Generation of 3D Silicone Models of Anatomic Soft Tissue Structures - A Comparison of Direct 3D Printing and Molding Techniques

Modelling techniques for the visualization of anatomical structures have been trending over the last years. Digital and haptic models are constantly gaining more importance in the clinical as well as the research environment. For haptic applications, which imitate soft tissue structures, a flexible, elastic material shows the most similar mechanical behavior to the biological tissue. This study focuses on a comparison between two processes, molding techniques and direct 3D printing, for the manufacturing of 3D silicone models of anatomic soft tissue structures. For this comparison for the first time a direct 3D printing process for 100 % silicone elastomers is used. In the presented study four different soft tissue structures; a liver, a lip cleft, a vessel and an aortic valve, are first digitally modeled, then prepared for the manufacturing process, manufactured and afterwards evaluated. The models are all made of silicone elastomers using molding or 3D printing techniques. Comparing both manufacturing strategies, they show variating advantages and disadvantages towards different use cases. Molding techniques are beneficial for large and rather simple geometries, where else 3D printing is more suitable for designs that are more complicated.