Background/Objectives: The application of additive manufacturing in medicine, and specifically in personalised medicine, has achieved notable development. This article aims to present the results and benefits of applying a comprehensive methodology to simulate, plan, and manufacture customised three-dimensional medical prosthetic devices for use in surgery to restore bone structures with congenital and acquired malformations. Methods: To digitally reconstruct a bone structure in three dimensions from a medical image, a segmentation process is developed to correlate the anatomical model. Then, this model is filtered using a post-processing step to generate stereolithography (STL) files, which are rendered using specialised software. The segmentation of tomographic images is achieved by the specific intensity selection, facilitating the analysis of compact and soft tissues within the anatomical region of interest. With the help of a thresholding algorithm, a three-dimensional digital model of the anatomical structure is obtained, ready for printing the required structure. Results: The described cases demonstrate that the use of anatomical test models, cutting guides, and customised prostheses reduces surgical time and hospital stay, and achieves better aesthetic and functional results. Using materials such as polylactic acid (PLA) for presurgical models, appropriate resins for cutting guides, and biocompatible materials such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) for prostheses, the described improvements are achieved. Conclusions: The achievements attained demonstrate the feasibility of applying these techniques, their advantages and their accessibility in Ecuador. They also reinforce the ideas of personalised medicine in the search for medical treatments and procedures tailored to the needs of each patient.

Serie de Casos: Síndrome de Poland Completo vs. Incompleto. Resolución Quirúrgica

This paper describes the results and benefits of applying a comprehensive methodology for simulating and planning surgeries related to the restoration of bone structures damaged by various types of pathologies, through seven clinical success cases. Pre-surgery simulations are performed using 3D printed anatomical test models. In addition, restorations or bone transformations are supported by customised implants manufactured for each case, including customised cutting guides as well. Appropriate polymeric materials are used, and Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is applied as the main additive manufacturing technique to obtain the medical devices. The results demonstrate the feasibility of applying such techniques, their advantages and the possibilities of access to them in Ecuador.

Serie de Casos: Resolución de Patologías con Colgajo Preformado

Caso Clínico: Uso de Biomodelos Tridimensionales para la planificación preoperatoria de Tumores Craneales fronto-orbitarios

Strengthening key competencies in veterinary preclinical education, such as anatomical identification, spatial–visual reasoning, and anatomical–surgical understanding, is essential for effective preclinical learning. In this context, veterinary preclinical education is undergoing a transformation process in which traditional theoretical–practical approaches show limitations in responding to current educational demands, making it necessary to adopt innovative strategies based on active learning and simulation. This study presents a simulation-based educational approach designed to support competency development within preclinical veterinary education. Using a reproducible and low-cost workflow applied to a real canine cranial case of extra-genital transmissible venereal tumor (TVCT) with frontal bone invasion, used exclusively as a teaching scenario. Fourteen veterinary medicine students from the same institution participated in two instructional conditions: Group A received traditional theoretical instruction (including cadaveric specimens) without the use of 3D-printed models, while Group B participated in simulation-based training supported by virtual planning and a 3D-printed cranial model. Learning outcomes are assessed through structured observation and descriptive analysis. A Likert-type survey was also used to assess satisfaction and engagement among students who participated in the model-supported training, as well as to map competencies across cognitive, visual-spatial, and anatomical-surgical reasoning domains, with evaluation conducted by veterinarians with clinical and teaching experience. Descriptive observations indicated that students participating in the simulation-based training engaged in three-dimensional anatomical exploration of cranial anatomy and case-based anatomical-surgical discussion. In addition, survey responses from Group B indicated high levels of engagement and interest, as well as high perceived usefulness of the model-supported training experience. These findings suggest that simulation-based educational frameworks may offer a safe, transferable, and pedagogically valuable strategy for competency development within preclinical veterinary education.