Biomedical Modeling, Inc. in the Press

News: Separation of Conjoined Twins

In the summer of 2002, BMI undertook a most unusual and exciting case - the separation of conjoined twins from Guatemala, Maria Teresa and Maria de Jesus Quiej Alvarez. They were craniopagus twins – joined at the head – and were separated at UCLA on August 6 in a challenging operation. BMI contributed three Biomodels to UCLA for the girls. UCLA and Healing the Children are donating all of the surgical and medical care.

This project pushed the limits of modeling technology in that surgeons wanted both bone (hard tissue) and blood vessels (soft tissue) reproduced together in each Biomodel. One Biomodel was made of each of the twins' skulls, which could be studied separately or combined to provide the surgical team with a replica of the conjoined anatomy. The third Biomodel showed the region where the twins were joined, enabling the surgeons to easily see the architecture of arteries and veins.

The surgical team, headed by Drs. Henry Kawamoto and Jorge Lazareff, included more than 50 medical professionals. BMI’s Biomodels facilitated communication among the members of the team. The plastic surgeons used the Biomodels to plan the separation of the skulls and how to cut skin flaps to cover the girls’ brains. The neurosurgeons used Biomodels in planning the delicate reconstruction of the blood vessels so that each girl ended up with her own complete circulation. Biomodels played a key role in the rehearsal of the surgery and were taken into the OR for consultation during the procedure itself. Dr. Kawamoto felt that the Biomodels had been so valuable that he even called BMI the same day he completed the 23- hour operation.

Maria Theresa and Maria del Jesus are living at home with their family, and growing to be two beautiful, happy children babbling, eating and playing quite normally.

Related articles:

The Daily Bruin:Previously conjoined twins celebrate 10th birthday    Video - Biomodels Aid Conjoined Twins

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News: King Tut Revealed

A CT scan of Tutankhamen’s mummy was carried out in the Valley of the Kings by an all- Egyptian team led by Dr. Zahi Hawass, using a portable CT-scanner provided by the National Geographic Society and Siemens AG. The fragile body of the Pharaoh has lain undisturbed since it was last examined by Howard Carter in 1926, except for X-rays in 1978 and 1988. The CT-scan definitively disproved the popular theory that King Tut had been murdered by a blow to the head.

Khaled El-Said of Biomedical Modeling Inc led one of the three teams asked to reconstruct King Tut’s face. While the other teams used traditional methods of clay sculpture and silicone casting, our team generated digital reconstructions directly from the 1,700 CT images. After separating bone and dry skin structures in the CT scan, computer-generated 3D reconstructions were made of Tutankhamen’s skull.

The Pharaoh was classified as Caucasoid using forensic anthropology techniques, including craniometry. Skeletal and dentition development suggested he was 17-18 years old. Tissue depth markers were placed on the 3D skull to provide guidance for virtual reconstruction of his face. These facial reconstructions were made possible with the help of the Graphic Arts Unit of the Boston Police Department.

Related articles:

The Guardian    Al-Ahram weekly    Press Release    Seattle Times

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News: Matthew Day Jackson's Blockman

2010. BMi is always happy to work with modern artist Matthew Day Jackson in his various artistic ventures. Our most recent work with him revolved around the production of Blockman. BMi contributed to the production of sculpture piece which features a sharp-angle geometric rendering of the artist's skeleton built in rapid prototype expoxy material and embedded in lucite. Blockman was first on display among Jackson's In Search Of exhibit at the Peter Blum Chelsea Gallery in New York City.

Related articles:

The Peter Blum Gallery page featuring Matthew Day Jackson