3D visualization for clinics and surgeons

A surgeon has to explain the same thing to two audiences that have nothing in common: peers, at a congress, with nomenclature and technical detail; and a patient, in consultation, in a few minutes and without frightening them. This page brings together what we do for clinics, surgeons and scientific societies, with the specific projects behind it.

Projects we have done for clinics and surgeons

Dr. Ernesto Maria Buccheri — Inner Bra technique. Anatomical 3D visualization of a mastopexy technique developed for the CATBBAS VII congress in Brussels. Dr. Buccheri is a plastic surgeon and director of Ultra Clinic, in Rome and Milan.

The Aesthetic Meet — breast surgery. A 3D medical presentation addressing breast augmentation from a technical, anatomical and functional perspective.

Jordi Mir Clinic. A 3D surgical animation of an abdominoplasty, used both to explain the procedure to the patient in consultation and to present the case to peers. With the same clinic we also developed a project for an international congress in Las Vegas.

Alongside these, bespoke 3D surgery projects, and virtual reality and augmented reality experiences for when a technique is best understood from the inside.

The three uses, and why they are different pieces

A congress of peers. The audience already knows what the result looks like; they want to see what the surgeon does, in which plane and in what order. Here 3D anatomy beats clinical photography and intraoperative video, because it shows the working plane with everything else removed, and because the camera and the pace are decided rather than captured.

The patient consultation. Same technique, different piece: shorter, with fewer structures named, focused on what changes for the person. It is normally another edit of the same 3D material, not another project.

Teaching. Resident training or material for a scientific society. Here the piece can be longer and benefits from being able to stop at a given step, especially if it is delivered as an interactive presentation the speaker controls rather than as a fixed-length video.

Where the limits are

It is worth stating what we do not do, because in this field it matters.

We do not decide the clinical content. We work from the specialist’s own criterion: which planes are involved, what is sutured or repositioned and in what sequence. If something in the script does not hold up visually, or invites a wrong reading, we say so before starting.

We do not use patient images. A 3D model contains no patient, so it carries no consent or privacy question when shown in an auditorium, in a paper or on a website. For presenting a technique, a representative anatomy is also usually clearer than a specific case: the aim is that any surgeon recognises the plane, not that they recognise a patient.

We do not promise outcomes. The piece explains a procedure; it does not claim what it will achieve in a particular person. That is medical judgement, and it is yours.

Frequently asked questions from clinics and surgeons

What do I have to provide to start?
The clinical criterion, in whatever form suits you. Sketches, intraoperative photographs or a recording of you explaining the technique out loud are all perfectly useful raw material. A formal document is not required.

Are the anatomical models accurate?
They are based on real anatomical data, which is what makes them usable in front of a specialist audience. The level of detail is defined with the specialist at the script stage, according to what the audience of that specialty expects.

Does it replace the surgical video?
No, and they work well together. The animation explains what should happen and why; the video proves that it happens in a real field. A common structure at a congress is to introduce the technique with the 3D sequence and then show the footage.

How many rounds of review are there?
First a drawn storyboard, to correct shots and framings while correcting is cheap. Then preview images during modelling, to validate anatomy, materials and finishes. Nothing goes to final render until the specialist confirms that what is shown is what they do.

Can it be interactive rather than a video?
Yes. The same anatomy can be delivered as a 3D presentation the speaker controls on stage, stopping at a step or rotating the model to answer a question from the floor. It suits a session with discussion better.

Does it work in any specialty?
The method does not change: identify the plane, remove what obscures it, stage the sequence. What changes is the anatomy that has to be built. The published projects are mostly plastic and breast surgery, but the criterion is the same in other specialties.

What if the technique evolves?
A refinement to one step is usually a partial update: the affected sequence is adjusted and re-rendered while the model and the rest of the piece stay as they are. That matters for a technique presented at successive congresses.

Can you prepare the whole congress presentation too?
Yes, and it is frequent work: The Aesthetic Meet medical presentation on breast surgery is exactly that. The animation can be one piece inside a presentation designed as a whole.

Do you do marketing for the clinic?
No. We do not do strategy, media or social media. We do the 3D visualization. If you work with an agency, we can come in as their production team: we have a dedicated page for agencies.

If you have developed a technique or need to explain a procedure to peers or to patients, tell us about the case and we will say which format makes sense and how long it would take.