What is 3D printing in medicine? 

The use of medical 3D printing is expanding in both clinical and research-oriented healthcare endeavors. It entails employing 3D printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, to create tangible reproductions of anatomical structures. The structures to be produced are described by a digital computer model, and patient-specific models for 3D printing are obtained via 3D imaging procedures like MRI and CT scans. Then, because of the 3D printing process's versatility, speed, and relatively low cost, small (even single unit) quantities can be produced. The models itself help hospitals and other point-of-care (POC) organizations plan surgeries and can be used to help explain or educate complicated medical topics to patients who are about to receive care.

What advantages does medical 3D printing offer? 

The capacity to perceive and investigate intricate anatomy as an actual three-dimensional entity provides medical practitioners with an advantage of decision assistance that was not previously accessible. 

1. Difficult tasks 

Future medical professionals benefit greatly from 3D printing as it helps with training and operation preparation. While 2D graphics are helpful, they don't accurately depict human parts and offer limited vision. Conversely, 3D printing produces models that resemble real human parts and appear realistic. As a result, the operational procedure is more precise and efficient.

2. Cutting-edge technology 

Trainee physicians can work with organs that have been 3D printed. When compared to training on animal organs, for instance, this is far more accurate. The quality of skills doctors learn throughout training and patient care is improved by practicing on human-like, 3D printed parts. 

3. Delicate handling 

Low-cost prosthetics are produced by 3D printers in places where people need them, such as war-torn nations. For those who cannot afford to purchase a prosthetic, they offer an economical alternative. In distant locations and nations racked by poverty, inexpensive medical equipment is especially crucial. In certain places, the quality of the road system makes it impossible to transport medical supplies. The required equipment may be printed more easily in those villages thanks to 3D printing, eliminating the need for frequent transportation.

4. Expensive treatments and extended wait times 

Lab and medical equipment can be 3D printed thanks to 3D printing. Equipment plastic components can be 3D printed. This significantly lowers the price and duration of waiting for new medical devices to be delivered by outside vendors. Additionally, the production procedure and further applications are also easier. This makes equipment more readily available and allows low-income or hard to access areas to get 3D printed medical equipment more easily.

5. Personalization 

The old method of creating prosthetics is quite costly because each one needs to be customized for the wearer. Users can choose from a variety of prosthetic designs, shapes, sizes, and colors thanks to 3D printers. Every item that is 3D printed becomes unique as a result. Prosthetics are become more affordable and readily accessible because to 3D printers.

What disadvantages does medical 3D printing offer? 

1. The 3d Printing Process Is Not Eco-Friendly

Energy and plastic are the two main resources used in environmentally friendly 3D printing. A medical device manufacturer's desire to go lean, or reduce energy consumption or emissions, will be more difficult to implement with 3D printing.

In addition to the fact that 3D printing isn't always wasteful, manufacturers can lessen this waste. For instance, 3D printing is, in some ways, less wasteful than traditional manufacturing since it only consumes the resources that are used in the final product—no material is wasted on the factory floor. Furthermore, 3D printed plastic is frequently recyclable. 

However you cut it, plastic and excessive energy use are bad for the earth. producers of medical devices hoping to work with 3D printing will have to either accept these environmental costs or look for an alternative.

2. Limited Selection of Materials for 3D Printing 

The materials that can be used for 3D printing are restricted. It could be difficult or impossible to 3D print composite devices, or devices that need unique, non-printable materials or components, without using some short cuts.

On the other hand, new materials for 3D printing are constantly being revealed. The appropriate materials can be only a few months or years away for certain manufacturers. However, printing on some materials—like fabrics—will be challenging or impossible. In situations such as these, producers could have to depend wholly or partially on conventional manufacturing techniques.

3. Variability in 3D-Printed Items' Quality 

Not all 3D printers yield the best possible outcomes. Dimensions of 3D-printed things can vary somewhat, and during the production process, some degree of design noise, such as texture or lumps when a smooth surface is required, may be added. In these situations, a worker would have to machine out the noise and abnormalities before allowing the components to come into touch with patients. 

In the event that a design flaw results in a 3D printer making the same mistake on several hundred units, manufacturers will have to expend a substantial amount of additional labor to correct those errors. The money a business would have saved by converting to a 3D printer could be completely erased by these post-labor expenses.

The 3D printed models offer a way to better understand anatomical and pathological features in a therapeutic context. Models are useful aids for visualizing surgical procedures and for testing the positioning of implants and other medical devices. Technological innovations like multi-color and multi-material printing can also improve the simulation of the surgical environment for intra-operative guidance and pre-operative planning. With the purpose of enhancing trust in healthcare decisions, these models provide a dynamic supplement to on-screen representations.

Because medical 3D printing can produce prototypes quickly, it can be an affordable tool for researchers and producers of medical devices to advance iterative design or process improvements. Additionally, 3D printing may offer an early method of validating the results of in silico trials. By using these techniques, new discoveries can be more confidently tested before costly in vivo research or physical testing is carried out.

How does 3D printing for medicine operate? 

Digitizing a patient's actual anatomical structures is a prerequisite for creating a 3D print that is unique to them. This procedure creates a volumetric image of the anatomy by utilizing 3D scanning modalities like MRI, CT, or X-ray. To separate out structures of interest and create a three-dimensional computer model, the images must be labeled using a procedure known as segmentation. Depending on the scanning mode, anatomical subject, and image quality, many different approaches are employed here. Conventional methods take a lot of time and experience, however tools like Simpleware software that have sophisticated segmentation capabilities can speed up this procedure.

The multi-part 3D models are transformed into a sequence of surface meshes and equipped with surface color information and connections for 3D printing. In order to facilitate the dismantling of the final print and facilitate the viewing of pathologies or structures of interest, the surfaces may also be partitioned. Ultimately, the surfaces are transferred to the 3D printer as STL files, where the printer software interprets them, adds support material, and computes and prints the printer head paths required to layer materials and duplicate the computer model physically. 

In the product portfolio, where and when does medical 3D printing fit in?

Currently, FDA-approved Simpleware software tools from Synopsys allow for the integration of medical 3D printing into their product portfolio. The software enables users to import and process patient-specific images, add landmarks and other measurements, and combine anatomical image data with CAD-designed models. Files can be exported to compatible and validated 3D printers for manufacturing. These models are cleared for use for diagnostic purposes in the field of orthopedic, cardiovascular, and maxillofacial processes

Going beyond 3D printing for medical use? 

Simpleware software not only offers a simple and precise workflow for exporting models to 3D printers, but it is also used to prepare models for additional CAD design work, like implant analysis and iterative design for medical device manufacturers. Furthermore, models can be transformed into volume meshes for the purpose of simulating physical forces such implant loading using Finite Element Analysis (FE) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). When combined with different automation techniques, this offers a chance for in silico experiments.

Implementing 3D Printing in Medicine 

Simpleware software is used by 3D LifePrints as part of their services to provide 3D anatomical models for clinical scenarios. Models have been used, for instance, to examine liver cancers and possible radiation treatment methods. The 3D printed models provide an additional option for clinicians to better understand patient anatomies prior to treatment.

Actions: 

1. MRI data particular to the patient were acquired.

2. To segment the liver, scans were transferred into Simpleware program. 

3. After that, the files were exported for additional processing to imitate various tumor sizes, including the use of various chambers to store radioisotope samples. 

4. A PolyJet printer was used to 3D print the processed model. 

5. As part of a surgical strategy, the 3D printed phantom was scanned (Phillips PET/CT) in the appropriate anatomical orientation. 

6. To estimate the surrounding exposure on the liver of a patient, clinicians employed the measured dosage and known cavity capacity. 

The quality of life of individuals will continue to rise and improve thanks to 3D printing applications in medicine. We have no doubt that 3D printers will play a crucial role in medical procedures down the road.