Imagine a surgeon walking into the operating room with a precise, 3D-printed replica of a child’s heart, skull or spine, ready to rehearse the procedure before making a single incision. This isn’t a futuristic fantasy. It’s happening now, and it’s transforming pediatric medicine in powerful ways at Rady Children’s Health.
At the heart of this innovation is a multidisciplinary team of engineers, designers and clinicians who are using 3D modeling and printing to improve surgical outcomes, reduce time under anesthesia, and help families better understand complex medical conditions.
Real Impact: From Operating Room to Living Room
In pediatric plastic surgery, for example, children with craniosynostosis—a condition where skull bones fuse prematurely—require delicate procedures to reshape the skull. With 3D models, surgeons can pre-bend devices before entering the operating room (OR), improving precision and reducing surgery time. That means less time under anesthesia and a faster recovery.
Beyond craniosynostosis, the lab prints skulls for cranial surgery and facial bones for orthognathic procedures, allowing surgeons to rehearse complex reconstructions before ever making an incision. What sets these models apart is their level of detail: key anatomic landmarks—such as nerves, hardware and tooth roots—can be segmented out, giving surgical teams a roadmap that makes surgery not only more efficient, but safer as well.
“Using the 3D models before and during the surgery allows us to palpate the intracranial anatomy and pre-plan every move, not only saving time in the OR but also making complex surgeries safer,” says Benjamin B. Massenburg, MD, a plastic surgeon at Rady Children’s and an assistant professor of surgery at UC San Diego.
A Team That Thinks Differently
Since 2018, the hospital’s 3D program has grown from a small room into a high-volume operation, producing more than 2,800 models for over 2,000 patients. The team includes individuals with backgrounds in video game design, virtual reality, music and software development.
Their custom-built software, ArcViewer, allows clinicians to view 3D reconstructions with ease. It’s now used in more than 22 countries and is being considered for open-source release, which could expand access to hospitals worldwide.
Why It Matters for Kids and Families
Children aren’t just smaller versions of adults. Kids have unique anatomy and growth patterns, and 3D modeling allows for the level of personalization that’s critical in pediatric care. It helps kids get back to being kids—faster.
And it’s not just about surgery.
The team is also exploring virtual reality (VR) for patient planning, education and even entertainment. These immersive tools help make complex conditions easier to understand for both families and care teams.
Leading the Way
Few children’s hospitals have a dedicated team with such diverse expertise, and even fewer have the infrastructure to support innovation at this scale.
As the program expands, its reach will only continue to grow. The organization’s ability to navigate complex challenges reflects a deep commitment to innovation and forward-thinking care.
This isn’t just about technology. It’s about making care more human, more understandable and more effective.
And that’s something worth celebrating.
Did you know?
Some families are now requesting their child’s 3D data sets—similar to receiving a CT scan on a CD—and using home 3D printers to create models for art projects or personal exploration.