IMPACT OF 3D-PRINTED MODELS FOR SURGICAL PLANNING IN RENAL CELL CARCINOMA WITH VENOUS TUMOR THROMBUS. A RANDOMISED MULTICENTER CLINICAL TRIAL.

Purpose: To determine whether surgical planning based on 3D models allows for better surgical outcomes than conventional surgical planning in terms of 1) complications, 2) surgical time, and 3) hospital stay.

Materials and methods: This multicenter clinical trial (NCT03738488) included 66 patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma and venous thrombus extension who underwent nephrectomy with thrombectomy. Patients were randomized 1:1 to: 1) surgical planning with conventional images (control group) and 2) surgical planning with 3D-printed models (experimental group). We compared the surgical outcomes of each group in terms of 1) complications, 2) surgical time and 3) hospital stay.

Results: The mean surgical time and the mean hospital stay was similar between the groups, although there were more patients with no ICU stay in the 3D group 17 (52%) than in the image group (OR: 3.32 (1.16-9.48)) . There were more patients without any complications in the 3D group (n=18) (OR: 5,40 (1,16-16,53), and among those with complications, there were more severe in the imaging group (n=16) (OR: 20,46 (2,33-178,20)).

Conclusions: Surgical planning with 3D printing in renal cell carcinoma and venous thrombus extension compared to conventional planning showed a lower ratio of postoperative complications that helped decrease the ICU stay.