"I was 38 minutes with no brain activity," says Joe Bitter, recalling a 2015 incident.

He collapsed one night without warning, and his life thereafter would be much different. Joe, a 69-year-old retired law enforcement officer, avid boater and competitive line dancer, led an active lifestyle with his wife and two children.

Watch: How a 3D model, surgery helped a Florida father avoid a heart transplant.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video natural sound pkg (2:15) is available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"My biggest concern was just to stay alive," says Joe.

Joe's doctors near his Vero Beach, Fla. home repaired one of his heart's valves and implanted a defibrillator to monitor and restore regular heart rhythm. But by 2019, his heart was again in distress.

"My defibrillator hit me and brought me back right away. But when it did, the wire moved and caused the damage to my heart," says Joe.

Joe, who was uncertain if he would live to the next holiday celebration with his family, was told a transplant was his only option. So he reached out to Mayo Clinic.

"Mayo was the very top and No. 1 in the state. I figured if anybody could do anything to help me, they could," says Joe.

An early appointment with a Mayo Clinic sonographer led to another concerning discovery.

"She identified another minute leak in my heart that wasn't supposed to be there. Had she missed that, I wouldn't be talking about this today," says Joe.

He had a hole between two chambers of his heart and a second hole that led outside his heart.

"Blood was pooled outside of the heart, which is a very dangerous situation. He also had a couple of valves that were very leaky," says Dr. Parag Patel, a Transplantation Medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic and a member of Joe's care team.

After reviewing the complex issues at hand, the team printed a 3D model of Joe's heart to prepare the strategy forward.

"Doctors could see my heart in their hands before they even opened me up. And it was amazing that they would do this for me," says Joe.

Surgery in August 2020 focused on fixing Joe's heart, helping him avoid a transplant.

"My recovery was unbelievable. I went from hardly being able to move the one day to the next day to every day looking like I was making a week's improvement every 24 hours," says Joe.

Weeks after leaving the hospital, Joe and his wife, Susan Bitter, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. It was a joyful day the couple didn't think they would see.

"Joy because that's what it is. That's what it's all about. That one little thing in life, I mean, to be able to go from where you think you might not make it through the day, and then to be able to," says Susan.

As his health improved, Joe returned to the water ― fishing and even buying a new boat. His progress has also affected Dr. Patel.

"The best thing is seeing Mr. Bitter in clinic every couple of months and we've gotten to the point where we're not always talking about the medical issues. We've gotten to the point where we're talking about, 'How's life?'" says Dr. Patel.

A life Joe has reclaimed.

"I've already got this extra time, and I would try everything I possibly could to keep my life so I could still be here to take care of my family," says Joe.

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed. Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. ― To help in educating the public and in the hope of better conveying the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 3D Anatomic Modeling Lab at Mayo Clinic in Rochester has printed a 3D model of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infection.

Jonathan Morris, M.D., medical director of the 3D Anatomic Modeling Lab at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, says because the virus cannot be seen with the naked eye, it may not be perceived by some as a real threat.

"This may be a vital tool for colleagues to really drive home the seriousness of this virus. A picture is worth a thousand words, and a model is worth a thousand pictures," Dr. Morris says. "What we've seen through our 3D printing practice is that models help people fundamentally understand something they just couldn't through pictures. We believe this could do the same for people who maybe aren't convinced yet about the seriousness of the virus and the importance of self-isolation."

He also envisions Mayo's infectious diseases experts using the model to describe how SARS-CoV-2 causes infections.

"This model may help better explain how the virus works and what it is doing in the body, and why it's important to limit our contact with others," he adds. "We still have people doing public gatherings, even here in Minnesota ― people who are not taking this seriously like they should. And having a 3D-printed representation of this deadly virus could help folks grasp how important it is right now while there is still time to 'flatten the curve.'"

The 3D Anatomic Modeling Labs at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Rochester have used 3D printers to produce hands-free door openers for use around Mayo Clinic, and the lab at Mayo Clinic in Florida is working on doing the same.

Check the CDC website for additional updates on COVID-19.
For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news and An Inside Look at Mayo Clinic for more information about Mayo.

Media contact: Ethan Grove, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, newsbureau@mayo.edu

Below are photo images available to the media.

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On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Timothy Moynihan, an emeritus oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss lifestyle and cancer risk. Also on the program, Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how 3D printing is being used by surgeons to prepare for complex procedures. And we'll have a conversation with Dr. John Noseworthy, Mayo Clinic's president and CEO, who is retiring at year's end.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

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Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Lifestyle and cancer risk appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Timothy Moynihan, an emeritus oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss lifestyle and cancer risk. Also on the program, Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how 3D printing is being used by surgeons to prepare for complex procedures. And we'll have a conversation with Dr. John Noseworthy, Mayo Clinic's president and CEO, who is retiring at year's end.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

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Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

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Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Lifestyle and cancer risk / 3D printing / a conversation with Dr. John Noseworthy appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: Using 3-D-printed models to prepare and plan for surgery is becoming more common. These life-size, patient-specific models can be valuable tools for surgeons as they decide what approach and techniques will be best for a specific surgery. The models are particularly helpful for procedures that may be new, uncommon or complex. These 3-D models also play an important role in education.

The models are created with a printing press that takes information from a patient’s imaging scans, such as a CT or an MRI. Then, layer by layer, this printing press produces a 3-D model of the patient’s anatomy. Typically, the models are made from a type of polymer or plastic. In some cases, 3-D models are fashioned out of soft material, so surgeons can practice the surgical technique on the model first — an approach that can increase accuracy during the procedure.

Because 3-D models are life-size, they recreate a patient’s individual anatomy. Therefore, surgeons can hold and rotate the models in their hands to get a better sense of how they need to position a patient on the table during the operation, and determine where they should make surgical incisions. Surgeons also can determine whether there may be different surgical approaches they hadn’t thought of or didn’t think were possible when they were studying the case on traditional two-dimensional imaging. Examining 3-D models frequently reveals quirks of a patient’s anatomy that change the course of the surgery.

The technology often is used for surgeries that involve the head and neck. It can be especially helpful when planning complex facial or airway reconstruction. The 3-D models also are becoming more common for a range of other surgeries, including heart and lung surgery, joint reconstruction, and tumor resections.

In addition, 3-D models take away some of the unknowns that otherwise could be part of a surgical procedure, and having these models facilitates communication among the surgical team. The 3-D models also can serve as teaching tools for surgical trainees. And they aid in patient education, too. Before patients undergo surgery, they can view their 3-D models. Seeing an anatomically correct model of their inner structures gives patients a better sense of what’s going to happen during surgery.

There are some drawbacks to using these models. The printing process is slow, and it can be expensive. A small model may take four to six hours to create, while a large, complex model might take up to 24 hours. Using the models requires additional time for planning and preparation before a surgical procedure. Not all health care organizations have the resources needed to offer 3-D printing and models, though the technology is becoming less expensive and more accessible over time. But, overall, the potential that 3-D models have for improving surgical outcomes is vast and far outweighs the drawbacks.

Eventually, it may be possible to routinely use this technology not only to produce models of a patient’s anatomy, but also to make custom-designed structures to be implanted into patients during surgery. For example, a 3-D printer could produce a stent that would fit precisely into a patient’s heart, or a tailored endotracheal tube could be created for a patient who needs long-term breathing assistance. A few cases of 3-D-printed airway stents have been reported. In some cases, 3-D technology already is aiding in the creation of artificial joints and other implants customized to individual patients. In short, the future of 3-D printing for surgery looks promising indeed. — Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Timothy Moynihan, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss lifestyle and cancer risk. Also on the program, Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how 3-D printing is being used by surgeons to prepare for complex procedures. And Dr. Win-Kuang Shen, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain why people faint.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Lifestyle choices affect cancer risk: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Timothy Moynihan, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss lifestyle and cancer risk. Also on the program, Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how 3-D printing is being used by surgeons to prepare for complex procedures. And Dr. Win-Kuang Shen, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain why people faint.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Lifestyle choices affect cancer risk appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Timothy Moynihan, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss lifestyle and cancer risk. Also on the program, Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how 3-D printing is being used by surgeons to prepare for complex procedures. And Dr. Win-Kuang Shen, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain why people faint.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Lifestyle and cancer risk / 3-D printing / why people faint appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic’s 3-D anatomic modeling program continues to expand — stretching across multiple rooms in Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester, Saint Marys Campus, and down to Mayo Clinic’s Arizona and Florida campuses. And for 10 days, it also will reach into downtown Rochester.

From June 12-28, a display in Hage Atrium in the subway level of the Siebens Building will feature the history and geographical and departmental reach of 3-D anatomic modeling at Mayo Clinic. The public can view the display weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CDT.

The display puts into perspective the years of work that have touched nearly every medical specialty at Mayo.

“We know how many models the lab has produced, but it’s hard to imagine the breadth of it until you see the sampling we have here in this display,” says Jane Matsumoto, M.D., co-director of the 3-D modeling lab in Rochester. “In getting this historical perspective of the practice, you start to see the evolution. It’s really fascinating to see the first models we did and compare them with the models we are doing now.”

None of this would be possible, though, were it not for the medical need for personalized patient care, and the enthusiasm of the physicians and surgeons who request the models, says Jonathan Morris, M.D., who also is co-director of the Rochester lab. “The first model we did was requested by the surgeons who were going to be separating conjoined twins. They needed this next-level visualization of the patients’ anatomy to better see and plan out the complex surgery.”

The models have been — and are — used in diagnoses, surgical planning and prep, and in some cases a rehearsal before a surgery. Each is unique, representing a specific patient’s anatomy. After resection, surface scanning technology employed in anatomic pathology can be used to capture a 3-D image of the specimen to help understand the surgical margins, best dissection technique, and in medical education. These surface scanned models reproduce a specimen so vividly that they are unparalleled educational tools for patients and healthcare providers alike.

“Medicine is very visual, and 3-D models represent another way to look inside a patient, look at disease,” Dr. Morris says. “It takes a 3-D image on a two-dimensional surface and makes it real. Surgeons can hold, manipulate and see a specific patient’s anatomy with a clarity that cannot be replicated in two dimensions on a computer. This, in turn, shows them the path the surgery should take.”

The demand for 3-D models has led to an expansion of the program to Mayo’s Arizona and Florida campuses, with Rahmi Oklu, M.D., Ph.D., and Robert Pooley, Ph.D., respectively, leading the new labs.

“We are excited about our 3-D printing services here in Florida and hope to continue to expand capability,” Dr. Pooley says. The Departments of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Anatomy are working hard to incorporate 3-D scanning and printing into the medical school curriculum. The technology offers the possibility to replicate rare and unusual specimens only available at the Rochester campus and make the available to students at other sites.

Dr. Oklu says his Arizona lab has produced more than 50 models. “I’m excited about the work we’ve done so far, and looking forward to taking our program to the next level,” he says.

“With these patient-specific models, we are able to provide integrated, high-quality care to patients with tumors, fractures, malformations and more,” Dr. Matsumoto says. “This program really brings people together across specialties. It shows there are no boundaries.”

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Ethan Grove, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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Mayo Clinic doctors diagnosed Michael with a rare form of lung cancer known as Pancoast tumor, a condition so rare that Mayo Clinic has only seen 60 cases in the past 20 years.

With the 3-D model of Michael’s lung and the tumor, his doctors were armed with all the information they needed to plan a course of action prior to his surgery.

“We frequently have an orthopedic surgeon, a vascular surgeon and me, all involved in a Pancoast tumor resection,” says Shanda Blackmon, M.D., a Mayo Clinic thoracic surgeon. “When that’s the case, there’s nothing better than having the model for the whole team to meet around and plan the case.”

Dr. Blackmon says the 3-D model helped eliminate any surprises by showing the team exactly how Michael’s large tumor was wrapped around several critical nerves and blood vessels.

The surgical team was able to remove the tumor with a minimally invasive surgery, and in just three days, Michael was able to go home.

“It is unbelievable,” says Michael, also known as Michael Slag, M.D., a practicing endocrinologist. “I was walking the first night after surgery. If I had my chest split open, I would probably be in the ICU, and it would probably be a whole different experience.”

Watch the video detailing Dr. Slag's story and what went into producing the 3-D model of his tumor below:

HELPFUL LINKS

• Learn more about the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.
• Explore the Department of Diagnostic Radiology.
• See more stories on the Mayo Clinic News Network.
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