WELL, THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY, YOU KNOW: London doctors are first in the world to print a 3D heart model.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a honorary consultant cardiologist, said the technology was useful in invasive heart procedures and in and treating heart rhythm disturbances in patients born with congenital heart disease.

She said: “Firstly, surgeons and other clinical team members are able to better grasp how a patient’s heart is affected by their condition. This leads to better care and allows us to diagnose and repair conditions with less need for invasive diagnostic procedures.

“Secondly, a 3D model can be a huge help with the communication between the clinical team and the patient. A 3D visual representation of the heart is so much clearer than anything we could put in to words.”

How long before doctors are able to 3D print a self-contained artificial heart?