Despite a few drawbacks, 3-D printing has some promising clinical applications (Healio Orthopedics Today)
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When 3-D printers were first developed about 30 years ago, the technology had limited capabilities and were large and cost prohibitive. Now that the technology has shrunk both in size and its cost, 3-D printing is more usable across a broad range of fields, including medicine. More orthopaedic surgeons are harnessing the power of 3-D printing to improve their knowledge of anatomy and pathology and, ultimately, to achieve more consistent surgical results.
Orthopaedics Today Europe spoke to some experts in this area about current and future clinical trends in and applications for 3-D printing, as well as the lingering ethical and regulatory questions surrounding this technology. It is clear that 3-D printing is changing the practice of orthopaedics in some ways, according to sources for this article.
“Overall, 3-D printing allows you to visualize and, in some cases, practice surgical procedures for patients who have complex deformities or injuries in a way that we could not do before,” Jason L. Koh, MD, of Northshore University Heal...
