Could 3D printing be the ultimate replicator of the future? Recently, Oxford Performance Materials(OPM) said that they will be helping a patient to have the very first 3D printed cranium implant.
Credit – OPM
US FDA(Food and Drug Administration) gave the green light for them to use Poly-ether-ketone-ketone(PEKK) as an implant. Usually, they would use stainless steel and titanium for prosthetic and implants. The advantage is PEKK is that it is more flexible and have more similar characteristics to bones such as it’s density and stiffness.
“3D printing’s advantage comes from taking the digitally scanned model of a patient’s skull and ‘printing’ out a matching 3D object layer by layer. The precise manufacturing technique can even make tiny surface or edge details on the replacement part that encourage the growth of cells and allow bone to attach more easily.”
OPM president says that up to 500 patients in the US could benefit from 3D skull printing each month. This would make the manufacturing of prosthetic and implants more efficient and cheaper when 3D printer is available for every major hospital.
Via – Dvice.com
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