Patient-Specific Medical Devices and Healthcare Additive Manufacturing
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is allowing for the creation of highly customized medical devices tailored specifically for individual patients. By using medical imaging and computer modeling, doctors can 3D print implants that are a perfect match for a patient's anatomy. This level of precision wasn't possible with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printed implants have already benefitted patients in areas such as orthopedics, where titanium bones, joints and facial structures are printed based on a patient's CT scan data. The ultimate goal is also to 3D print entire organs from a patient's own cells which could revolutionize organ transplantation.
Streamlining Surgical Planning and Practice
3D printing makes it possible for surgeons to print life-size anatomical models using a patient's medical scans prior to surgery. This allows for intricate pre-operative planning and practice on the customized models. Surgeons are able to evaluate complex cases, visualize anatomy, plan incision points and tool access before even making the first incision on a live patient. 3D printed anatomical models are especially useful for complex pediatric cases where surgical precision is critical. They reduce operating times and risks of complications. Healthcare Additive Manufacturing are also using 3D printed body parts for surgical simulation training.
Speeding Drug Development and Cutting Costs
The pharmaceutical industry is actively exploring applications of 3D bioprinting to create tissue constructs suitable for drug testing. Instead of using animal or human trials, researchers hope to print human tissues and mini-organs that can be used to study disease progression and drug responses in a controlled laboratory environment. This has potential to dramatically accelerate development timelines and significantly cut costs associated with traditional clinical trials. Some early successes include 3D printing of skin, blood vessels and liver tissues that mimic human physiology.
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