Anika Krishnan
Research Mentor: Mariana Masteling Pereira
Mentor Department: Mechanical Engineering, Engineering
Author(s): Anika Krishnan, Mariana Masteling
Session: Session 3 (11:00 AM – 11:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 123
Abstract
Pelvic floor injuries are common and preventable, affecting up to 90% of women delivering vaginally. Medical professionals require efficient resources to mitigate this prevalent health phenomenon. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of high-quality, flexible 3-D pelvic models and knowledge of this region is limited due its foundation on female cadaveric anatomy. The University of Michigan’s Pelvic Floor Research Group (PFRG) recently finalized 3D pelvic floor anatomical models based on patient MRI scans. The current challenge is creating a physical model that is anatomically correct and mimics the tissues’ physical properties in vivo. This project aims to use computer design and 3-D printing to develop a physical mold of the levator ani muscle, a muscle commonly injured during birth, using models in the PFRG library. To translate the MRI-based STL data into a negative mold, four software environments were tested: SolidWorks, Blender, Meshmixer, and Tinkercad. Software was evaluated on its ability to resolve non-manifold mesh errors and solid conversion difficulties. The mold design uses Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG), where the mesh is subtracted from a solid block. Using Tinkercad, which produced the best result, molds were designed and then printed on a Form 3 printer (Formlabs, Somerville, MA) using Clear or Tough 2000 resin. Split-mold “half-prints†were utilized to validate internal geometry and minimize resin usage. Iterative software testing revealed that parametric CAD and mesh modeling failed to process the muscle’s high-density mesh. However, Tinkercad’s CSG engine successfully executed Boolean mold subtractions (ex: intersections, unions). The 3-D printed “half prints†confirmed that hollow cavities of the muscle curvatures were printed, establishing a print-ready design for future silicone castings. Thus, computer-aided design and 3-D printing can establish a method to create negative molds of the levator ani muscle while maintaining anatomical accuracy in modeling purposes.
