Laura Laureano had pain in her abdomen and went to her doctor, who performed an ultrasound that showed a concerning lesion in her left kidney.
Laura is from Puerto Rico and has trouble understanding English, which made it extremely challenging to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system — but she knew something was wrong. A second doctor's visit and an MRI later, Laura was referred to BMC urologist Dr. Shaun Wason for surgery to remove a tumor in her kidney.
Despite the shocking diagnosis, Laura felt confident. With the help of a 3D-printed model of Laura’s kidney and tumor, Dr. Wason explained the procedure in detail to Laura and her family. This model, created by Lazarus 3D, was made directly from MRI data and is an exact replica of Laura's kidney — it's made from a material that can be cut and sutured in order to give surgeons, like Dr. Wason, the most realistic experience possible to practice complex procedures.
Laura's sister Emerita appreciated learning from the model and felt relief understanding what was going to happen during her sister’s four-hour procedure. Laura's son was even able to see his mom's kidney and tumor with the aid of immersive virtual reality, which was provided by Lazarus 3D and Tungsten Studios - Animation and Virtual Reality.
Two months after surgery, Laura is doing well and getting ready to go back to work. "I was scared, but Dr. Wason made us feel very comfortable. I felt confident, he took the time to explain the procedure, he was always looking out for me,” she said.