HUCA Team Uses 3D Printing to Treat Aortic Aneurysms

According to the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery, a significant portion of the population over 60 is at high risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm. When these lesions affect areas with branches leading to vital organs, treating them becomes a real puzzle for surgeons. In Oviedo, the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) has found a solution: using 3D printing to create customized prostheses and implanting them through a minimally invasive procedure.

An aneurysm is, in simple terms, a bulge that forms in an artery. In the case of the abdominal aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, the risk is high. The challenge increases when the aneurysm is located near the branches supplying blood to the liver, kidneys, or intestines. In these cases, treatment requires maintaining blood flow to these organs while simultaneously reinforcing the damaged artery. Open surgery is an option, but it involves large incisions, long hospital stays, and high risk for older patients or those with other health conditions. The less invasive alternative, endovascular treatment, uses prostheses inserted through the arteries, but they don’t always fit well in complex anatomies.

Dr. Francisco Álvarez Marcos, Associate in the Angiology and Vascular Surgery Department at the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA)

To overcome these limitations, a team from the Angiology and Vascular Surgery Department at HUCA, led by Dr. Manuel Alonso, turned to 3D printing. Using a scan, they accurately reproduced a patient’s aorta in a physical model, following the “normal” blood flow for surgical planning. On this model, the medical team modifies a conventional prosthesis, creating openings exactly where the visceral arteries connect. Before entering the operating room, the design is checked using a paper template that mimics the prosthesis structure. This extra step reduces errors and ensures a perfect fit. The major advantage is achieving a level of customization similar to conventional prostheses, but in much less time and precisely tailored to the patient’s anatomy.