In order to save a little girl's life, doctors produced a 3-D printed replica of her heart, allowing them to study the organ and devise a plan of action before successfully operating on her.

In order to save a four-year-old girl's life, surgeons in Florida turned to 3-D printing for help.

The little girl suffered from anomalous pulmonary venous connection, which caused her veins to pump blood to the incorrect area of her heart.

This condition weakened her immune system. It also made her feel tired and have a hard time breathing.

The child had already undergone previous surgeries, but they all proved to be temporary solutions to the life-threatening problem.

Surgeons at the Miami Children's Hospital used 3-D printing to construct a replica of the girl's heart. The model allowed them to closely inspect the heart to decide how to repair it before entering the operating room.

This particular type of surgery had never been done before in South Florida, and it was imperative to mo