In-house 3D printing reduces hospital surgery times, costs

Editor's Note

The medical 3D printing market is expected to double from $2 billion in 2022 to $4 billion by 2026, driven by customization, lower costs, and quick turnarounds, according to analysis from GlobalData.

In a July 24 report on the analysis, Medical Device Network outlined this growth as well as the various ways in which 3D printing is influencing the US surgical field. A prime example is the manufacture of guides to help plan and ease surgical procedures. One study noted a mean reduction of 62 minutes per surgery and $3,720 in savings per case.

In-house 3D printing in hospitals is not yet widespread, though it is growing, Medical Device Network reports. In 2019, the American Hospital Association found that 113 US hospitals had centralized 3D facilities, up from just three in 2010. Companies like Ricoh are making 3D-printed equipment more accessible, exemplified by its new Point-of-Care 3D medical device manufacturing facility in North Carolina.

The article also covers how Yale School of Medicine (YSM) recently established an in-house 3D printing facility, performing its first fully in-house 3D surgery in April 2024. The technology allows for precise preoperative planning and execution, demonstrated in a wrist osteotomy procedure by Dr. Lisa Lattanza. This approach improves accuracy and enables complex surgeries that were previously difficult to plan and execute.

3D printing also aids in creating custom implants, particularly in orthopedic oncology, Medical Device News Reports. Future advancements may include integrating 3D technology with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for enhanced surgical planning and execution.