3D Printing in Healthcare: Revolutionising Healthcare with Custom Implants and Prosthetics
Over the last decades, the healthcare industry has come across some amazing advancements, and one of which proves to be the most promising innovation has been 3D printing. Once considered a futuristic technology, 3D printing is now playing a crucial role in improving patient outcomes, producing recovery time and lowering medical treatment costs. The most exciting and innovative applications of 3D printing in the field of medicine or the healthcare industry are prosthetics and custom implants. These applications are revolutionising the ways surgeons and doctors treat their patients.
In this article, we will aim to explore and bring to light how 3D printing is transforming the healthcare industry, particularly in the development of personalised medical solutions and prosthetics, including surgical planning, tools, and custom implants.
What is 3D printing in healthcare?
3D printing can be defined as a process where physical objects are created layer by layer from a digital model. 3D printing is used in the healthcare industry to produce parts for medical devices, prosthetics, and even customised implants that perfectly match the patient’s anatomy. Manufacturers can create highly precise and personal medical devices with excellent accuracy using 3D printers.
Key benefits of 3D printing in medicine include
● Customisation:
3D printing allows the creation of personalised prosthetics and implants tailored specifically to the unique anatomy of a patient.
● Reduced Lead Time:
3D printing can produce medical devices more quickly compared to other traditional manufacturing methods, hence enabling faster treatment for patients.
● Cost-Effectiveness:
With evolving technology of 3D printing, the cost of 3D printing is also decreasing. This is making prosthetics and custom implants more affordable compared to the traditional methods or technology.
Let’s take a deeper dive and understand the specific ways in which 3D printing is making a difference in the health industry, specifically in the field of implants and prosthetics.
Custom implants for personalised healthcare
One of the most ground-breaking applications of 3D printing technology in the field of medicine is the development of custom implants. Implants are devices that are surgically inserted into the body to replace missing or damaged parts such as joints, blood vessels or bones. Traditionally, these implants are mass-produced in standard sizes, but they often require adjustments at the time of surgery to fit a patient body. This could lead to longer recovery time, complications, and even additional surgeries.
The development of custom Implants has proven to be one of the most ground-breaking applications of 3D printing technology in the field of medicine. Implants can be understood as devices that are surgically inserted into the body of the patient to replace missing or damaged parts such as blood vessels, joints, or bones. Traditionally, these implants or devices are mass-produced in standard sizes, hence requiring adjustment very often at the time of surgery to fit a patient’s body. This traditional approach could lead to longer recovery time, further complications, and even additional surgeries.
How 3D printing is transforming custom implants:
● Perfect Fit:
Doctors or surgeons can design implants specifically tailored to the unique anatomy of the patient using 3D printing. 3D models of the body part of a patient can be created using imaging techniques like CT scans or MRI. Therefore, a custom implant can be printed to fit seamlessly or perfectly into the body of the patient.
● Reduced surgical time:
The time taken for the entire surgery can be dramatically reduced as the implant is pre-customised to fit perfectly from the very beginning. This means, surgeons need not spend extra time, modifying or adjusting implants during the procedure, hence leading to shorter surgeries and faster recovery.
● Improved functionality:
Implants that are customed, especially for bone repairs or joint replacement, are made in such a way that they mimic the original shape and function of the body part. This improves the overall functionality and enhances the life of the patient after the surgery.
Example: In the year 2015, a patient in China became the 1st to receive a titanium jaw implant that is printed using 3D printing technology. Using a CT scan of the patient’s skull, a custom jawbone was printed to fit perfectly and was successfully implanted, helping the patient regain normal functions.
3D printing and Prosthetics: Revolutionising Limb Replacement
3D printing also has another area where it significantly impacts, and that is the creation of prosthetics. Traditional prosthetics can be time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes uncomfortable for the wearer. It comes with a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t always consider the unique and individual needs of the patient. On the other hand, 3D printing offers the possibility to produce customised prosthetic limbs that are lightweight, functional, and most importantly affordable.
Key benefits of 3-D printer prosthetics:
● Customisation:
Each of the prosthetics can be tailor-made to fit the individuals, unique measurements and preferences. This is especially crucial for children whose limbs grow quickly, hence requiring frequent prosthetic replacements.
● Affordability:
Traditional prosthetics can be extortionately expensive, with some of them costing around thousands of dollars. 3D printer prosthetics on the other hand, can be made at a fraction of the cost. Therefore, 3D printer prosthetics are opening up access to life, changing prosthetic technology for more and more people.
● Speed of Production:
3D printed custom prosthetics can be made more quickly compared to traditional ones. This means patients no longer need to wait for weeks and months for a prosthetic to be designed fitted and manufactured.
● Lightweight and Functional:
3D printing enables the creation of prosthetics with complex geometry that are both lightweight and strong, making prosthetics more comfortable for the patient to use and also allowing them to function more naturally.
Example: Organisations like e-NABLE use 3D printing to create custom prosthetic hands for children and adults. Thus, disorganisation has been able to provide free prosthetic limbs printed using 3D printing to people in need, hence improving their quality of life significantl
Personalised surgical planning, and anatomical models
Not only does 3D printing technology create prosthetics and custom implants, but it is also transforming surgical planning. This means surgeons can now utilise 3D printed anatomical models to deeply understand the unique condition of a patient in a much better way and hence, also plan their surgery with greater precision. These models are created from CT scans or MRI data and can provide detailed representations of the body, organs, blood vessels, bones, and even tumours.
How 3D printing can help in surgical planning:
● Improved Visualisation:
Surgeons can manipulate and hold 3D printed models, providing them with a deeper understanding of the patient’s anatomy and the challenges they might face in the surgery they would be performing. As a result, it leads to fewer errors and improved outcomes.
● Pre-surgery Testing:
The feasibility of testing different surgical techniques on models that are 3D printed is possible before performing the actual procedure. This helps the surgeons to get hands-on practice, hence refining the process and minimising any possible risk during the live surgery.
● Better Communication with Patients:
With 3D printed models, patients can understand their underlying condition and the proposed surgical approach that is to be performed on them. This improved or better communication can lead to more informed decisions and a great sense of confidence in the treatment plan of the patient.
Example: in complex cases like the removal of heart, surgeries and tumours, 3D printed models have been used to create exact replicas of the affected area. Surgeons have been able to rehearse the procedure beforehand, hence resulting in better precision and fewer complications in the surgery.
The future of 3D printing and medicine
The potential that 3D printing holds in the field of medicine is far from being fully realised. As this technology advances, we can expect more and more exciting developments in the field of custom implants, surgical planning and prosthetics. Some of the most promising areas of 3D printing include:
● Bio-printing:
The next advancement or frontier for 3D printing in the field of medicine is the printing of biological tissues and organs. While it is still in its early stages, bio-printing has the potential to revolutionise organ transplantation and tissue engineering.
● Smart Implants:
3D printing can also be used to create smart implants that monitor the health of a patient in real-time, providing feedback on inflammation, healing, or potential complications.
● 3D Printed Drugs Delivery:
Researchers are exploring the possibility of using 3D printing to create custom drug delivery systems that release medication in a controlled manner, tailored to the needs of an individual.
As 3D printing technology continues to evolve in many industries, it will only become more integrated into the healthcare and medicine industry, offering solutions that are innovative and can improve patient care and treatment outcomes.
Conclusion
3D printing is undeniably revolutionising the industry of medicine and healthcare, particularly in the development of prosthetics and custom implants. By providing tailored and cost-effective solutions that fit the unique needs of each patient, 3D printing technology is improving the quality of life for individuals or patients with medical conditions that require prosthetic limbs or implants. Furthermore, with the potential it holds for innovation in smart implants by printing and personalised drug delivery. The future that 3D printing technology holds in the field of medicine looks brighter than ever.
As healthcare professionals and researchers continue to adopt this transformative technology, we can sit back and expect to see even more efficient, personalised and effective medical treatments that benefit patients all around the world.
