones for the manufacturing of soft phantoms by fresh 3D printing", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 285-296. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-04-2021-0079