Low-cost 3D-printed heart models aim to transform surgical training worldwide

Each year, an estimated 1.3 million children are born with congenital heart disease — structural problems in the heart present at birth, including defects such as holes between chambers or abnormal blood vessels. For many, survival depends on complex surgery within the first year of life.

But access to that care is far from equal. In high-income countries, cardiac centers are relatively common. In lower-resource regions, they are not. The result is a stark disparity: millions of children lack access to timely, specialized treatment. That gap is what a team of medical students in the Texas A&M University School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) program is working to close.

Through its initiative, Hearts in Hand, the team — led by third-year students Reagan Oliphant, Jason Schutt, Quinn Smith and Magdalyn Snyder — is developing low-cost, 3D-printed silicone models of congenital heart defects designed to improve surgical training in low-resource settings. The models allow surgeons to practice complex procedures before entering the operating room and are paired with a self-guided curriculum.

Training beyond short-term missions

The project was started by Dr. Christine Lannon, a 2025 EnMed graduate who was inspired by her experiences on cardiothoracic medical mission trips. She saw firsthand how visiting teams worked to perform as many surgeries as possible in a short time, leaving limited opportunity for training local providers.

Hearts in Hand is designed to extend the impact of those lifesaving missions by creating a sustainable training model that allows local surgeons in low-resource regions to build surgical skills and continue treating patients long after visiting teams leave.

For surgeons, practicing before a surgery can make a critical difference. The ability to handle and closely inspect the models helps bridge the gap between textbook diagrams and real-world anatomy, particularly in settings where access to simulation tools is limited.

“These conditions can seem straightforward on paper, but when you actually go to perform the surgery, there are all these technical challenges you can’t fully understand until you’re doing it,” Smith said.

Even a procedure as conceptually simple as repairing a hole in the heart can quickly become more complex in practice.

 “As soon as you cut into the heart, the wall you just opened can shift into your field of view,” Smith said. “Those things are impossible to get a feel for unless you have some kind of accurate representation or you’re doing the real thing.”

Building a realistic, low-cost model

To re-create that experience, the team developed a multi-step process using 3D-printed molds derived from medical imaging and silicone to mimic the look and feel of real cardiac tissue.

Schutt said the models have gone through multiple iterations over the past two and a half years, incorporating feedback from surgeons at Texas Children’s Hospital and partners abroad, as well as guidance from Assistant Dean of Engineering Education Dr. John S. Wilson, a physician and biomedical engineer with expertise in cardiovascular mechanics and imaging. Adjustments have included making the hearts smaller, more flexible and more realistic.

“3D models are so helpful in anatomy. It’s one thing to look at a picture, and it’s another to hold something in your hand,” Schutt said. “Being able to hold a realistic-sized heart and say, ‘OK, this is the angle I have to go at with my instrument,’ or, ‘This valve is going to be less than a centimeter from where I’m needing to stitch,’ that’s something that can be very valuable to people trying to train in this field.”

Each model is constructed from multiple silicone components that are assembled to re-create specific defects. The team is currently focused on ventricular septal defects — one of the most common congenital heart conditions — but plans to expand to more complex cases.

While similar models exist, they are expensive. Commercial versions can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, while the Hearts in Hand model costs less than $32 to produce. The team does not charge surgeons to use the models or training materials, aiming to make surgical education accessible to anyone who wants to learn.

Expanding access globally

The product is already reaching surgeons beyond the United States.

The team recently sent 10 heart models to a physician in Nigeria, where they were used at a conference.

“I was taken aback by how excited this Nigerian surgeon was to have these models,” Oliphant said. “He said they’ve never had a cardiac model like this in the entire country. As medical students, we’re realizing as we’re going through our education that we can use the things we know to improve education for people on the other side of the world.”

In addition to training surgeons, the models may also help patients and families better understand complex diagnoses.

“This will help during the informed consent process, so instead of having to just listen to the medical jargon, you can physically lay your eyes on the defect that your child has,” Snyder said.

Looking ahead, the Heart in Hands curriculum is under review, and the team plans to study how the models impact surgical training using validated assessments of both technical skill and confidence. The students also hope to eventually share videos of how the 3D models are made to expand access more widely.