Dr. Gautam Gupta, SVP & General Manager, Medical Devices, 3D Systems03.19.24
The benefits of additive manufacturing (AM) in the healthcare industry are widely recognized, leading to the accelerated adoption of this technology to produce millions of medical devices and healthcare products annually. Innovation in AM materials, processes, and technology to design new medical devices helps improve the standard of care. With a growing aging population, elective procedures like hip and knee replacements are becoming more prevalent; however, hospitals are experiencing staffing shortages, which makes it difficult to keep up with demand. AM solutions such as virtual surgical planning, personalized devices, as well as deep learning and AI-enabled software are providing much-needed support.
The orthopedic industry, in particular, was an early adopter of AM through the use of 3D-printed implants for spine surgeries. Through AM, spine cages can be designed to include enhanced surface features to facilitate bone in-growth and improved implant stability. Additionally, AM enables manufacturers and surgeons to approach arthroplasty in a whole new way. Let’s explore how additively manufactured implants and personalized instruments can help increase efficiencies, reduce costs, and support improved outcomes.
Further, implants with complex geometries and porous structures can be manufactured monolithically. This is possible due to advancements such as multi-laser 3D printing platforms, the ability to print at up to 150-µm layer thickness without compromising quality, and build strategies that minimize post-processing steps that further accelerate the production of medical devices.
Through customization, 3D printing enables the production of implants tailored to each patient, which reduces the need for intraoperative modifications or additional surgeries, and saves time and resources.
With streamlined throughput of standard-sized stock and personalized devices, manufacturers can speed the delivery of devices to surgeons, improve hospital processes, and address supply chain challenges.
The University Hospital of Salzburg (Austria) successfully applied point-of-care additive manufacturing technologies to design, produce, and implant its first 3D-printed PEEK cranial implant as a custom device for an individual patient. The hospital used software to create 3D models from the patient's CT images and complete the design of the patient-specific occipital prosthesis. The cranial implant was printed using PEEK and extrusion printing technology.
Working alongside Exactech, 3D Systems pioneered an innovation in 3D-printed medical devices, developing Vantage Ankle PSI for Exactech’s Vantage Total Ankle System. Based on medical imaging data from the patient, 3D Systems produces nylon osteotomy guides that are biocompatible, sterilizable, and completely patient-specific. Orthopedic surgery has been exploring the benefits of patient-specific instrumentation for some time now, but solutions like the Vantage Ankle PSI are making these cases more practical and efficient.
Onkos Surgical leverages AM technologies to advance innovative solutions for complex cases within the orthopedic industry. The company’s My3D Personalized Solutions is a game-changing platform of patient-specific solutions for complex long-bone and pelvis reconstruction to spare the native knee or to help restore hip function.
References
Dr. Gautam Gupta is passionate about healthcare innovation and enjoys working at the intersection of business and technology to bring new products to the market that change the standard of care. He joined 3D Systems in 2015 and is currently senior vice president and general manager of the Medical Device business. Prior to joining the company, Dr. Gupta worked at Biomet, where he invented and commercialized a porous metal technology for bone ingrowth using additive manufacturing. He was instrumental in bringing several of the first additively manufactured orthopedic devices to market in the U.S. Dr. Gupta has a bachelor’s degree in materials science from the Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur, India) and a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla. He received his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Kentucky and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
The orthopedic industry, in particular, was an early adopter of AM through the use of 3D-printed implants for spine surgeries. Through AM, spine cages can be designed to include enhanced surface features to facilitate bone in-growth and improved implant stability. Additionally, AM enables manufacturers and surgeons to approach arthroplasty in a whole new way. Let’s explore how additively manufactured implants and personalized instruments can help increase efficiencies, reduce costs, and support improved outcomes.
Increased Efficiencies
3D printing increases efficiencies for the manufacturer, the surgeon, the hospital, and even patients in many ways. AM enables faster production of medical devices compared to traditional manufacturing methods. In addition, 3D printing is known for its ability to improve design freedom for implants and instruments to enhance device functionality, such as osteointegration, while also lowering manufacturing costs by integrating traditional operations, such as forging and surface coatings, to increase productivity.Further, implants with complex geometries and porous structures can be manufactured monolithically. This is possible due to advancements such as multi-laser 3D printing platforms, the ability to print at up to 150-µm layer thickness without compromising quality, and build strategies that minimize post-processing steps that further accelerate the production of medical devices.
Through customization, 3D printing enables the production of implants tailored to each patient, which reduces the need for intraoperative modifications or additional surgeries, and saves time and resources.
With streamlined throughput of standard-sized stock and personalized devices, manufacturers can speed the delivery of devices to surgeons, improve hospital processes, and address supply chain challenges.
Reduced Cost
AM has become more cost-effective compared to traditional manufacturing, particularly for complex parts. With faster print platforms, new materials, and software to expedite workflows, manufacturers can now 3D-print applications such as glenospheres, personalized pelvic implants, acetabular cups, and femoral knee components more economically than ever. Additionally, 3D printing allows manufacturers to expand device portfolios without investing in and holding on to inventory.Support Improved Outcomes
In recent years, 3D printing technologies have helped create personalized implants that provide a custom fit to promote better joint alignment, improved implant stability, and reduced risk of loosening.1,2 The ability to build intricate lattice and porous structures supports better osteointegration, which in turn, contributes to faster patient recovery, increased mobility, and better long-term success rates.Practical Applications of AM in Orthopedics
The transformative impact of AM technologies and design strategies is enabling significant breakthroughs in innovation and patient care. Let’s look at some real-world use cases that illustrate the practical applications and benefits of these innovative approaches in orthopedics.The University Hospital of Salzburg (Austria) successfully applied point-of-care additive manufacturing technologies to design, produce, and implant its first 3D-printed PEEK cranial implant as a custom device for an individual patient. The hospital used software to create 3D models from the patient's CT images and complete the design of the patient-specific occipital prosthesis. The cranial implant was printed using PEEK and extrusion printing technology.
Working alongside Exactech, 3D Systems pioneered an innovation in 3D-printed medical devices, developing Vantage Ankle PSI for Exactech’s Vantage Total Ankle System. Based on medical imaging data from the patient, 3D Systems produces nylon osteotomy guides that are biocompatible, sterilizable, and completely patient-specific. Orthopedic surgery has been exploring the benefits of patient-specific instrumentation for some time now, but solutions like the Vantage Ankle PSI are making these cases more practical and efficient.
Onkos Surgical leverages AM technologies to advance innovative solutions for complex cases within the orthopedic industry. The company’s My3D Personalized Solutions is a game-changing platform of patient-specific solutions for complex long-bone and pelvis reconstruction to spare the native knee or to help restore hip function.
The Potential for AM in Orthopedics
Additive manufacturing is a once-in-a-generation technology that has far-reaching implications in a wide spectrum of healthcare applications. The technology is revolutionizing the orthopedic device industry by increasing efficiencies, reducing costs, and supporting improved patient outcomes. Arthroplasty is one area in which AM is showing great promise, and continued research and development in this area will lead to even more innovation in the future—using 3D printing to change the world, one layer at a time.References
- Benignus, Christian, Buschner, Peter, et al. Patient Specific Instruments and Patient Individual Implants—A Narrative Review. J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(3), 426.
- Lee, Jin-Ah, Koh, Yong-Gon, et al. Biomechanical and Clinical Effect of Patient-Specific or Customized Knee Implants: A Review. J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9(5), 1559.
Dr. Gautam Gupta is passionate about healthcare innovation and enjoys working at the intersection of business and technology to bring new products to the market that change the standard of care. He joined 3D Systems in 2015 and is currently senior vice president and general manager of the Medical Device business. Prior to joining the company, Dr. Gupta worked at Biomet, where he invented and commercialized a porous metal technology for bone ingrowth using additive manufacturing. He was instrumental in bringing several of the first additively manufactured orthopedic devices to market in the U.S. Dr. Gupta has a bachelor’s degree in materials science from the Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur, India) and a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla. He received his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Kentucky and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.