Jul 17, 2023
3D Printing In Medicine And Healthcare: How To Use, Types And Benefits
Thebestwaytopredictthefutureistocreateit,and3Dprintinginhealthcareperfectlyexemp
Thebestwaytopredictthefutureistocreateit,and3Dprintinginhealthcareperfectlyexemplifiesthisidea.Fromcustomizedprostheticstopersonalizedimplants,thebenefitsof3Dprintinginhealthcarearerevolutionizingthewaymedicaldevicesaredesignedandproduced.
Researchersarealreadyexploringthepossibilityofprintingorgansandtissues,whichcouldreformthefieldoftransplantation.Moreover,3Dprintingenablesthecreationofprecisedummymodelsforsurgeries,drasticallyreducingpost-surgicalrisksandcomplications.Thefutureofmedicineisexciting,andthe3Dprinterisattheforefrontofthis.
3DPrintingInHealthcare:HowToUse3Dprintersareusedinmultipleareasofmedicine.Itsmultifacetedusemakesithandyfordifferentbranchesofmedicine.Let'stakeaquicktourofthedifferentwaysinwhich3Dprinterscanbeusedinmedicine:
AdvancedsurgicalplanningThesurgicalteamusesthepatient'sscanstobuildareplica/modelofthepatienttoplanandpracticethesurgery.These3Dprintedmodelsareanexactcopyofthepatient'soperatingfield.Thispreparesthesurgeonforthesurgery,increaseshisefficiency,andalsoreducesoperationaltime.
CustomizedimplantsPersonalized3D-printedimplantsareusedforreconstructinganinternalbodypartthathasacomplexgeometry.3Dprintinginhealthcareisbeingusedforthereconstructionofasectionoftheskullorthejawthatwaslostduetotraumaorcancer.Theseimplantsarebiocompatibleandcanfusewithhumantissuesandbones.
Affordableprostheticbodyparts 3Dprinterscanmanufacturecustom-fitbodypartswithprecisionandaccuracyinlargebatches.Thisreducestheexpensesforalotofpediatricpatientswhorequirechangestotheirprosthesesastheygrowolder.Theyalsomakeyourprostheticlimbsocomfortablethatitfeelslikeapartofyourbody.
ManufacturingmedicalinstrumentsAlotofproducersofmedicaltoolshaveembraced3Dprintingtechnologytocreatebrand-newmedicalgadgetsandsurgicalinstrumentsduetothetechnology'ssimplicityofuseandlowcost.In-house3Dprintinghasalsorevolutionizedproductdevelopment.
PrintingorgansandtissuesfortransplantationOrganandtissueprintingisoneofthemostintriguingfieldsof3Dprintingresearch.Thistechnologyhasthepotentialtochangethefieldoftransplantationbyeliminatingtheneedfordonororgansandloweringthedangerofrejection.Theprintingofcomplicatedtissuesliketheliverandhearthasalreadymadesubstantialprogressinthisfieldofstudy.
PersonalizedmedicineAnotherareaofdevelopmentwithenormouspotentialistheuseof3Dprintingformedicinedelivery.3Dprintingcancreatecustomizedmedicinesthataresuitedtoaperson'sparticularneedsbyprintingmedicationsinexactquantitiesandshapes.Thismayincreasethepotencyofmedicationsandlessenthepossibilityofsideeffects.
Dentistry 3Dprintersareactivelyprintingsurgicalguidesforaccuratedentalimplantplacementandmakingprecision-fitandaestheticceramicdentalcrowns,bridges,anddentures.Withchairside3Dprinters,youcannowwalkoutwithadentalcrownonthesameday!
3Dprintinginhealthcare:theprocessInthree-dimensional(3D)printing,materialssuchasplastic,metal,ceramics,powders,liquids,orevenlivingcellsarefusedordepositedinlayerstocreateathree-dimensionalitem.Thismethodisalsoknownas"solidfree-formtechnology"(SFF),"rapidprototyping"(RP),and"additivemanufacturing"(AM).
Thestepsintheworkfloware:1.Digitalimage2.Designing3.Digitalfilepreparation4.3Dprinting5.Post-processingandfinishing
Thedigitalscans,MRIscans,orCTscanreportsofthepatient'sdesiredbodypartsarerecorded,verified,andaddedtothe3Dprintingsoftware.
CAD/CAM(computer-assisteddesignandcomputer-assistedmanufacturing)thenidentifiesthestructuresofinterestandcreatesa3Dcomputermodelthatiswellsegmentedandtagged(imagesegmentation).Thevirtualdesignoftheprosthesis/organismadeandsuperimposedonthemodel.
Thepotentiallymulti-part3Dmodelsconsistofsurfacemeshes,connections,andsurfacecolour.Surfacescanalsobepartitionedtofacilitatethedismantlingofthefinalprint,makingiteasiertoviewdiseasesorstructuresofinterest.The3DmodelisthentransferredtotheprinterbyconvertingtheDICOMfiletoanSTLfilesothattheprintersoftwarecancomprehendit.
Thefinalprosthesisisthenprintedusingeitherfuseddepositionmodeling(FDM),thermalinkjetprinting,orselectivelasersintering(SLS).
Benefitsof3DprintinginhealthcareThepotentialfor3Dprintinginhealthcareisvastwhichmakesitimmenselybeneficialforthehealthcareindustry.
PrecisionandaccuracyThedatausedtoprint3-Dprintedprosthesesandtissuesisdigital.Theyaremachine-stitchedscansandphotos.Hence,thereisverylittleroomforinaccuratedatainterpretation.IncorporatedAI(artificialintelligence)canimmediatelydetectanareathathasnotbeenscannedadequately.Thishelpsthedoctorsmakethenecessarycorrectionschairside.Itavoidsrepetitivework.
CustomizationandpersonalizationTheopportunitytocreatespecializedmedicalsuppliesandequipmentissomethingthat3Dprintersprovide.Custom-madesurgicaltools,implants,andfixturescanreduceoperatingroomtime,speeduppatientrecovery,andincreasethelikelihoodofasuccessfulsurgicalprocedure.
Enhancedproductivity3Dprintingcancreateathinginafewhours.Asaresult,3Dprintingtechnologyisfarquickerthanconventionalwaysofproducinggoodslikeimplantsandprosthetics,whichcallformilling,forging,andalengthydeliveryperiod.
Bettercostefficiency3Dprintingcanalsocutmanufacturingcostsbyreducingtheuseofsuperfluousmaterials.Thisisparticularlytruewithsmall-sizedconventionalimplantsorprostheses,suchasthoseusedtotreatdental,craniofacial,orspinalabnormalities.Thepriceofcreatingacustom3Dobjectisquitelow,andeachadditionalitemisequallyaffordable.
TransparencyofworkandcollaborationThenatureofdatafilesfor3Dprintingallowsdataexchangeamongscholars.ResearcherscanobtaindownloadableSTLfilesthatareavailableinopen-sourcedatabasesratherthanattemptingtoreplicatecomplexcomputersettings.Theycanpreciselysharedesignsbyusinga3Dprintertomakeanexactreproductionofamedicalmodelorgadgetanywhereintheworld!
Conclusion3Dprintinginhealthcarehasbecomeausefulandpotentiallyground-breakingtool.Thenumberofapplicationshasrisenalongwithprinterspeed,resolution,andmaterialoptions.Despitetheenormousandexcitingbenefitsof3Dprintinginhealthcare,someofthemostnoveluses,likemanufacturingorgans,willtakesometimetodevelop.
Dr Medha Gupta 3DPrintingInHealthcare:HowToUse Advancedsurgicalplanning Customizedimplants Affordableprostheticbodyparts 3Dprinters Manufacturingmedicalinstruments 3Dprintingtechnology Printingorgansandtissuesfortransplantation Personalizedmedicine Dentistry 3Dprinters 3Dprintinginhealthcare:theprocess Thestepsintheworkfloware: Benefitsof3Dprintinginhealthcare Precisionandaccuracy Customizationandpersonalization Enhancedproductivity Bettercostefficiency Transparencyofworkandcollaboration Conclusion