3D printing in the healthcare sector recently received a technological boost with the opening of a new resource aimed at bringing this transformational technology closer to the point of care.
3D Systems and Clarkson College have partnered to create the 3D Printing and Training Center of Excellence. This facility, situated on the Clarkson College campus in Omaha, Nebraska, represents a leap forward in healthcare innovation, education, and patient care for the region.
Three-dimensional additive manufacturing has the potential to cause a paradigm shift in medicine design, manufacture and use. Examples include tissue and organ fabrication; creation of customized prosthetics, implants, and anatomical models; and pharmaceutical research regarding drug dosage forms, delivery, and discovery.
The partnership enables Clarkson College to manufacture regulatory approved, 3D-printed, patient-specific devices onsite and make them accessible to clinicians and healthcare facilities across the region.
Device offerings, such as those being developed at Clarkson College, include diagnostic anatomic models, surgical guides for orthopaedic oncology procedures, and radiotherapy accessories. 3D printers can produce extremely accurate and detailed anatomical models to help surgeons prepare for complex procedures, resulting in improved outcomes and at a lower cost.
In terms of other successes, ‘scaffold’ principles have been applied in other medical fields, in particular orthopaedics, where the ability to create structures that perfectly mimicked the biological structure of a particular patient was invaluable.
Devices can be produced for specific patients as well as on a larger scale. For specific patient applications, digital computer models can be developed to describe the structures to be printed. This is followed by patient-specific models for 3D printing derived from 3D imaging processes such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-Ray computed tomography (CT).
Furthermore, 3D printing to construct medical devices, including forceps, clamps, and retractors.
Tangible benefits for Omaha and the surrounding communities include accelerated innovation through clinical engagement, the potential for enhanced patient outcomes, and the transformation of healthcare practices.
Dr. Andreia Nebel, president of Clarkson College, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, stating: “We are honoured to be aligned with an organization like 3D Systems, who shares our commitment to innovation, service, and people. This partnership will undoubtedly amplify the good work done here every day.”
