[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":434},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-where-are-3d-printed-casts":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":192,"relatedBooks":349},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":33,"project_category":41,"contact_email_category":45,"yst_prominent_words":46,"class_list":65,"better_featured_image":84,"acf":122,"yoast_meta":136,"_links":139},29839,"2026-06-04T08:56:58","2026-06-04T06:56:58",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=29839&_wpnonce=54754c18e1&status=auto-draft&type=post","2026-06-04T08:57:00","2026-06-04T06:57:00","where-are-3d-printed-casts","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhere-are-3d-printed-casts",{"rendered":17},"Where Are 3D-Printed Casts?",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>Years ago, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fplaster-casts-on-a-broken-limb-in-2016-please-print-out-mine\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">I met Scott Summit\u003C\u002Fa>, Design Director of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dsystems.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">3DSystems\u003C\u002Fa>. At that time, he was wearing a cast due to ongoing issues with his wrist. He told me it was a cast specific for himself; and one that his physician could open and close in seconds. He even told me he could shower with it, without the need to wrap it in plastic bags. That was, of course, no ordinary cast as it was a 3D-printed cast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, since that time, I haven’t come across any medical practitioners who offer 3D-printed casts as part of normal care. Nor have I seen people with casts wearing 3D-printed ones. There are companies that do produce these peripherals, but it’s the same old gypsum casts that prevail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F3d-printed-casts-selection-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29843\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F3d-printed-casts-selection-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F3d-printed-casts-selection.jpg 1203w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dprintingmedia.network\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Cp>So what happened to those promising 3D-printed casts? Were they a fad that will remain only a fantasy for tech enthusiasts? It was challenging to find the exact reason so we tried to speculate why. We also asked insights of an expert, namely Juan Monzón Fabregat. Fabregat is the ex-CEO of Exovite, a company that used to manufacture 3D-printed casts itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Finding out what happened to 3D-printed casts and why they haven’t broken into healthcare might provide valuable insights into what we can expect from other seemingly-exciting and advanced technologies. Companies and startups investing in such solutions could thus learn where to improve where 3D-printed casts failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Cast from the past\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The appeal for 3D-printed casts isn’t based on hype alone. They are thin, breathable, customisable, waterproof, easily removable, and prevent infection and muscle atrophy. In short, they outperform traditional casts in many ways. For in many ways, 3D-printed casts represent the natural evolution in casts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>To separate the hype from the fact, researchers investigated this technique’s advantages over traditional casts. A \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthreedmedprint.biomedcentral.com\u002Farticles\u002F10.1186\u002Fs41205-017-0019-y\" target=\"_blank\">study, conducted in 2017\u003C\u002Fa>, found that 3D-printed casts “increased patient comfort and satisfaction.” Another one in 2018 \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fjournals.sagepub.com\u002Fdoi\u002Fabs\u002F10.1177\u002F1558944718795291\" target=\"_blank\">also found\u003C\u002Fa> superior “patient satisfaction, comfort, and perceived functions” with 3D printed casts. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But the same study added that both conventional and 3D-printed casting techniques “demonstrate similar objective function” based on their functions and the dexterity they provide the wearer. Juan Monzón Fabregat shared a similar opinion. “The traditional splints are not that bad,” he commented. “Of course, the personalised 3D-printed splint is a better product but is not better than the traditional ones to take a chance to change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fxkelet-3d-printed-cast-768x437.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29845\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fxkelet-3d-printed-cast-768x437.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fxkelet-3d-printed-cast.jpg 938w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gizlogic.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:30px\">An example in practice\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We recently \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fposts\u002Fexclusive-about-115524870\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interviewed\u003C\u002Fa> Diana Hall, President\u002FCEO of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.activarmor.com\u002F\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.activarmor.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ActivArmor\u003C\u002Fa> to ask her opinion about this. Her company designs 3D printed, waterproof, plastic casts that allow patients to practice basic hygiene like showering and hand washing, and allow for customizations in device thickness, coverage areas, offsets for pins or incisions, exposures for wound or skin observation or adaptation with advanced healing technologies like bone stimulators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F11\u002FCopy-of-DSC_0048-768x512.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-58187\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F11\u002FCopy-of-DSC_0048-768x512.webp 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F11\u002FCopy-of-DSC_0048.webp 820w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When asked why we still don’t see 3D printed casts everywhere in healthcare despite its value having been shown multiple times, she answered this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>“We are definitely seeing them in mainstream practice more and more, thanks to ActivArmor! Our system is easy to implement in any clinical setting – we have taken the pain points of digital design and 3D printing, and made them turnkey. They’re now covered by Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers which helps as well! As the 3D printing technology gets faster, from hours to minutes, we have no doubt that it will take over as the standard of care.”\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lack of evidence?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But then again, the evidence \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscholar.google.hu\u002Fscholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=3d+printed+cast&btnG=\" target=\"_blank\">is rather lacking\u003C\u002Fa>. Most of the literature about 3D-printed casts is around the cast’s design and material properties rather than their effectiveness. The few that focused on the latter did show promise. But to convince a larger subset of traumatologists, more of such studies would be needed. These deficiencies in the literature itself attest to the limited adoption of 3D-printed casts by the medical community and patients alike. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Even if the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcategory\u002F3d-printing\u002F\">medical 3D-printing\u003C\u002Fa> market is projected to be \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.statista.com\u002Fstatistics\u002F661294\u002Fmedical-3d-printing-market-forecast-worldwide-by-category\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">valued at $1.2 billion by 2024\u003C\u002Fa>, it remains to be seen how much 3D-printed casts will add to this market.  The COVID-19 pandemic could accelerate this growth in 3D-printing. Indeed, the current public health crisis highlighted \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-tech-here-to-stay-after-covid-19\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">the importance of 3D-printers in the medical industry\u003C\u002Fa>. They enable healthcare institutions to bypass the supply chain and help meet demand with supplies made in-house. Despite the potential that 3D-printed casts hold, the technology still seems niche facing several challenges before its mass adoption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Out on a (broken) limb\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>One of those challenges can be because of the state of the technology itself, leading to traumatologists favouring traditional casts over its simplicity and availability, even if 3D-printed casts have superior potential. Take the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftechcrunch.com\u002F2014\u002F05\u002F29\u002Fa-3d-printed-cast-that-can-heal-your-bones-40-80-faster\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Osteoid\u003C\u002Fa> prototype from 2014 for example. It doesn’t only keep the limb’s bone in place but can also help in the bone’s healing. With its pulsed ultrasound bone stimulator system, it fastens bone healing via \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.popsci.com\u002Ftechnology\u002Farticle\u002F2011-10\u002Fscottish-doctors-use-ultrasound-stimulate-bone-regeneration\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">ultrasonic vibrations\u003C\u002Fa>. With traditional plaster casts, doctors couldn’t apply the vibrational therapy, but 3D-printed casts do allow it. But Osteoid went off the radar, with no news since 2014 and seemed destined to stay as a prototype.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fosteoid-3d-printed-cast-768x480.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29847\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fosteoid-3d-printed-cast-768x480.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fosteoid-3d-printed-cast.png 1157w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Osteoid prototype\u003Cbr>Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.telegraph.co.uk\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Cp>“The technology used for all this matter sometimes is excessive compared with a normal cast and the setup needs too much time and preparation,” Fabregat told The Medical Futurist. For instance, the Spanish startup \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.xkelet.com\u002Fen\u002F\">Xkelet\u003C\u002Fa> takes about two hours to 3D-print its casts. “Obviously, that’s about two hours too long. But eventually, the goal with these new printers is to print in 12 to 30 minutes,” said Tim Dobrinich, COO and co-founder of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftrimed3d.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">TriMed\u003C\u002Fa>, a partner of Xkelet. Fabregat told us that the whole procedure should be even shorter, less than 5 minutes, for the adoption to take off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Another aspect to consider is that not all hospitals have a 3D-printer and  scanner to make personalised casts. A way to circumvent this would be for 3D-printing companies to partner with healthcare institutions and offer the equipment required. That’s the approach of Latvian startup \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcastprint.co\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">CastPrint\u003C\u002Fa>. They \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Frebeccabanovic\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F14\u002Fthese-3d-printed-casts-from-latvia-could-be-the-future-of-healthcare\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">provide clinics with their 3D-scanner\u003C\u002Fa> where physicians scan the injury and forward the 3D-image to the company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fcastprint-3d-printed-cast-768x284.png\" alt=\"Examples of 3D-Printed casts\" class=\"wp-image-29849\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fcastprint-3d-printed-cast-768x284.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fcastprint-3d-printed-cast-1536x569.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fcastprint-3d-printed-cast.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Examples of CastPrints casts\u003Cbr>Source: https:\u002F\u002Fcastprint.co\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dead-end solutions\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Xkelet offers yet another solution that does not require an expensive scanner but \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Frebeccabanovic\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F14\u002Fthese-3d-printed-casts-from-latvia-could-be-the-future-of-healthcare\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">an iPad scanner attachment\u003C\u002Fa> that can even be used at home and send the information obtained for printing. But the whole logistics behind getting the cast from the manufacturer to the wearer and the price itself (a CastPrint cast \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Frebeccabanovic\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F14\u002Fthese-3d-printed-casts-from-latvia-could-be-the-future-of-healthcare\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">costs around €100\u003C\u002Fa>) are potential deterrents. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Fabregat also pointed out another issue. “The surface of the limb during the inflammatory phase after the injury and the phases just after it change too much and even if you use the most accurate 3D-scanner, it is not going to fit,” he explained. “The time between 3D-scanning and 3D-printing is too long today and the patient limb surface changes too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These persisting issues show that maybe the technology behind 3D-printed casts is still not ready yet. Medical professionals might rightly think why they would need to go through all those hoops when the conventional method works anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The return of the 3D-printed casts: a new hope?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It’s also possible that 3D-printed casts haven’t been widely adopted simply because patients and physicians don’t know about this option. But not if you are in Latvia, according to Janis Olins, one of CastPrint’s founders. “You can go in any clinic or hospital in Latvia and ask the traumatologist about CastPrint, and they would’ve already used it, or at least know there is a viable alternative to the traditional plaster cast,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Frebeccabanovic\u002F2019\u002F04\u002F14\u002Fthese-3d-printed-casts-from-latvia-could-be-the-future-of-healthcare\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Olins says\u003C\u002Fa>. The company has partnered with Latvian clinics and even expanded to the U.K., with plans to branch out further into Europe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Xkelet’s casts are also commercially available in the United States for wrist and arm injuries, with more in the pipeline. “We’re going to come out with [a cast for] the whole arm, where it comes up past the elbow into the bicep, also the foot and ankle, and then we’re looking at a full leg brace as well,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mddionline.com\u002F3d-printing\u002F3d-printed-casts-offer-patients-customized-solutions-bone-breaks\" target=\"_blank\">Tim Dobrinich said\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fxkelet-cast-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"3D-Printed Cast example\" class=\"wp-image-29851\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fxkelet-cast-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fxkelet-cast.jpg 1087w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xkelet’s cast\u003Cbr>Source: https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mddionline.com\u002F\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\u003Cp>CastPrint saw a fourfold year-on-year growth. The founders further said that they are confident that their startup would be successful. They are also exploring other fields such as 3D-printing in orthodontics and collaborating with healthcare professionals and businesses. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Maybe their approach might prove fruitful and expand the adoption of 3D-printed casts. This could drive competition and investment in the field, leading to reduced costs of equipment and eventually an accepted alternative to conventional cast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Go Big Tech or go home?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As for Juan Monzón Fabregat, he believes that the task is up to Big Tech to tackle. “[It] needs to come from a big company that believes this is the way; otherwise is too complicated to have a chance because of the risks and factors related to investment and regulatory requirements,” he told us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The case of 3D-printed casts is an interesting one for techno-optimists like us at The Medical Futurist. It shows that certain elements of healthcare cannot be replaced by advanced technologies; or simply that it takes too much time and investment to make it happen. If this is the case, then the story of how 3D-printing casts couldn’t make it to healthcare practice should be a cautionary tale for everyone else in the industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Eventually, only time will tell if 3D-printed casts are indeed the evolution of casts. I just hope that Scott Summit wasn’t one of the few people that I have seen using such casts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Finding out what happened to 3D-printed casts and why they haven’t broken into healthcare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",16,29841,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,32],498,521,[34,35,36,37,38,39,40],130,543,5837,611,5839,665,5841,[42,43,44],947,948,950,[],[47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64],5805,5843,5809,5845,5821,1883,5823,2133,5825,3367,5829,4491,5833,5787,5835,5789,5799,5801,[66,14,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83],"post-29839","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-3d-printing","category-future-medicine","tag-3d-printing-2","tag-future-of-hospital","tag-xkelet","tag-plaster-cast","tag-castprint","tag-3d-printed","tag-exovite","project_category-company","project_category-developers","project_category-medical-professionals",{"id":24,"alt_text":27,"caption":85,"description":86,"media_type":87,"media_details":88,"post":5,"source_url":121},"Traditional cast vs a 3D printed one: any better?","Finding out what happened to 3D-printed casts and why they haven’t broken into healthcare","image",{"width":89,"height":90,"file":91,"sizes":92,"image_meta":119},1920,1080,"2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01.png",{"medium":93,"large":99,"thumbnail":104,"medium_large":108,"1536x1536":109,"2048x2048":114},{"file":94,"width":95,"height":96,"mime-type":97,"source_url":98},"200_tmf-01-370x208.png","370","208","image\u002Fpng","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01-370x208.png",{"file":100,"width":101,"height":102,"mime-type":97,"source_url":103},"200_tmf-01-768x432.png","768","432","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01-768x432.png",{"file":105,"width":106,"height":106,"mime-type":97,"source_url":107},"200_tmf-01-150x150.png","150","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01-150x150.png",{"file":100,"width":101,"height":102,"mime-type":97,"source_url":103},{"file":110,"width":111,"height":112,"mime-type":97,"source_url":113},"200_tmf-01-1536x864.png","1536","864","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01-1536x864.png",{"file":115,"width":116,"height":117,"mime-type":97,"source_url":118},"200_tmf-01-2048x1152.png","2048","1152","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":120,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":120,"copyright":27,"focal_length":120,"iso":120,"shutter_speed":120,"title":27,"orientation":120},"0","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F200_tmf-01.png",{"cta_type":123,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":124,"related_posts_footer":127,"related_posts":20,"key_takeaways":131},"subscribe",[125,126],24759,24765,[128,129,130],12816,28443,10992,[132,134],{"title":133},"\u003Cp>3D printed casts are not common despite their value having been shown multiple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":135},"\u003Cp>We analyze why this is the case and what companies and organizations are trying to change this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":137,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":138,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"Where Are 3D-Printed Casts? - The Medical Futurist","3D-Printed Casts: What happened to 3D-printed casts and why they haven’t broken into healthcare – learn more of 3D-printers in the medical industry.",{"self":140,"collection":146,"about":149,"author":152,"replies":155,"version-history":158,"predecessor-version":162,"wp:featuredmedia":166,"wp:attachment":169,"wp:term":172,"curies":188},[141],{"href":142,"targetHints":143},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F29839",{"allow":144},[145],"GET",[147],{"href":148},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[150],{"href":151},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[153],{"embeddable":26,"href":154},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F16",[156],{"embeddable":26,"href":157},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=29839",[159],{"count":160,"href":161},28,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F29839\u002Frevisions",[163],{"id":164,"href":165},58191,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F29839\u002Frevisions\u002F58191",[167],{"embeddable":26,"href":168},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F29841",[170],{"href":171},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=29839",[173,176,179,182,185],{"taxonomy":174,"embeddable":26,"href":175},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=29839",{"taxonomy":177,"embeddable":26,"href":178},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=29839",{"taxonomy":180,"embeddable":26,"href":181},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=29839",{"taxonomy":183,"embeddable":26,"href":184},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=29839",{"taxonomy":186,"embeddable":26,"href":187},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=29839",[189],{"name":190,"href":191,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[193],{"id":130,"date":194,"date_gmt":195,"guid":196,"modified":198,"modified_gmt":199,"slug":200,"status":13,"type":14,"link":201,"title":202,"content":204,"excerpt":206,"author":208,"featured_media":209,"comment_status":210,"ping_status":210,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":211,"categories":212,"tags":217,"project_category":230,"contact_email_category":232,"yst_prominent_words":233,"class_list":245,"better_featured_image":264,"acf":288,"yoast_meta":304,"_links":306},"2025-11-17T10:07:22","2025-11-17T09:07:22",{"rendered":197},"http:\u002F\u002Fscienceroll.com\u002F?p=10992","2025-11-17T10:07:25","2025-11-17T09:07:25","3d-printing-in-medicine-and-healthcare","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-printing-in-medicine-and-healthcare",{"rendered":203},"3D Printing In Medicine And Healthcare – The Ultimate List",{"rendered":205,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>3D printing has demonstrated huge potential for the future of medicine in the previous years, and its development is unstoppable. See the impressive list of 3D-printed healthcare materials and medical equipment below!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does 3D printing in medicine work?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing in medicine is part of the\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprinting.com\u002Fwhat-is-3d-printing\u002F\" target=\"_blank\"> \u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">innovative process called additive manufacturing\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which means producing three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. How the technology works, we explained \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-bioprinting-overview\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in our article on bioprinting here\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F07\u002F0715_3dprinting_infographic-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35285\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F07\u002F0715_3dprinting_infographic-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F07\u002F0715_3dprinting_infographic-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F07\u002F0715_3dprinting_infographic-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F07\u002F0715_3dprinting_infographic-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As technology evolves, researchers work on various solutions. For example, engineers from the University of Buffalo have \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FvqveljTzypM\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">created a novel technology that speeds up\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the printing process itself. What’s remarkable about this particular hydrogen-based technology is that it’s way faster than previous 3D printing methods. Like, up to 50 times faster.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing in medicine and healthcare could revolutionise drug creation and the production of medical equipment. It could also offer new methods for practicing\u003C\u002Fspan> medicine, optimising supply chains, and proposing\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cheaper and way more personalised medical services. Let’s see the most promising examples!\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cb>Personalised medical equipment\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a well-known fact that medical equipment is expensive. \u003C\u002Fspan>The global medical devices market size was valued at USD 512 billion in 2022 and is \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fortunebusinessinsights.com\u002Findustry-reports\u002Fmedical-devices-market-100085#:~:text=The%20global%20medical%20devices%20market,5.9%25%20during%20the%20forecast%20period.\" target=\"_blank\">projected to grow to USD 780 billion by 2030\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Thus, 3D printing splints, medical models used before surgeries, or other necessary means for healing could save vast amounts of money. And there are already brilliant examples on the market of how to do it!\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ian McHale, a senior at the US Steinert High School,\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhigh-school-senior-3d-prints-finger-splint-12561\u002F\" target=\"_blank\"> \u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">created a blueprint\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for producing finger splints. A low-end 3D printer can print his splint quickly and affordably, about 2¢ worth of ABS plastic in about ten minutes! For developing countries, where splints can often be ordered from overseas only in bulk, it could mean the cheapest solution for remote communities. At the same time, it could efficiently serve personal needs.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Ultimate List of What We Can 3D Print in Healthcare - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F9XYLRaVqzNY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for 3D-printed plaster casts, for the moment, these remain a distant hope. In theory, it sounds amazing; however, the technology still seems niche, facing several challenges before its mass adoption. We dedicated an entire article looking for the solutions and the companies providing them – find out more in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhere-are-3d-printed-casts\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where Are 3D-Printed Casts?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But 3D printing in medicine can also be a lifesaver – as it saved the life of a baby in the U.S. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.medicalnewstoday.com\u002Farticles\u002F263218.php\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaiba Gionfriddo\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was born prematurely in 2011 and suffered from tracheobronchomalacia – a congenital disability that causes the windpipe to collapse. He had a tracheostomy and was put on a ventilator––the conventional treatment. Still, Kaiba would stop breathing almost daily. His heart would stop, too. His caregivers 3D printed a bioresorbable device that instantly helped Kaiba breathe. After the operation, Kaiba’s trachea gradually reconstructed itself. His body reabsorbed the inserted splint. A year later, the tube was also removed without causing any harm.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australian scientists \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.3dprintingmedia.network\u002F3d-printed-microneedles-for-continuous-glucose-monitoring\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printed a set of microneedles\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for effective diabetes monitoring. These minimally invasive and minimally painful needles offer an effective way for continuous glucose monitoring – and open up the path towards personalised medicine and drug intake itself.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing\u003C\u002Fspan> of medical equipment also played a significant role at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent 3D production of especially personal protective equipment was literally saving lives for hospital personnel. In fact, 3D printing\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> became a vital technology, supporting hospitals and frontliners. Community-based \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.weforum.org\u002Fagenda\u002F2021\u002F06\u002Fmakerspaces-help-communities-in-crisis-heres-how-to-support-them\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">makerspaces\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offered freely accessible 3D blueprints helping the rapid response to the pandemic.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cb>Models for surgical planning and education\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing can also help medical research and the outcome of complex operations and particularly challenging cases. Researchers in China and the US have both\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2015\u002F05\u002F150527133728.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 3D-printed models of cancerous tumours\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to aid the discovery of new anti-cancer drugs and to better understand how tumours develop, grow, and spread. Bioprinted cancer models can even “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedirect.com\u002Fscience\u002Farticle\u002Fpii\u002FS1936523321000073\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mimic the 3D heterogeneity of real tumours.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002Fnews\u002F525221\u002Fheart-implants-3-d-printed-to-order\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers have also used\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> scans of animal hearts to create printed models and then added flexible electronics on top of those models. The material can be peeled off the printed model and wrapped around the real heart for a perfect fit. The next step is to enhance the electronics with multiple sensors.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing in medicine can be used to print organ models. These could also be helpful for patient education and pre-operative planning for surgeons. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwtop.com\u002Fhealth-fitness\u002F2021\u002F07\u002F3d-printed-models-help-doctors-prepare-for-fetal-surgeries\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists are using a combination\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of MRI and ultrasound imaging along with 3D-printing technology to help doctors prepare for fetal surgeries. With the 3D printed model, doctors can more easily identify potential obstacles and reduce the risk of surgery on babies with spina bifida, a congenital disability.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another example is \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fcompany\u002Fs3drepro\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schiner 3D Repro GmbH\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">‘s Digital Anatomy 3D printer. The device can \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.medicalplasticsnews.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftechnology\u002Faccelerating-medical-device-innovation-with-digital-anatomy-\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">help simulate anatomies and pathologies\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with ultra-realistic 3D printed models, reducing the need for human and animal cadavers, ensuring high repeatability and acceleration across the design validation process.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cb>Prosthetics and implants\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Globally, over 30 million people need mobility devices such as prosthetics, while 80 percent of the world’s amputees do not have access to \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-future-of-prosthetics-depends-on-a-i\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">modern prosthetics\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, creating traditional prosthetics is very time–consuming and destructive, which means that any modifications would destroy the original moulds. In collaboration with Autodesk Research and CBM Canada, researchers at the University of Toronto used 3D printing to quickly produce \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprint.com\u002F44123\u002F3d-printed-prosthetics-uganda\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cheap and easily customisable prosthetic sockets\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for patients in the developing world.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NGOs like \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.notimpossible.com\u002Fprojects\u002Fproject-daniel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refugee Open Ware\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.notimpossible.com\u002Fprojects\u002Fproject-daniel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not Impossible\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u003C\u002Fspan>were\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> helping people in need with 3D printing in medicine. They created 3D-print prosthetics for refugees from war-torn areas. Not Impossible, for example, took 3D printers to Sudan in 2013, where the chaos of war has left many people with amputated limbs. The organisation’s founder, Mick Ebeling, trained locals to operate the machinery, create patient-specific limbs, and fit these new, very inexpensive prosthetics.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personalised medical implants could also be 3D printed. This is especially important in complex and rare cases. Back in 2014, Dutch surgeons replaced\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theregister.co.uk\u002F2014\u002F03\u002F29\u002Fdutch_doctors_replace_womans_skull_with_3dprinted_plastic_copy\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the entire top of a 22 year–old woman’s skull\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a customised printed implant made from plastic. The patient was suffering from a rare condition that caused the inside of her skull to grow extra bone, which squeezed her brain. The growth was discovered after she reported severe headaches and then lost her sight and motor control. If untreated, the extra bone would have killed her.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A novel 3D printing technique makes it possible to create astonishingly small and complex \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fphysicsworld.com\u002Fa\u002Findirect-3d-printing-creates-intricate-bioscaffolds-for-bone-and-tissue-regrowth\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">biomedical implants\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Engineers and biomedical scientists at RMIT University in Australia created a ‘reverse’ 3D printing, versatile enough to use medical grade materials off-the-shelf. “\u003C\u002Fspan>The approach involves printing glue moulds that can then be filled with biomaterial filler. Once the mould is dissolved away, the biomaterial structure remains. Excitingly, the technique uses standard 3D printers, such as those now commonly even found in high schools, and PVA glue as a printing material\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">” Imagine the possibilities of this achievement!\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cb>3D Printing biomaterials\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing in medicine is a powerful tool for tissue engineering. No matter whether it is about blood, bones, heart, or skin. It is the technology that lets your jaw drop and scares the hell out of you at the same time when you first encounter it.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What Is 3D Bioprinting? - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F7Rnd2CGUQag?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Blood vessels\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers at Harvard University were \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fnews.harvard.edu\u002Fgazette\u002Fstory\u002F2016\u002F03\u002Fcreating-3-d-tissue-and-its-potential-for-regeneration\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the first to use a custom-built 3D printer and a dissolving ink to create a swatch of tissue\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that contains skin cells interwoven with structural material that can potentially function as blood vessels in the future. The vasculature network enables fluids, nutrients, and cell growth factors to be perfused uniformly throughout the tissue.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a next step, Korean engineers have created \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fresearchers-in-asia-create-implantable-blood-vessels-using-3d-cell-printing-171055\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">implantable 3D printed blood vessels\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and successfully implanted them into a rat. With the process, they hope to develop functioning artificial blood vessels needed to cure cardiovascular diseases.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Bones\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professor Susmita Bose of Washington State University \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.seattletimes.com\u002Fnwshowcase\u002Fwashington-state-university\u002Finspiring-ingenuity-printing-new-bone\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">modified a 3D printer to bind chemicals to a ceramic powder creating intricate ceramic scaffolds\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that promote the growth of the bone in any shape. It helps hip and knee replacements last longer by developing a body-friendly calcium phosphate-based coating for the implant materials. Once integrated, the coated implants are expected to last longer – possibly doubling the life of cemented implants. Researchers, in the meantime, started using \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.straitstimes.com\u002Fsingapore\u002Fusing-corals-to-3d-print-implants-for-bone-grafts\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sea coral\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.azonano.com\u002Farticle.aspx?ArticleID=5760\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">graphene and ceramics\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to create bone-like structures with 3D printing.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To 3D Print Bones? - A Future Bit From The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Fhh2QIPuENi0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And using a novel method at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, doctors can \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnewsroom.unsw.edu.au\u002Fnews\u002Fhealth\u002Fscientists-use-novel-ink-3d-print-%E2%80%98bone%E2%80%99-living-cells-0\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">create new bone tissue during surgery\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> exactly where it is needed. “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can go directly into the bone where there are cells, blood vessels and fat, and print a bone-like structure that already contains living cells, right in that area”, –\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> said Associate Professor Kristopher Kilian, who co-developed the technology in the university statement.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Heart valve\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jonathan Butcher of Cornell University has \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.asme.org\u002Fengineering-topics\u002Farticles\u002Fbioengineering\u002Fcreating-valve-tissue-using-3d-bioprinting\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printed a heart valve\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> possessing the same anatomical architecture as the original valve. It will soon be tested on sheep. He used a combination of cells and biomaterials to control the valve’s stiffness. Butcher believes bioprinting will gain much more traction in the tissue engineering and biomedical community over the next five years, potentially becoming the standard in complex tissue fabrication.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Replicating human ears\u002Fnoses\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lawrence Bonassar of Cornell University used \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca style=\"\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.news.cornell.edu\u002Fstories\u002F2013\u002F02\u002Fbioengineers-physicians-3-d-print-ears-look-act-real\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D photos of human ears to create ear \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">molds\u003C\u002Fspan>. The molds were then filled with a gel containing bovine cartilage cells suspended in collagen, which held the shape of the ear while cells grew their extracellular matrix. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canadian scientists have \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fedu.rsc.org\u002Fsoundbite\u002Fpolymer-chemistry-is-printing-noses\u002F4013813.article\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">printed synthetic noses\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for skin cancer patients. The printing used real human nose cartilage cells, donated by people having nose jobs, with collagen-based hydrogel. The nose job requires surgery, though, while \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newscientist.com\u002Farticle\u002F2245295-human-like-ears-3d-printed-inside-mice-as-surgery-free-spare-parts\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chinese scientists started research\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on mice printing the ear directly inside the animal.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And more recently, experts in France \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fananova.news\u002Fexperts-grow-new-3d-printed-nose-on-womans-arm-after-she-lost-hers-to-cancer\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">have grown a woman a new 3D-printed nose\u003C\u002Fa> on her forearm after she lost hers to cancer. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-1-768x544.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53339\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-1-768x544.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-1.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“The operation involved ear, nose and throat experts as well as plastic surgery teams at the Toulouse University Hospital and the Claudius Regaud Institute and took place at the Toulouse-Oncopole University Cancer Institute. They said that they managed to successfully re-vascularise the patient’s nasal cavity, connecting the blood vessels by performing microsurgery.” She stayed in the hospital for 10 days and was on antibiotics for 3 weeks, and now she is doing very well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Synthetic skin\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2017, James Yoo at the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprint.com\u002F162193\u002Fwfirm-3d-printed-skin-burn-care\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wake Forest School of Medicine \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the US and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2017\u002F01\u002F170123090630.htm\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">researchers at the University of Madrid\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed the prototype of a 3D printer that can create synthetic skin. It is adequate for transplanting patients who suffered burn injuries or have other skin issues. It may also be used in research or the testing of cosmetic, chemical, and pharmaceutical products.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A significant step forward for skin grafts and burn victims is the development of living skin. Researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnews.rpi.edu\u002Fcontent\u002F2019\u002F11\u002F01\u002Fliving-skin-can-now-be-3d-printed-blood-vessels-included\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">developed a method\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to 3D-print living skin along with blood vessels.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Synthetic organs\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When talking about 3D-printed organs, people tend to think of a machine that can create readily available, implantable human organs. However, the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F3d-bioprinting-overview\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reality is far from this optimistic image\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers worldwide are working on possible solutions: \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.organovo.com\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organovo\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> successfully bioprinted liver tissues already in 2014. They then seemed to be 4-6 years away from printing liver parts for transplantation. Together with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Organovo even created miniature \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sciencedaily.com\u002Freleases\u002F2020\u002F11\u002F201124190532.htm\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">human kidneys\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the lab.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What We Can Print Out In 3D In Medicine - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FcOcL_LPVDB8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bioprinted organs could also be used in the pharmaceutical industry to replace animal models for analysing the toxicity of new drugs. Technological solutions like BioAssemblyBot \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fposts\u002Fbioprinting-hand-36609058\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we wrote about earlier\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and entirely \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcarnegie-researchers-develop-fresh-new-method-of-3d-bioprinting-fully-sized-human-heart-models-179829\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new methods\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can lead to patient-specific heart tissue printing will eventually lead to success: industry leaders expect a breakthrough in about a decade. In an interview for our Patreon site, Erik Gatenholm, CEO of \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cellink.com\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CELLINK\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, said, “\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ci>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we will see fully functioning organs within the next decade or so\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fi>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The future of pharma: 3D printed drugs\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2015, the \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fqz.com\u002F471030\u002Fthe-fda-has-approved-the-first-drug-made-by-a-3d-printer\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FDA approved\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the first-ever drug \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fthe-fda-just-approved-the-first-3d-printed-drug\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">made by 3D printers\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and in 2021, the second such medication received approval. Chinese pharmaceutical company Triastek, Inc. has \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprintingindustry.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftriastek-receives-fda-ind-clearance-for-3d-printed-drug-to-treat-rheumatoid-arthritis-184159\u002F\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rece\u003C\u002Fspan>ived\u003C\u002Fa> Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the FDA for its first 3D printed drug product, T19, which is designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The latest major milestone happened in 2023 when the \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002F3dprinting.com\u002Fnews\u002Ffirst-3d-printed-pediatric-medicine-trials-to-begin-in-europe\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">first clinical trial with a 3D-printed drug in Europe in the pediatric field\u003C\u002Fa> was launched. The 3D printer used for the study produces medicines in semi-solid and chewable forms, which are personalised to each child based on their weight and clinical characteristics, as a collaboration between the Pharmacy Service at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, the University of Santiago de Compostela, and the company FabRx.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Fantastic news for the industry as it opens up a range of opportunities to bring the supply chain to the next\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> level.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Ca class=\"img\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Flive\u002FvYFwKnG9A2A?si=hy6K7e24w7MEyhNl&t=75\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53331\"\u002F\u003C\u002Fa srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fimage.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Flive\u002FvYFwKnG9A2A?si=1cZY4AQBuWdgO0-v&t=75\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">In this live Q&A\u003C\u002Fa>, Dr. Meskó from The Medical Futurist and Alvaro Goyanes, the Co-Founder and CEO of FabRx answered all the questions about 3D printed medicine, tissues, personalized drugs, customized prosthetics, casts, and 3D printed medical devices\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcategory\u002F3d-printing\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printing\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of multiple medicines on a single pill, known as a polypill, is \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fastcompany.com\u002F90632252\u002Fwhat-if-you-could-condense-all-your-pills-into-one-with-3d-printing-you-can\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">already possible\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In 2020 \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fabrx.co.uk\u002F2020\u002F04\u002F06\u002Ffabrxs-pharmaceutical-3d-printer-for-personalised-medicines-m3dimaker-is-now-available\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FabRx released\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the first pharmaceutical 3D printer to manufacture personalised medication. ‘M3DIMAKER’ can print personalised medicine real fast – about 28 pills\u002Fminute. Imagine how fast the distribution of medication could be with a \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffuture-3d-printing-drugs-pharmacies-closer-think\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D printer in pharmacies\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">! Or imagine how different our attitude towards pharmacies would be if we could print out pills at home.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\u002F>\n",{"rendered":207,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>3D Printing in Medicine: in recent years 3D printing in medicine took a massive leap. Check out our analysis of where this exciting field stands today!\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,30915,"open",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,213,32,214,215,216],500,499,516,489,[218,219,34,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,39,227,228,229],667,441,152,246,271,275,517,289,304,313,666,425,[44,231],951,[],[234,235,236,237,238,239,58,240,54,241,242,243,244],3231,3395,3463,1719,3539,1723,1831,2313,3199,3201,3203,[246,14,67,68,69,70,71,72,247,73,248,249,250,251,252,74,253,254,255,256,257,258,259,79,260,261,262,83,263],"post-10992","category-biotechnology","category-healthcare-design","category-medical-education","category-personalized-medicine","tag-tissue-engineering","tag-video","tag-bioprinting","tag-future","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-gc1","tag-innovation","tag-medical","tag-medicine","tag-biomaterial","tag-technology-2","project_category-patients",{"id":209,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":265,"media_type":87,"media_details":266,"post":286,"source_url":287},"An armada of new technologies from virtual reality through A.I. to CRISPR will revolutionise dentistry in the future. ",{"width":89,"height":90,"file":267,"sizes":268,"image_meta":285},"2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo.png",{"medium":269,"large":272,"thumbnail":275,"medium_large":278,"1536x1536":279,"2048x2048":282},{"file":270,"width":95,"height":96,"mime-type":97,"source_url":271},"3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-370x208.png",{"file":273,"width":101,"height":102,"mime-type":97,"source_url":274},"3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-768x432.png",{"file":276,"width":106,"height":106,"mime-type":97,"source_url":277},"3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-150x150.png",{"file":273,"width":101,"height":102,"mime-type":97,"source_url":274},{"file":280,"width":111,"height":112,"mime-type":97,"source_url":281},"3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-1536x864.png",{"file":283,"width":116,"height":117,"mime-type":97,"source_url":284},"3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-2048x1152.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo-2048x1152.png",{"aperture":120,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":120,"copyright":27,"focal_length":120,"iso":120,"shutter_speed":120,"title":27,"orientation":120},14484,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F11\u002F3d-printing-dentistry-with-logo.png",{"related_posts":20,"related_posts_footer":289,"subtitle":27,"cta_type":123,"cta_color":27,"related_books":293,"key_takeaways":297},[290,291,292],53089,52833,31683,[294,295,296],24761,24764,52203,[298,300,302],{"title":299},"\u003Cp>3D printing in healthcare shows enormous promise for revolutionizing medical equipment production, drug creation, and personalized medical services, with examples including cost-effective prosthetics and bespoke implants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":301},"\u003Cp>The pharmaceutical industry is embracing 3D printing with FDA approvals for 3D-printed drugs and the development of personalized medication, indicating a significant shift in drug manufacturing and distribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"title":303},"\u003Cp>Despite the enthralling sci-fi imagery and futuristic scenarios often associated with 3D printing, the current state of this technology does not yet permit the printing of fully functional human organs. The vision of “printing” organs on demand for transplants, though actively pursued in research, is still a goal on the horizon rather than a present-day reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"yoast_wpseo_title":203,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":305,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":201},"3D Printing in Medicine: in recent years 3D printing in medicine took a massive leap. Check out our analysis of where this exciting field stands today!",{"self":307,"collection":312,"about":314,"author":316,"replies":319,"version-history":322,"predecessor-version":326,"wp:featuredmedia":330,"wp:attachment":333,"wp:term":336,"curies":347},[308],{"href":309,"targetHints":310},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F10992",{"allow":311},[145],[313],{"href":148},[315],{"href":151},[317],{"embeddable":26,"href":318},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[320],{"embeddable":26,"href":321},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=10992",[323],{"count":324,"href":325},55,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F10992\u002Frevisions",[327],{"id":328,"href":329},56369,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F10992\u002Frevisions\u002F56369",[331],{"embeddable":26,"href":332},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F30915",[334],{"href":335},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=10992",[337,339,341,343,345],{"taxonomy":174,"embeddable":26,"href":338},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=10992",{"taxonomy":177,"embeddable":26,"href":340},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=10992",{"taxonomy":180,"embeddable":26,"href":342},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=10992",{"taxonomy":183,"embeddable":26,"href":344},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=10992",{"taxonomy":186,"embeddable":26,"href":346},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=10992",[348],{"name":190,"href":191,"templated":26},[350],{"id":126,"date":351,"date_gmt":352,"guid":353,"modified":355,"modified_gmt":356,"slug":357,"status":13,"type":358,"link":359,"title":360,"content":362,"excerpt":364,"author":366,"featured_media":367,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"template":27,"yst_prominent_words":368,"class_list":372,"better_featured_image":375,"acf":397,"yoast_meta":403,"_links":405},"2019-09-06T22:01:25","2019-09-06T20:01:25",{"rendered":354},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_type=book&p=24765","2023-03-12T18:12:53","2023-03-12T17:12:53","the-guide-to-the-future-of-medicine","book","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fbooks\u002Fthe-guide-to-the-future-of-medicine\u002F",{"rendered":361},"Guide to the Future of Medicine: Technology & Human Touch",{"rendered":363,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>The Guide to the Future of Medicine provides an eye-opening, reassuring and accessible roadmap to tomorrow’s potential. By preparing for the inevitable waves of change, you can make informed decisions about how technology will shape your personal well-being or your business environment, and stay healthy and afloat amidst the waves of change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":365,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>The Guide to the Future of Medicine provides an eye-opening, reassuring and accessible roadmap to tomorrow’s potential. By preparing for the inevitable waves of change, […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",10,49975,[369,370,371],3607,2707,4027,[373,358,374,68,70,71],"post-24765","type-book",{"id":367,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":87,"media_details":376,"post":126,"source_url":396},{"width":377,"height":378,"file":379,"filesize":380,"sizes":381,"image_meta":393},320,414,"2019\u002F09\u002Fguide-to-the-future-of-medicine-1.jpeg",17811,{"medium":382,"thumbnail":388},{"file":383,"width":377,"height":384,"mime-type":385,"filesize":386,"source_url":387},"guide-to-the-future-of-medicine-1-320x208.jpeg",208,"image\u002Fjpeg",12054,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Fguide-to-the-future-of-medicine-1-320x208.jpeg",{"file":389,"width":390,"height":390,"mime-type":385,"filesize":391,"source_url":392},"guide-to-the-future-of-medicine-1-150x150.jpeg",150,5386,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Fguide-to-the-future-of-medicine-1-150x150.jpeg",{"aperture":120,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":120,"copyright":27,"focal_length":120,"iso":120,"shutter_speed":120,"title":27,"orientation":394,"keywords":395},"1",[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Fguide-to-the-future-of-medicine-1.jpeg",{"leanpub_url":398,"buy_button_text":399,"preview":400},"https:\u002F\u002Famzn.to\u002F1w0O3sx","Get it on Amazon",[401],{"image":402},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Fguide-to-the-future-of-medicine.jpeg",{"yoast_wpseo_title":404,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":27,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":359},"Guide to the Future of Medicine: Technology & Human Touch - The Medical Futurist",{"self":406,"collection":411,"about":414,"author":417,"replies":420,"wp:featuredmedia":423,"wp:attachment":426,"wp:term":429,"curies":432},[407],{"href":408,"targetHints":409},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fbook\u002F24765",{"allow":410},[145],[412],{"href":413},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fbook",[415],{"href":416},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fbook",[418],{"embeddable":26,"href":419},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F10",[421],{"embeddable":26,"href":422},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24765",[424],{"embeddable":26,"href":425},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F49975",[427],{"href":428},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24765",[430],{"taxonomy":186,"embeddable":26,"href":431},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24765",[433],{"name":190,"href":191,"templated":26},1786620432768]