Medical Additive Manufacturing: Challenges and Features

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, Medical Additive Manufacturing has been immensely developed and become an essential part of Contemporary healthcare. In the past, additive manufacturing was only utilized to develop basic anatomical models, but as technology evolved, it became more straightforward for researchers to produce complex medical devices. Medical additive manufacturing is a promptly emerging field with the competence to print living tissues and organs for transplantation and produce personalized implants and prostheses with astounding precision and accuracy. The ability of 3D printing to produce products that precisely match a patient’s unique anatomy has significant benefits for medicine, including better patient outcomes. Additive manufacturing is often employed in the orthopedic and dentistry fields to design, build, or produce parts specifically for the patient’s exact and ideal fit. Additionally, it is extensively being utilized to produce surgical equipment and customized anatomical models for pre-surgical planning. This allows surgeons to practice complex procedures on a replica of the patient’s anatomy, improving surgical outcomes and reducing the risk of complications. Experts are exploring the possibility of utilizing 3D printing techniques for developing innovative methods to administer medication, which could improve treatment effectiveness and patient well-being. Additionally, these advancements have contributed immensely to creating human organs through bio-printing technology; a progress that has the potential to revolutionize organ transplants as they exist today by reducing dependence on donors. Another imminent advancement is surgical robotics using robots created through 3D printing procedures working side by side with medical experts thus improving patient outcomes and decreasing risks associated with traditional surgery techniques. Ongoing research and development promise even more groundbreaking applications in the future. This research article gives an attempt at medical additive manufacturing research now, then, and in the future.