Device Sizing Guided by Echocardiography-Based Three-Dimensional Printing Is Associated with Superior Outcome after Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion.

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion is an alternative to anticoagulation for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. Accurate device sizing is crucial for optimal outcome. Patient-specific LAA models can be created using three-dimensional (3D) printing from 3D transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) images, allowing in vitro model testing for device selection.

Techniques for Stereotactic Neurosurgery: Beyond the Frame, Toward the Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided and Robot-Assisted Approaches.

The development of stereotaxy can be dated back 100 years. However, most stereotactic neurosurgery still relies on the workflow established about half a century ago. With the arrival of computer-assisted navigation, numerous studies to improve the neurosurgical technique have been reported, leading to frameless and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided/verified techniques.