• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Manufacturing
    • Markets
    • Top 10
    • Buyers' Guide
    • Events
    • Microsites
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Manufacturing
  • Markets
  • Top 10
  • Buyers' Guide
  • Events
  • Microsites
  • Current & Past Issues
    Features
    Departments
    Columns
    Editorial
    Digital Edition
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Editorial Guidelines
    eNewsletter Archive
    Top Features
    Making the Grade: Orthopedic Materials Spotlight

    Mending Mishaps: A Trauma Technology Overview

    Life, Interrupted: The 2020 Year in Review

    Machining Modern Medicine

    Lessons from the Lab: Testing Orthopedic Devices
    Breaking News
    Certifications
    Clinical Trials
    Device Approvals & Patents
    Financial & Deals
    International
    Market Data & Trends
    OEM News
    Orthopedic Innovators
    People
    Product & Service Releases
    Products
    Quality, Recalls & Risk
    Regulatory & Legal
    Supplier & Contract Mfg.
    Live From Shows
    Top News & Features
    DePuy Synthes Receives 510(k) FDA Clearance for VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution

    OrthoPediatrics Expands Agent Network in Three European Countries

    Studies Show FlareHawk Expandable Cage Delivers Favorable Fusion, Patient Outcomes

    Rapid Recovery Protocol Can Lead to Increased Range of Motion After TKA

    Boston Scientific Releases WaveWriter Alpha Spinal Cord Stimulators in U.S.
    3-D Printing/Additive Mfg.
    Assembly & Automation
    Biocompatibility & Testing
    Clean Room
    Coatings/Surface Modification
    Contract Manufacturing
    Design
    Extrusion
    Finishing
    Forging & Casting
    Instruments, Cases & Trays
    International/Offshoring
    Laser Processing
    Materials
    Machining & Tooling
    Molding
    Packaging & Sterilization
    Prototyping
    Research & Developement
    Software & Quality
    Staffing, Training & Prof. Dev.
    Supply Chain

    DePuy Synthes Receives 510(k) FDA Clearance for VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution

    Studies Show FlareHawk Expandable Cage Delivers Favorable Fusion, Patient Outcomes

    Rapid Recovery Protocol Can Lead to Increased Range of Motion After TKA

    CMS Expedites Breakthrough Device Access; Industry Applauds
    Biologics
    Bracing/Prosthetics
    Extremities
    Imaging
    Instruments
    Large Joint
    MIS/Robotics
    Spine/Neurology
    Trauma/Sports
    Top Markets
    HSS, Zimmer Biomet's Solution for the Episode of Orthopedic Care

    Rising to the Challenge: Q&A with AAOS Second VP Dr. Savoie

    Teleconferencing in the OR

    Material Advantage: How Additive Manufacturing Can Revolutionize Orthopedics

    Market Conditions Ripe for Robotics Growth
    Companies
    Categories
    Company Capabilities
    White Papers
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    APS Materials Inc.

    Tecomet

    MedTorque Inc.

    NN Life Sciences/Paragon Medical

    WuXi AppTec
    Industry Events
    Webinars
    • Magazine
      • Current & Past Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Departments
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers' Guide
      • Companies
      • Categories
      • Company Capabilities
      • White Papers
      • Add Your Company
    • Manufacturing
      • 3-D Printing/Additive Mfg.
      • Assembly & Automation
      • Biocompatibility & Testing
      • Clean Room
      • Coatings/Surface Modification
      • Contract Manufacturing
      • Design
      • Extrusion
      • Finishing
      • Forging & Casting
      • Instruments, Cases & Trays
      • International/Offshoring
      • Laser Processing
      • Materials
      • Machining & Tooling
      • Molding
      • Packaging & Sterilization
      • Prototyping
      • Research & Developement
      • Software & Quality
      • Staffing, Training & Prof. Dev.
      • Supply Chain
    • Markets
      • Biologics
      • Bracing/Prosthetics
      • Extremities
      • Imaging
      • Instruments
      • Large Joint
      • MIS/Robotics
      • Spine/Neurology
      • Trauma/Sports
    • Top 10
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Events
      • Industry Events
    • Live from Show Event
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
      • Advertise With Us
    Online Exclusives

    5 Ways 3D Printing Will Change Medtech

    Orthopedic-related devices such as prosthetics and instrumentation stand to benefit from the technology.

    5 Ways 3D Printing Will Change Medtech
    Joshua McAlpin, Medical Industry Consultant03.27.20
    The days of “Star Trek” matter replicators aren’t here yet, but 3D printers are getting us closer to that reality each year. The replicator was a machine that could simply make items. 3D printing is a unique technology that’s created a vibrant industry of its own. And it’s dramatically changing how other industries operate.
     
    As 3D printing costs continue to drop and saturation rises, it’s poised to change forever how supply chains and manufacturing work. One of the most exciting aspects of the 3D printing revolution is what it has done—and stands to do—in healthcare. Over the past decade, its push into the medical field has been disruptive, amazing, and inspiring.
     
    But first, let’s discuss 3D printing and how it’s changed in recent years.
     
    What Is 3D Printing?
    In 3D printing, you use a computer program to design an item, and then you print it. It could be something small like a child’s toy or something as complex as a replica human heart (more on that shortly).
     
    3D printing began in the late 20th century with stereolithography, in which a liquid material was heated until solid by ultraviolet lasers. Today, it uses a process known as fused deposition modeling (FDM). That’s what your home 3D printer uses, often with a filament of plastic polymer.
     
    In the past decade, over 2,000 patents for 3D printing techniques have been issued. The patents making the biggest difference in the medical community fall into two broad categories:
     
    Patents that decreased the cost of 3D printing from less expensive printers to more efficient methods. This has made 3D printers available to more hospitals in more areas.
    Printing with new materials, including those more appropriate for medical 3D printing. This has allowed variety in printing options, including more durable materials for prosthetics and materials more similar to human tissue.
     
    These developments have led to—or are likely to soon lead to—a number of changes in the industry. Following are five of the most interesting.
     
    1. On-Site Printing
    Up until 2018, only a few hospitals in the most developed nations had on-site 3D printing. Other facilities had to request print jobs from those hospitals or from 3D printing custom shops. Area hospitals with 3D printing labs would print custom orthotics and other medical devices for other hospitals nearby.
     
    That meant higher prices and longer waits for 3D printed health items, as well as the time, logistics, and expense involved with transporting them after printing.
     
    For the past two years, costs of medical-grade 3D printers have dropped, and most hospitals can now afford a printing lab on-site. This means faster treatment times and lower costs. Perhaps more significantly, it flattens the quality of care across regional differences. Once a 3D print design is developed anywhere in the world, any facility anywhere else in the world can have the designed object in hand within hours.
     
    2. Cheaper and Better Prosthetics
    3D printing gives patients and caregivers needing prosthetics all of the advantages listed above, especially with organizations like e-NABLE which design and freely share 3D printable prosthetic plans online.
     
    Before 3D printable prosthetics became an option, the process of fitting prosthetics for a given patient began with a base model. Most base models allowed for some rough adjustments, after which further customization might be allowed—if the patient could afford it and the clinicians had the time. But even with time and money, that customization was often limited.
     
    With 3D printing, a patient can have a prosthetic custom-designed to their exact needs and specifications, then printed for them on-site. It costs exactly as much to print a perfectly fitted device as it does to print a base model. That means people can get a necessary prosthetic that’s customized to fit their needs, and they’ll receive it much more quickly than in the past.
     
    3. Replica Practice Organs
    In 2014, a two-week-old baby who needed emergency heart surgery benefitted from one of the first implementations of what is arguably the “coolest” new application of 3D printing. To prepare for the surgery, the team at Stanley Children’s Hospital in Manhattan printed a 3D replica of the child’s heart. The replica was an exact structural match and made from materials that were similar to the touch. It allowed them to practice in advance the exact procedure they would conduct on the heart, and that practice helped them to save the baby’s life more efficiently and with less anesthetic, as the operation was shorter overall.
     
    Although dummy organs have been used for training and practice since last century, 3D printing practice organs allows the surgeon to practice on an exact replica of the organs they will perform surgery on. The 3D replica organs are custom-printed to match the patient and constructed so quickly their production doesn’t delay the surgery.
     
    Over the past six years, this practice has become more common, but it’s not standard procedure for reasons more administrative than cost-based or logistics-based. As it breaks through the final hurdles, it will improve how surgeons conceptualize surgery prep and how the next generation of surgeons are trained.
     
    4. Printed Instruments
    This is exactly what it sounds like: printing medical (especially surgical) instruments in real time and on demand. Although it may not sound like much, it carries two powerful advantages that can improve outcomes across a spectrum of applications.
     
    The first is sterility. No matter how intense the storage protocols are for instruments, there’s always a tiny chance of contamination while the instruments are hauled across the country or sit in storage for months. A sterile printed instrument is sterile upon completion and built just hours or minutes before being used. The chances for contamination are reduced, meaning patient outcomes improve.
     
    The second is customization. Many surgical kits include every item commonly—or even conceivably—needed for that surgery. That makes manufacturing and storage simpler but also increases waste. Printing surgical instruments on-site means you can print only the instruments when you need them. Plus, you can gain quick access to a unique or unusual device you may need during a special surgical case.
     
    5. Cost Savings
    Okay, I admit this one isn’t as cool and futuristic as custom-printing a practice heart or prosthetic limb, but it has the potential to make the kind of sweeping, behind-the-scenes changes that alter a field dramatically. And, let’s face it, medical costs are important.
     
    Printing on-site can reduce waste, reduce or eliminate storage and shipping costs, and significantly reduce costly complications. Plus, it gives patients in remote villages and small towns access to healthcare similar to what patients get in major cities such as Boston, London, or Singapore.
     
    Coming Soon: 3D Bioprinting
    The aforementioned examples are happening now, making significant changes in medicine as we watch. Another development isn’t here just yet, but it’s not hyperbole to say that when it arrives, it will change things more than the other five combined.
     
    As it stands, 3D printing—even specialized medical printing—uses conventional materials to construct the objects it produces. However, over the past five years, researchers have made increasing developments in what has been named bioink. Bioink is 3D printing with biological matter—actual living tissue.
     
    As this trend continues to develop, we can expect to see true science fiction situations in which a team can print an organ for immediate transplant, skin to graft a burn victim, or even transfusion blood that’s identical to what the patient’s body produces.
     

    Joshua McAlpin lives in California, where he is a consultant in the medical industry.
    Related Searches
    • 3d printing
    • prosthetics
    • materialise
    • medical devices

    Related Online Exclusives

    • Software & Quality
      HSS, Zimmer Biomet

      HSS, Zimmer Biomet's Solution for the Episode of Orthopedic Care

      Zimmer Biomet exec Ivan Tornos provides insight into merging mymobility virtual care with HSS Orthopedic Care Pathways.
      Sam Brusco, Associate Editor 01.05.21

    • Rising to the Challenge: Q&A with AAOS Second VP Dr. Savoie

      Rising to the Challenge: Q&A with AAOS Second VP Dr. Savoie

      Orthopedic surgeons sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic found ways to serve patients and healthcare this year as the virus spread.
      Michael Barbella, Managing Editor 12.14.20

    • Large Joint
      Teleconferencing in the OR

      Teleconferencing in the OR

      An audio/video solution enables medical device reps to still make appearances in the OR to support surgeons and healthcare providers.
      Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief 10.29.20


    • 3-D Printing/Additive Mfg.
      Material Advantage: How Additive Manufacturing Can Revolutionize Orthopedics

      Material Advantage: How Additive Manufacturing Can Revolutionize Orthopedics

      The technology enables innovations for both surgical tools and orthopedic implants.
      Katherine Rundell, Medical Writer, Academized 10.06.20

    • Market Conditions Ripe for Robotics Growth

      Market Conditions Ripe for Robotics Growth

      The world's aging, longer-living population and better clinical data will help drive expansion in the decade ahead.
      Michael Barbella 10.05.20

    • Machining & Tooling
      Valuating Used CNC Machines

      Valuating Used CNC Machines

      There are factors to consider to ensure the seller gets the most money from a used equipment sale.
      Michael Dunlop, Technical Writer 09.29.20


    • Robots Can Help Improve TLIF Procedure Accuracy

      Robots Can Help Improve TLIF Procedure Accuracy

      The surgery's success is dependent upon the accuracy of pedicle screw placement as determined by pre-operative planning.
      Richard V. Chua, M.D., FAANS, FACS, Northwest NeuroSpecialists PLLC and professor, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine 09.24.20

    • 3-D Printing/Additive Mfg.
      Additive-Manufactured Orthopedic Implants Under MDR

      Additive-Manufactured Orthopedic Implants Under MDR

      Orthopedic device manufacturers have specific considerations to keep in mind when using AM under the upcoming EU regulatory system.
      Dr. Max Singh, Simon Schlagintweit, and Gregor Reischle—TÜV SÜD 08.11.20

    • Biologics
      Academia: The Main Innovation Source for Orthobiologics

      Academia: The Main Innovation Source for Orthobiologics

      Smith+Nephew has formed a Biologics and Regenerative Medicine R&D team dedicated to development of innovative orthobiologic products.
      Michael Barbella, Managing Editor 06.05.20


    • Biologics
      Surgeon Creativity Shaping Orthobiologics Innovation

      Surgeon Creativity Shaping Orthobiologics Innovation

      Good relationships with surgeon customers can lead to collaborative development efforts.
      Michael Barbella, Managing Editor 05.29.20

    • Spine/Neurology
      Reducing the Footprint of Spinal Fusion

      Reducing the Footprint of Spinal Fusion

      This interview with Neo Medical’s CEO reveals the firm’s strategy to refresh the view of spinal surgery instrumentation and technology.
      Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief 05.29.20

    • An Elected Sacrifice in COVID-19

      An Elected Sacrifice in COVID-19's Wake

      Patients with scheduled orthopedic surgeries are cancelling procedures to help stem the further spread of the virus.
      Michael Barbella, Managing Editor 03.26.20


    • 3-D Printing/Additive Mfg. | Machining & Tooling
      Improving the Speed to First Part: A Case Study

      Improving the Speed to First Part: A Case Study

      An orthopedic device contract manufacturer uses multi-axis CNC mill turn machines and CAM software to maintain a competitive edge.
      Israel Klain, Director, GibbsCAM Software, 3D Systems 03.26.20

    • A Note to ODT Readers

      A Note to ODT Readers

      Ensuring the disruption to all of our lives doesn’t impact the delivery of news and information to you.
      Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief 03.17.20

    • Large Joint
      The Appealing Benefits of Anatomic Joint Preservation Arthroplasty

      The Appealing Benefits of Anatomic Joint Preservation Arthroplasty

      Why the aging, active population is favoring joint preservation over traditional total joint replacement.
      Kevin Farmer, MD, Associate Professor at the University of Florida Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation 02.21.20


    Trending
    • Mini MRI For Hand And Wrist Imaging Can Be Used Nearly Anywhere
    • New Chief Clinical Officer On Board At IncludeHealth
    • DePuy Synthes Receives 510(k) FDA Clearance For VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution
    • NuVasive XLIF - Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
    • Medtech Matters: Talking Robotic Surgery with Zimmer Biomet
    Breaking News
    • DePuy Synthes Receives 510(k) FDA Clearance for VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution
    • OrthoPediatrics Expands Agent Network in Three European Countries
    • Studies Show FlareHawk Expandable Cage Delivers Favorable Fusion, Patient Outcomes
    • Rapid Recovery Protocol Can Lead to Increased Range of Motion After TKA
    • Boston Scientific Releases WaveWriter Alpha Spinal Cord Stimulators in U.S.
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    November/December 2020

    • Making the Grade: Orthopedic Materials Spotlight
    • Mending Mishaps: A Trauma Technology Overview
    • Life, Interrupted: The 2020 Year in Review
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    BGG Obtains U.S. Patent on AstaZine Natural Astaxanthin for Heart Function During Exercise
    Qualitas Health/iwi Raises $10 Million in Investment Round
    Aker BioMarine Expands Krill Portfolio with Novel Protein Hydrolysate
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    IGL Coatings Launches Graphene Reinforced Dual System Ceramic Coating
    Miller Paint Declares Simple Serenity its 2021 Color of the Year
    TAUBMANS Paint by PPG Releases ‘Chromatic Joy’ Palettes
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    Intersect ENT Announces CMS Approval of Coding Application for Sinus Implant
    Hillrom to Buy Bardy Diagnostics for $375M
    Global Tissue and Organ Transplantation Market to Surpass $25.6 Billion by 2027
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Bone Therapeutics, Rigenerand Ink Cell Therapy Deal
    NovaQuest Private Equity Acquires CoreRx
    JS Bio and Etta Biotech Advancing Partnership
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Sigma Beauty Launches 'Brush Care' Sets at Sephora
    Clarins UK Partners with Vee24
    Alastin Skincare Named as Fastest Growing Skincare Brand
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Crystal Deodorant Unveils Magnesium-Enriched Sticks
    Euromonitor Reveals Top 10 Global Consumer Trends for 2021
    A Surge in Interest for Supplements & Vitamins
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Cowan Graphics Adds Fujifilm Inca OnsetX3 HS
    Packaging Printing Market Worth $433.4 Billion by 2025: MarketsandMarkets
    O-I Foundation Gifts $50k to Facilitate COVID-19 Vaccine Access
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    Domino grows installation and service teams
    ABG keeps pace with demand with recruitment drive
    Acucote expands FSC-certified portfolio
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Honeywell Delivered 225 Million Masks in December
    Techtextil, Texprocess Postponed to 2022
    Super Strong Inks Survive Tough Environments
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    DePuy Synthes Receives 510(k) FDA Clearance for VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution
    OrthoPediatrics Expands Agent Network in Three European Countries
    Studies Show FlareHawk Expandable Cage Delivers Favorable Fusion, Patient Outcomes
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    UDC Subsidiary Adesis' Website Wins 2020 MarCom Platinum Award
    Roadsimple Modernizes Warehouse Ops with Zebra Technologies
    Graphene Flagship Launches Redesigned Website

    Copyright © 2021 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login