Implantable 3D printed devices—technologies and applications

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, provides distinct advantages in medical implant device design. AM products are printed in layers, which draws a parallel to 3D medical imaging modalities that are obtained as single image slices and reconstructed into the 3D image. Patient-specific medical devices, designed uniquely based on the 3D reconstructed imaging data, can be manufactured via 3D printing with time and cost benefits. Additionally, complex and intricate geometries, previously prohibitive using conventional manufacturing techniques, are easily achieved with AM. Because these bespoke implants are designed from patient imaging data, thorough analysis and design optimization are possible, resulting in devices with better surgical outcomes and reduced revision rates.