Objective: To determine the significance of presurgical planning of three-dimensional (3D) printing for resection of a large abdominal pheochromocytoma (PCC) and paraganglioma (PGL).
Patients and methods: Thirty patients were enrolled in the present study. Groups A and B included 15 patients each. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with a PCC and 9 had a PGL. Twenty-five patients had hypertension; the other 5 patients were shown to have PCCs/PGLs during routine physical examination. Tumors with a maximum diameter > 10 cm were defined as large tumors and included in our study. All patients underwent open surgical procedures. The surgeries in Group A were performed with 3D printing and reconstruction, while the surgeries in Group B were performed without "3D help." Online virtual and printed 3D models were available preoperatively.
Results: The operative time was much shorter in Group A than Group B (152.6 ± 20.1 vs 214.9 ± 29.7 min, P < .001). Greater blood loss was recorded in Group B than Group A (459.6 ± 98.9 vs 196.7 ± 68.8 mL, P < .001). No severe complications (Clavien-Dindo Ⅲ-Ⅴ) occurred in either group. Pneumonia and lower extremity thrombosis were diagnosed in 2 Group A patients. Slow surgical wound healing and blood transfusion were recorded in 4 Group B patients.
Conclusion: Preoperative stereographic 3D printing models were of great value when planning resection of a large PCC/PGL. Specifically, 3D printing models were shown to reduce the operative time and blood loss.
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