Method for fabricating simulated tissue structures by means of multi material 3D printing
AssigneeBioniko Consulting, LLC
InventorAndres Bernal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A synthetic eye model includes an enclosed lens capsule, a removable cortex material within the lens capsule, and an outer support for the lens capsule. A synthetic eye model assembly includes an eye segment comprising a lens capsule and an outer support and a base for detachably engaging the eye segment. The synthetic eye model and assembly can be made by 3D printing. A method of practicing eye surgery and a method of making a three-dimensional synthetic tissue model of an anatomical tissue structure are also disclosed.
Claims28
A synthetic surgical eye model assembly, comprising:
- an anterior eye segment;
- and,
- a base for detachably engaging the anterior eye segment anteriorly and posteriorly;
- wherein at least the anterior eye segment comprises at least two structures, and at least one of the structures has a hardness below Shore A 95, and the other of the structures has a hardness above Shore D 20, and at least the anterior eye segment is manufactured by a multimaterial 3D printing process and, wherein the anterior eye segment comprises a lens capsule filled with support material.
A synthetic surgical eye model assembly, comprising:
- an anterior eye segment;
- and,
- a base for detachably engaging the anterior eye segment anteriorly and posteriorly;
- wherein at least the anterior eye segment comprises at least two structures, and at least one of the structures has a hardness below Shore A 95, and the other of the structures has a hardness above Shore D 20, and at least the anterior eye segment is manufactured by a multimaterial 3D printing process and;
- wherein one structure of the eye segment is an outer support with a hardness above D20, and further comprising a capsule central to the outer support having a hardness below Shore A95, wherein the capsule surrounds a solid destructively removable cortex which comprises at least 20% of 3D printing support material.
A synthetic surgical eye model assembly, comprising:
- an anterior eye segment;
- and,
- a base for detachably engaging the anterior eye segment anteriorly and posteriorly;
- wherein at least the anterior eye segment comprises at least two structures, and at least one of the structures has a hardness below Shore A 95, and the other of the structures has a hardness above Shore D 20, and at least the anterior eye segment is manufactured by a multimaterial 3D printing process and;
- wherein the anterior eye segment comprises an outer support and the outer support has a durometer above ShoreD20, further comprising an anteriorly extending circumferential ridge extending anteriorly from the outer support and having a hardness below Shore A95.
A method of practicing eye surgery techniques on a model of the eye, comprising the steps of:
- providing a synthetic eye model kit, comprising a plurality of anterior eye segments printed by a multi-material 3D printing process;
- further comprising a base, the base comprising structure for detachably engaging the anterior eye segments, the method further comprising the step of detachably securing the anterior eye segment to the base, the base comprising a portion for engaging a surface of the anterior eye segment;
- practicing surgery on the anterior eye segment, then removing the anterior eye segment from the base and then attaching another anterior eye segment to the base, wherein the anterior eye segment comprises a capsule filled with destructively removable cortex material made of 3D printed support material, the method further comprising the step of removal of the support material from the capsule.
A method of practicing eye surgery techniques on a model of the eye, comprising the steps of:
- providing a synthetic eye model kit, comprising a plurality of anterior eye segments printed by a multi-material 3D printing process;
- further comprising a base, the base comprising structure for detachably engaging the anterior eye segments, the method further comprising the step of detachably securing the anterior eye segment to the base, the base comprising a portion for engaging a surface of the anterior eye segment;
- practicing surgery on the anterior eye segment, then removing the anterior eye segment from the base and then attaching another anterior eye segment to the base, further comprising a synthetic cornea, the corneal button having a posterior edge and the anterior eye segment having a circumferential ridge having an anterior edge, the posterior edge of the corneal button mating with and detachably engaging the anterior edge of the circumferential ridge, the method further comprising the step of attaching the synthetic corneal button to the circumferential ridge.
A method of practicing eye surgery techniques on a model of the eye, comprising the steps of:
- providing a synthetic eye model kit, comprising a plurality of anterior eye segments printed by a multi-material 3D printing process;
- further comprising a base, the base comprising structure for detachably engaging the anterior eye segments, the method further comprising the step of detachably securing the anterior eye segment to the base, the base comprising a portion for engaging a surface of the anterior eye segment;
- practicing surgery on the anterior eye segment, then removing the anterior eye segment from the base and then attaching another anterior eye segment to the base, wherein the anterior eye segment further comprises a capsule filled with destructively removable cortex material made of 3D printed support material, the method further comprising the step of peeling the capsule off the cortex.
A synthetic surgical eye model, comprising an outer support, further comprising a flexible circumferential ridge extending anteriorly from the outer support, wherein the circumferential ridge and outer support have different material types and are monolithic and printed by a multimaterial 3D printing process, further comprising:
- an enclosed lens capsule central to the outer support;
- a solid destructively removable cortex material within the lens capsule;
- wherein the lens capsule, cortex material and outer support have different material types and are monolithic and printed by a multimaterial 3D printing process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.