Medical 3D Printing Benefits

3D printing continues to alter our understandings of design and industrial production. This is particularly true for medical applications, which offer advancements in diagnosing, treatment, training, and equipment maintenance in hospitals and other medical facilities. In this blog we are going to talk about some benefits of 3D printing technology in Medical field.

3D Printing Helps Patients and Hospitals

According to studies, the use of 3D printing in the medical field is highly effective. Products such as 3D-printed medical models and surgical guides save thousands of dollars per case by reducing the amount of time spent in the operation room. Additionally, longer surgical procedures can be shortened by up to 2.5 hours. 

"According to Allied Market Research, 3D printing technology satisfies the growing demand for personalised medical care by providing customised medical devices based on an individual's needs. In addition, it offers several advantages over traditional reconstructive surgery by reducing operative risks during complex procedures, minimising susceptibility to infection, and shortening the duration of anaesthesia exposure.

The market for medical 3D printing is anticipated to reach $5,846,74 million by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 20.10% from 2021 to 2030. In the mid-1980s, additive manufacturing was created for engineers to enjoy the benefits of faster prototyping and product development. Since then, it has had an impact on nearly every industry. However, the advances made in 3D printing for medical applications are extraordinarily beneficial. Offering patient-specific treatment is one of the greatest advantages of 3D printing in medicine.

Medical Diagnosis Using 3D Printing

When it comes to medicine, 3D printing starts with imaging and turning 2D data into models and other medical tools. In the past, doctors used medical imaging like X-rays, Computed Tomography (CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to figure out what was wrong with their patients and how to treat them. With 3D printing, this data can be used in a new way to study serious conditions like brain tumours, heart defects, and bone fractures. The 3D-printed medical model is a personalised device with a lot of benefits that is used as a starting point for patient-specific treatment. Surgeons can look at a patient's condition in three dimensions. For example, they might be looking at a brain tumour or a heart defect. Doctors can start to come up with a treatment plan after taking a close look at the health problem. The 3D printed medical model also helps patients and their families learn about the patient's condition and the surgery that might be needed. In some cases, a surgeon may be preparing for a new or rare surgery by spending hours training with the model and even using it as a guide in the operating room. Students in medical school can also learn a lot from training with 3D-printed medical models.

3D Printing in Medical Education

Now-a-days 3D printing is used in various medical collegs or medicals to educate the doctors. Companies like Flamingo Works collaborate with Shapeways to offer doctors gamified learning tools, elevating the 3D printed model for surgical training. More sophisticated training systems are required for honing new skills and dexterity as robotic assistance in the operating room continues to develop.

Industrial designers can now create gamified systems that are vivid, interesting, and efficient thanks to 3D printing. Their team was given more design freedom by selecting Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing with Shapeways because no complex support structures were required. During the prototyping stage, Flamingo Works 3D printed a large number of the surgical training platforms. They were able to quickly iterate, 3D print new components, and test them for form and functionality as soon as they were finished. The versatile plastic Nylon 12 allowed for the durability needed with repeated use of the training models, which presented various surgical tasks with escalating levels of difficulty.

Enhancing Medical Equipment with 3D Printing

The ways that 3D printing can be used in medicine are endless and cover a wide range of accessories. When Voytek Medical engineer Steven Jaworski started making clasps for medical equipment cables, he wanted to make hospitals run more smoothly. Jaworski didn't want medical equipment to stop working because of missing parts, so he thought of a simple way to keep parts safe and machines running. 

In a hospital setting, the long-term savings are huge, especially when it comes to protecting assets and saving cables that could be lost or thrown away, even those with warranties. Cable clasps and other parts of medical equipment that can be 3D printed make it easier for staff to do their jobs, and medical equipment companies can make sure that equipment and peripheral parts last as long as possible. 

Voytek's 3D-printed medical clasps are highly customizable and can be color-coded to make diagnostics, patient care, and separating parts from different departments as easy as possible. With additive manufacturing, it's possible to increase or decrease the size of orders, cut down on assembly time, and speed up turnaround times.