3Deus Dynamics & Marie-Lannelongue Innovation Center: A strategic partnership to significantly advance vascular surgery training through 3D printing

MALIC and 3Deus Dynamics are combining their expertise to develop advanced 3D vascular anatomical models with highly realistic mechanical properties. These models provide training tailored to various levels of expertise, from interns and early-career surgeons to experienced surgeons dealing with complex cases.

A synergy of expertise for surgical training

This collaboration is built on the clinical expertise of MALIC and its teams, led by Benoît Decante, Head of the preclinical research department, and managed by Laure Aubrège, Program Director, along with the technological innovation in silicone 3D printing developed by 3Deus Dynamics. With the support of Professor Stephan Haulon, Professor of Vascular Surgery and Head of the Aortic Center at Marie Lannelongue Hospital, the partners are designing a new generation of simulators that incorporate anatomical models capable of accurately replicating the elasticity, deformation, resistance, and dynamic mechanics of human vascular tissues, thanks to the patented Dynamic Molding technology.

The aim of this collaboration is twofold:

Firstly, to optimize surgical training by offering models adapted to each learning level, from interns to expert surgeons, and enabling the faithful reproduction of human pathologies. The aim is to move vascular surgery training towards more realistic, immersive solutions adapted to all cases, from the most common to the rarest.

Secondly, to standardize the evaluation and validation of vascular medical devices, and offer a reliable and scientifically validated alternative to animal models.

A collaboration initiated during the first edition of the 3Deus Challenge innovation competition

In 2023, Dr. Alexandre Oliny, a vascular surgeon at Marie Lannelongue Hospital, won the 3Deus Challenge, a competition organized by 3Deus Dynamics to support innovation in medicine. His project, 3D-PAM (Printed Aortic Models), aims to develop a vascular surgery simulator incorporating 3D-printed aneurysmal aorta models.

This simulator addresses three major challenges:

• Optimize the evaluation of medical devices while adhering to the 3Rs principle, reducing the use of animal models, and accelerating clinical innovation.
• Improve training by offering both standardized and patient-specific models tailored to different learning levels.
• Train teams under realistic conditions, directly in the hybrid operating room, for full immersion and secure training.

Dr. Oliny, under the supervision of Professor Stephan Haulon and with the MALIC team, is engaged in the co-development of vascular models with the engineers at 3Deus Dynamics. Together, they are refining the performance of 3Deus Dynamics’ advanced models.

Scientifically validated vascular anatomical models for immersive training

Since January 2025, 3Deus models integrated into the simulator have been tested under real conditions at MALIC at Marie Lannelongue Hospital, a pioneering center in surgical simulation that faithfully replicates the conditions of an image-assisted intervention. This environment has provided an ideal setting to assess the biomechanical and sensory fidelity of the models.

They offer improved performance compared to previous models, particularly in terms of deformability, sealing, and radio transparency, even after multiple stent placements. These advancements have enabled the successive placement of different stents in a hybrid operating room, meeting technical requirements while ensuring haptic realism. Although some criteria still need optimization, the initial promising results have contributed to the development of a rigorous functional and technical specification, with qualification and characterization to be carried out during this collaboration.

Towards a new standard for the evaluation and validation of medical devices

With the growing number of training sessions and the reproduction of rare cases, these models will help create a scientifically and clinically validated case bank, aiming to become a gold standard in the evaluation of medical devices. The long-term goal is to gradually replace animal models, reducing their use by 30 to 50%, thanks to the precision and advanced qualification of 3Deus Dynamics models.

“This collaboration fully embodies the vision of 3Deus Dynamics: to leverage 3D printing and material science to address the real challenges of surgical training. With Dynamic Molding, we are pushing the boundaries of biomimetics to offer surgeons simulators of unprecedented fidelity,” said Julien Barthès, CEO of 3Deus Dynamics.

By combining technological innovation and clinical expertise, MALIC and 3Deus Dynamics are paving the way for more immersive training, covering increasingly rare and complex cases, as well as a more ethical and reproducible preclinical evaluation and validation of medical devices. A forward-thinking partnership for increasingly effective vascular surgery.

About 3Deus Dynamics

Founded in 2020, 3Deus Dynamics is revolutionizing 3D printing with its patented Dynamic Molding process, a “zero-gravity” technology that uses a granular medium as a dynamic mold. This environmentally low-impact process allows for the printing of viscoelastic materials (thermoplastics, elastomers, ceramics) without altering their properties, offering unprecedented design freedom. The technology, the result of research conducted at ICBMS (3d.FAB, CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1/INSA Lyon/CPE Lyon), has received support from PULSALYS, Elkem, and the ANR, as well as prestigious awards such as i-Lab (2021), R&D Booster AURA (2022), and EIC Accelerator (2022).

About Marie Lannelongue Hospital and MALIC

Affiliated with the Saint-Joseph Hospital Foundation, Marie Lannelongue Hospital (Le Plessis-Robinson, 92) is a private, non-profit institution recognized for its public utility. It provides comprehensive medical and surgical care, accessible to all without out-of-pocket expenses. The hospital is distinguished by the excellence of its medical teams, the use of cutting-edge technologies, and a Research Department linked to two leading universities. This expertise has earned it national and international recognition, particularly in its areas of excellence: pediatric and adult cardiology, cardiac and thoracic surgery, and vascular medicine and surgery.

In its ongoing drive for innovation, Marie Lannelongue Hospital established the Marie Lannelongue Innovation Center (MALIC), an excellence center dedicated to surgical training through simulation, as well as the design and validation of medical devices. MALIC supports clinicians and researchers in developing new technologies, facilitating the preclinical and clinical validation of medical devices in line with the most demanding regulatory standards. Accredited SESAME-Filière France 2030, MALIC plays a key role in healthcare innovation by structuring immersive teaching pathways.

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