Objective  To explore the validity, effectiveness, and clinical value of 3D printing guide plate technique-mediated brain tumor stereotactic tissue biopsy.

  Methods  Twelve patients who underwent stereotactic biopsy using a 3D printing guide plate between January 2022 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital. The maximum dimensional diameter was 15-63 mm (mean, 28.7 mm). Before the operation, all patients underwent head plain and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and CT perfusion imaging (layer thickness=1.25 mm). CT images in the DICOM format were transferred and analyzed using the Mimics 19.0 software. The 3D images were reconstructed, the target delineation and puncture channel were outlined, and the 3D guide plates were finally printed. The surgical anesthesia was general in 10 patients and local in two patients. The 3D guide plates were placed according to the nasal root and brow arch landmarks, and pathological tissues were obtained and sent for examination at multiple points according to the planned puncture trajectory. All patients underwent head CT after the operation.

  Results  Postoperative CT imaging suggested that the puncture reached the planned target site accurately in all patients. The operation time was approximately 75-80 min for the 10 patients with general anesthesia and 40 min and 35 min for the two patients with local anesthesia, respectively. One patient had acute intraoperative bleeding, but no hematoma was formed after adequate drainage by changing the head position, six had micro-hematoma formation (<1 mL), eight had a mild edema reaction zone (<3 mm), and three had a mild headache. The postoperative pathology was glioma in five patients, metastasis in three (lung cancer in two and breast cancer in one), lymphoma in three, and demyelination in one.

  Conclusions  The 3D printing guide plate-mediated stereotactic tissue biopsy technique is not only accurate and safe, but also has the advantages of a simple operation procedure, saving time, decreasing patient distress, flexible body location, and is inexpensive.