3D Printing & Advances in Surgery
As a 3D printing UK specialist company, we have seen how this technology has been adopted within many sectors. It should come as no surprise that medical professionals have also joined the list in recent years. In this article, we will explore the range of applications that additive manufacturing provide in advances in surgery.
Current Issues with Surgery
Complex surgical procedures can sometimes be risky to undertake. On top of that many patients often have to wait due to a lack of operating theatre capability or a lack of available surgeons. Covid-19 has not made the task of surgeons any easier. At the height of the pandemic, many surgeries were delayed.
How Can 3D Printing Benefit Surgeons?
Complex surgical procedures will often require years upon years of training and experience to perform correctly. Training for different surgical cases has been through the use of cadaver models. These are not readily accessible and often lack specific details that are helpful for surgeons.
However, with 3D printing, you can create models based on merging computed tomography and MRI files, segmented from an individual patient. These can be immensely useful as they can help to provide lots of detailed and exact information. With this information, surgeons can plan how to plan out procedures accurately.
Additional Applications Providing Advances in Surgery
Surgical planning with 3D-printed anatomical models also allows for further detailed planning of the surgery. This, alongside customised 3D-printed surgical guides and implants, can alleviate many problems for surgeons. It can help to improve clinical outcomes for patients as well as efficiency for hospitals.
A 3D-printed anatomical model can also help facilitate clearer communication between members of a surgical team and prevent unwelcome surprises within operating theatres.
However, that’s not all. This can also help in communicating with patients, thus increasing patient confidence in procedures. It cannot be denied that 3D printing provides tremendous opportunities for training surgeons.
Summary
As we have demonstrated, 3D printing UK companies are at the forefront of innovation within the surgical industry. The ability for fast and cheap manufacturing in a wide range of materials, allows surgeons and trainee surgeons to make useful prototypes that they can use to practise procedures. It is no surprise that the industry has taken so well to this technology.
Contact Us - 3D Printing UK
As a 3D printing UK specialist company, we are passionate about turning ideas into a reality. So if you need to solve a problem or bring a new concept to life, get in touch with our team today and we’ll identify how 3D printing can help. We look forward to hearing from you!
