3D printing methods are increasingly being used in medical care. Skåne University Hospital is now going a big step further, becoming the first hospital in the world to use skull implants that were designed and printed entirely in-house.
According to the hospital, the first operation with such an implant was performed 2021. With the help of CT scans, a precise-fitting model of the required skull area was first created and then produced on a 3D printer using a specially approved plastic.
According to the doctors responsible, Einar Heiberg Brandt and Peter Siesjö, this new method results in various advantages for patients. Since the implants can be produced tailor-made, the fit is ideal and complications due to pressure points are avoided. In addition, the operation is faster and the risk of infection is reduced.
Previously, hospitals relied on prefabricated implants or had to have them made by external suppliers. By embedding the entire process from design to on-site surgery, physicians hope to achieve a groundbreaking improvement in treatment options. In the future, the method can be applied to other types of bone implants and thus has great potential.
With this innovation, Skåne University Hospital is underpinning its pioneering role in the medical application of 3D printing. The implants produced in-house could become the medical standard in the future and sustainably improve treatment results, especially in the case of complicated damage.
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