How biocompatible 3D printing will bring innovation in healthcare
In this modern age, the future of medicine depends on a responsive, scalable, and agile medical supply network that can respond with minimal disruption to emerging emergencies and also provide improved, personalized, productive treatment during "normal" times. This form of innovation will be empowered on a meaningful scale by a health system or hospital fitted with biocompatible 3D printers with biocompatible resins enabling a variety of creative applications from patient-specific surgical guides to emergency response products such as PPE. Biocompatible 3D printing will be a great tool to help solution-oriented healthcare leaders to optimize clinical results, personalize medical procedures, and reduce unnecessary costs.
Biocompatible materials used today:
- Implant molds
- Implant Sizing
- Cut/Drill Guides
- Emergency Response
3D printing produces more and more healthcare applications each year, helping to save and enrich lives in ways never dreamed of before. In fact, 3D printing has been used in a wide variety of healthcare environments, including, but not limited to, cardiology, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, podiatry, pulmonology, radiation oncology, transplant surgery, urology, and vascular surgery.
Its ability to print with biocompatible materials - plastics that can communicate safely with the human body - is part of the long-term staying power of 3D printing technology. Resins that are manufactured and tested for biocompatibility and sterilization compatibility in ISO 13485-certified and FDA-registered facilities will allow hospitals to minimize risk and increase agility in the medical supply chain while enhancing patient care for years to come. The diversification of medical resins open to the medical community makes researchers, surgeons, radiologists, and beyond offer customized, reliable healthcare to patients. Having access to a range of products that can be used for patient interaction offers greater flexibility to medical users when developing technologies that drive healthcare forward.
3D printing has demonstrated its importance over the past six months by manufacturing in-demand medical supplies like PPE and COVID-19 test swabs. Some of the big shortages the healthcare community faced in the battle against COVID-19 were alleviated by the industry's responsiveness. Even after the pandemic ends, the technology's scalability and durability will continue to benefit the healthcare industry.
