[INTERVIEW] 3D Printing at Boston Children’s Hospital: Engineering the Future of Pediatric Surgery
Inside Boston Children’s Hospital, 3D printing and digital planning are “transforming” pediatric care. The 156-year-old institution uses Materialise’s Mimics software to turn two-dimensional patient scans into detailed 3D models, streamlining preoperative planning and enhancing surgical outcomes.
Dr. David Hoganson, a pediatric cardiac surgeon at the Massachusetts-based health center, called 3D technology a “total game-changer” for clinicians. Speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025, he outlined his role in leading the hospital’s Cardiovascular 3D Modelling and Simulation Program.
Mimics has become part of routine care at Boston Children’s Benderson Family Heart Center. Since 2018, the Program’s engineers and clinicians have created over 1,600 patient-specific 3D models. Last year alone, the team made 483 models, which accounted for about 50% of its Operating Room surgical cases.
During Materialise’s healthcare forum, I spoke with Dr. Hoganson about his unique path from biomedical engineering to clinical practice. The Temple University graduate outlined how 3D modeling is no longer a futuristic add-on but an essential tool transforming the precision and planning of modern surgery.
He revealed the tangible benefits of Mimics modelling versus traditional medical imaging, emphasizing how intraoperative 3D planning can reduce heart surgery complications by up to 87%. Looking to the future of healthcare, Dr. Hoganson discussed the need for more seamless clinical integration, validation, and financial reimbursement to increase adoption.
Dr. David Hoganson speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo via Materialise.
From the factory floor to the operating theater
When Dr. Hoganson began his career, it wasn’t in an operating room but on the factory floor. He started as a biomedical engineer, developing cardiovascular medical devices for two years, before transitioning to medicine.
This pedigree has been instrumental in shaping Boston Children’s 3D Modeling and Simulation Program, which was co-founded by University of New Hampshire Mechanical Engineering graduate Dr. Peter Hammer. The team has grown to include 17 engineers and one clinical nurse. “It has been an engineering-focused effort from the beginning,” explained Dr. Hoganson. He emphasized that the team prioritizes using “advanced engineering analysis” to plan and conduct ultra-precise operations.
Dr. Hoganson believes this engineering focus challenges the structured nature of clinical medicine. “The mindset of medicine is much more focused on doing things the way we were taught,” he explains. In contrast, engineering embraces constant iteration, creating space for innovation and rethinking established practices.
He argued that engineers are not “held back by the way medicine has always been done,” which makes them an invaluable asset in clinical settings. When engineers deeply understand clinical challenges and apply their analytical skills, they often uncover solutions that physicians may not have considered, he added. These range from optimized surgical workflows to entirely new approaches to preoperative planning. For Dr. Hoganson, the “secret sauce” lies in collaboration and ensuring “zero distance between the engineers and the problem.”
Dr. David Hoganson speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo via Materialise.
3D printing and digital planning enhance surgical outcomes
In pediatric cardiac surgery, speed matters. According to Dr. Hoganson, this is why digital 3D modeling takes priority in pre-operative planning and intraoperative guidance. Materialise’s Mimics software streamlines this process. Users can import CT and MRI data, which is automatically transformed into detailed, interactive 3D models. Surgeons can then run simulations and apply computational fluid dynamics to forecast the most effective treatment strategies.
Boston Children’s 3D simulation lead described these capabilities as offering “tremendous benefits” beyond what traditional imaging alone can provide. Traditional scans are viewed in stacks of two-dimensional slices. Whereas, Mimics 3D models offer virtual segmentation, interior views, and precise spatial mapping. Dr. Hoganson called this a “difference maker” and “totally transformational” for surgeons.
Dr. Hoganson’s team uses this technology to perform a range of complex cardiovascular repairs, such as reconstructing aortic and mitral valves, closing ventricular septal defects, and augmenting blood vessels, including pulmonary arteries and aortas. Materialise Mimics’ value is not limited to preoperative preparation. It also guides surgical procedures. During operations, clinicians can interact with the models using repurposed gaming controllers, allowing them to explore and isolate anatomical features in the operating theater.
One key breakthrough has been identifying and mapping the heart’s electrical system, which governs its rhythm. By integrating 3D modelling into intraoperative planning, surgeons have significantly reduced the risk of heart block, where electrical signals are delayed as they pass through the organ. With the help of Mimics software, incidence rates have fallen from 40% to as low as 5% in some cases.
Given the advantages of digital modelling, surgeons might be tempted to sideline physical 3D printing altogether. However, Dr. Hoganson insists additive manufacturing remains vital to refining surgical workflows. His team conducts a “tremendous amount of 3D printing,” creating patient-specific anatomical models, mostly with a resin-based Formlabs system. These models allow clinicians to test and validate plans in the lab before donning their scrubs.
Boston Children’s has sharpened its surgical edge by using materials that closely replicate the mechanical properties of target tissues. This allows the team to 3D print anatomical models tailored to each child’s size, age, and physical makeup.
For instance, Dr. Hoganson’s team can fabricate neonatal-sized aortas and pulmonary arteries that replicate the texture and elasticity of an infant’s vessels. Developed over several years, this approach enables accurate simulation of complex procedures, such as patch enlargement of pulmonary arteries. The team conducts rigorous preclinical testing by combining anatomical precision with lifelike tissue mechanics.
Dr. Hoganson explained that in-depth testing is crucial for refining techniques, reducing surgical risk, and minimizing complications in pediatric patients. This, in turn, slashes healthcare costs as fewer children spend extended time in the ICU following procedures. 3D planning and simulation empower surgeons to “do things right the first time, so we can reduce those reinterventions and complications,” Dr. Hoganson added.
Dr. David Hoganson demonstrating cardiovascular 3D models at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.
Overcoming challenges to adoption in hospitals
What key challenges are limiting clinical adoption of 3D technology? For Dr. Hoganson, cost remains a critical barrier. “Having the efforts reimbursed will be a very important piece of this,” he explained. “That enables teams to grow and have the manpower to do it,” when 3D planning is clinically necessary. In the US, medical reimbursement involves a long path to approval. But progress is being made. His team has started billing successfully for some aspects of the work, marking an “encouraging start” toward broader systemic change.
Adoption also hinges on easier integration into existing workflows. Dr. Hoganson noted that if 3D technology adds efforts and time to procedures, it won’t be chosen over existing methods. Therefore, “the more streamlined you can make the whole process for the physician, the more likely they are to adopt it.”
In response to these demands, Boston Children’s 3D Modelling and Simulation Program has designed a system that feels familiar to surgeons. “It’s not just about providing the technical aspects of the 3D model,” added Dr. Hoganson. “It’s about integrating the whole process into the clinical workflow in a way that works for the clinician.”
His team works at the center of these efforts, ensuring “there’s almost no barrier of entry to find and use the model they need.” Dr. Hoganson claims to have simplified the process to the stage where it looks and feels like regular medical care, removing the mystique and misconceptions around 3D technology. “There’s nothing special about it anymore,” he added. “That’s been a huge step towards this technology being a part of routine medical care.”
Boston Children’s integration strategy is working. The team expects to use 3D models in around 60% of heart surgeries this year. However, making 3D technology a standard of care has not been easy. Dr. Horganson said, “It has taken a very diligent effort to remove those barriers.”
In the broader tech space, 3D printing has sometimes suffered from overpromising and underdelivering, a pattern Dr. David Hoganson is keen to avoid. “We’ve tried to be extremely transparent with what is and is not being delivered,” he added. That clarity is crucial for building trust. A 3D model alone, for instance, serves a vital but defined role: enhanced visualization and preoperative measurements. Hoganson emphasized that 3D printing is not a miracle cure, but another tool in a surgeon’s toolbox.
For Boston Children’s, the future of 3D printing in healthcare lies beyond static models. Dr. Horganson believes additive manufacturing will be a basis for “taking the next step and impacting how surgery is conducted, and how precisely and perfectly it’s done the first time.”
Over the next eighteen months, Dr. Hoganson’s team will double down on demonstrating how preoperative 3D modeling translates into better surgical procedures. This will include measuring outcomes from surgeries using 3D technology and assessing whether predictions have matched surgical results. He believes validating outcomes will be an “important step forward” in moving 3D modeling from supportive technology to an indispensable clinical standard.
The number of patient-specific digital 3D models created annually at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Benderson Family Heart Center since 2018. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.
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Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows Dr. David Hoganson speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo via Materialise.
#interview #printing #boston #childrens #hospital[INTERVIEW] 3D Printing at Boston Children’s Hospital: Engineering the Future of Pediatric Surgery
Inside Boston Children’s Hospital, 3D printing and digital planning are “transforming” pediatric care. The 156-year-old institution uses Materialise’s Mimics software to turn two-dimensional patient scans into detailed 3D models, streamlining preoperative planning and enhancing surgical outcomes.
Dr. David Hoganson, a pediatric cardiac surgeon at the Massachusetts-based health center, called 3D technology a “total game-changer” for clinicians. Speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025, he outlined his role in leading the hospital’s Cardiovascular 3D Modelling and Simulation Program.
Mimics has become part of routine care at Boston Children’s Benderson Family Heart Center. Since 2018, the Program’s engineers and clinicians have created over 1,600 patient-specific 3D models. Last year alone, the team made 483 models, which accounted for about 50% of its Operating Room surgical cases.
During Materialise’s healthcare forum, I spoke with Dr. Hoganson about his unique path from biomedical engineering to clinical practice. The Temple University graduate outlined how 3D modeling is no longer a futuristic add-on but an essential tool transforming the precision and planning of modern surgery.
He revealed the tangible benefits of Mimics modelling versus traditional medical imaging, emphasizing how intraoperative 3D planning can reduce heart surgery complications by up to 87%. Looking to the future of healthcare, Dr. Hoganson discussed the need for more seamless clinical integration, validation, and financial reimbursement to increase adoption.
Dr. David Hoganson speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo via Materialise.
From the factory floor to the operating theater
When Dr. Hoganson began his career, it wasn’t in an operating room but on the factory floor. He started as a biomedical engineer, developing cardiovascular medical devices for two years, before transitioning to medicine.
This pedigree has been instrumental in shaping Boston Children’s 3D Modeling and Simulation Program, which was co-founded by University of New Hampshire Mechanical Engineering graduate Dr. Peter Hammer. The team has grown to include 17 engineers and one clinical nurse. “It has been an engineering-focused effort from the beginning,” explained Dr. Hoganson. He emphasized that the team prioritizes using “advanced engineering analysis” to plan and conduct ultra-precise operations.
Dr. Hoganson believes this engineering focus challenges the structured nature of clinical medicine. “The mindset of medicine is much more focused on doing things the way we were taught,” he explains. In contrast, engineering embraces constant iteration, creating space for innovation and rethinking established practices.
He argued that engineers are not “held back by the way medicine has always been done,” which makes them an invaluable asset in clinical settings. When engineers deeply understand clinical challenges and apply their analytical skills, they often uncover solutions that physicians may not have considered, he added. These range from optimized surgical workflows to entirely new approaches to preoperative planning. For Dr. Hoganson, the “secret sauce” lies in collaboration and ensuring “zero distance between the engineers and the problem.”
Dr. David Hoganson speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo via Materialise.
3D printing and digital planning enhance surgical outcomes
In pediatric cardiac surgery, speed matters. According to Dr. Hoganson, this is why digital 3D modeling takes priority in pre-operative planning and intraoperative guidance. Materialise’s Mimics software streamlines this process. Users can import CT and MRI data, which is automatically transformed into detailed, interactive 3D models. Surgeons can then run simulations and apply computational fluid dynamics to forecast the most effective treatment strategies.
Boston Children’s 3D simulation lead described these capabilities as offering “tremendous benefits” beyond what traditional imaging alone can provide. Traditional scans are viewed in stacks of two-dimensional slices. Whereas, Mimics 3D models offer virtual segmentation, interior views, and precise spatial mapping. Dr. Hoganson called this a “difference maker” and “totally transformational” for surgeons.
Dr. Hoganson’s team uses this technology to perform a range of complex cardiovascular repairs, such as reconstructing aortic and mitral valves, closing ventricular septal defects, and augmenting blood vessels, including pulmonary arteries and aortas. Materialise Mimics’ value is not limited to preoperative preparation. It also guides surgical procedures. During operations, clinicians can interact with the models using repurposed gaming controllers, allowing them to explore and isolate anatomical features in the operating theater.
One key breakthrough has been identifying and mapping the heart’s electrical system, which governs its rhythm. By integrating 3D modelling into intraoperative planning, surgeons have significantly reduced the risk of heart block, where electrical signals are delayed as they pass through the organ. With the help of Mimics software, incidence rates have fallen from 40% to as low as 5% in some cases.
Given the advantages of digital modelling, surgeons might be tempted to sideline physical 3D printing altogether. However, Dr. Hoganson insists additive manufacturing remains vital to refining surgical workflows. His team conducts a “tremendous amount of 3D printing,” creating patient-specific anatomical models, mostly with a resin-based Formlabs system. These models allow clinicians to test and validate plans in the lab before donning their scrubs.
Boston Children’s has sharpened its surgical edge by using materials that closely replicate the mechanical properties of target tissues. This allows the team to 3D print anatomical models tailored to each child’s size, age, and physical makeup.
For instance, Dr. Hoganson’s team can fabricate neonatal-sized aortas and pulmonary arteries that replicate the texture and elasticity of an infant’s vessels. Developed over several years, this approach enables accurate simulation of complex procedures, such as patch enlargement of pulmonary arteries. The team conducts rigorous preclinical testing by combining anatomical precision with lifelike tissue mechanics.
Dr. Hoganson explained that in-depth testing is crucial for refining techniques, reducing surgical risk, and minimizing complications in pediatric patients. This, in turn, slashes healthcare costs as fewer children spend extended time in the ICU following procedures. 3D planning and simulation empower surgeons to “do things right the first time, so we can reduce those reinterventions and complications,” Dr. Hoganson added.
Dr. David Hoganson demonstrating cardiovascular 3D models at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.
Overcoming challenges to adoption in hospitals
What key challenges are limiting clinical adoption of 3D technology? For Dr. Hoganson, cost remains a critical barrier. “Having the efforts reimbursed will be a very important piece of this,” he explained. “That enables teams to grow and have the manpower to do it,” when 3D planning is clinically necessary. In the US, medical reimbursement involves a long path to approval. But progress is being made. His team has started billing successfully for some aspects of the work, marking an “encouraging start” toward broader systemic change.
Adoption also hinges on easier integration into existing workflows. Dr. Hoganson noted that if 3D technology adds efforts and time to procedures, it won’t be chosen over existing methods. Therefore, “the more streamlined you can make the whole process for the physician, the more likely they are to adopt it.”
In response to these demands, Boston Children’s 3D Modelling and Simulation Program has designed a system that feels familiar to surgeons. “It’s not just about providing the technical aspects of the 3D model,” added Dr. Hoganson. “It’s about integrating the whole process into the clinical workflow in a way that works for the clinician.”
His team works at the center of these efforts, ensuring “there’s almost no barrier of entry to find and use the model they need.” Dr. Hoganson claims to have simplified the process to the stage where it looks and feels like regular medical care, removing the mystique and misconceptions around 3D technology. “There’s nothing special about it anymore,” he added. “That’s been a huge step towards this technology being a part of routine medical care.”
Boston Children’s integration strategy is working. The team expects to use 3D models in around 60% of heart surgeries this year. However, making 3D technology a standard of care has not been easy. Dr. Horganson said, “It has taken a very diligent effort to remove those barriers.”
In the broader tech space, 3D printing has sometimes suffered from overpromising and underdelivering, a pattern Dr. David Hoganson is keen to avoid. “We’ve tried to be extremely transparent with what is and is not being delivered,” he added. That clarity is crucial for building trust. A 3D model alone, for instance, serves a vital but defined role: enhanced visualization and preoperative measurements. Hoganson emphasized that 3D printing is not a miracle cure, but another tool in a surgeon’s toolbox.
For Boston Children’s, the future of 3D printing in healthcare lies beyond static models. Dr. Horganson believes additive manufacturing will be a basis for “taking the next step and impacting how surgery is conducted, and how precisely and perfectly it’s done the first time.”
Over the next eighteen months, Dr. Hoganson’s team will double down on demonstrating how preoperative 3D modeling translates into better surgical procedures. This will include measuring outcomes from surgeries using 3D technology and assessing whether predictions have matched surgical results. He believes validating outcomes will be an “important step forward” in moving 3D modeling from supportive technology to an indispensable clinical standard.
The number of patient-specific digital 3D models created annually at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Benderson Family Heart Center since 2018. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.
Take the 3DPI Reader Survey – shape the future of AM reporting in under 5 minutes.
Read all the 3D printing news from RAPID + TCT 2025
Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows Dr. David Hoganson speaking at the Materialise 3D Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025. Photo via Materialise.
#interview #printing #boston #childrens #hospital
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