The application of 3D printing technology in the domestic medical industry began in the late 1980s. It is mainly used for rapid manufacturing of 3D medical models. At that time, 3D printing technology was mainly used to help doctors communicate with patients, accurately judge the condition and plan surgery. It can be said that China's medical industry has a long history of exploring the application of 3D printing technology, and with the development of 3D printing technology, the depth of exploration is becoming deeper and deeper.
In recent years, with the development of 3D printing technology and the increasing demand for accurate and personalized medical treatment, the application of 3D printing technology in the medical industry has made significant development in both breadth and depth. In terms of application scope, the rapid manufacturing of medical models at the beginning of Z has gradually developed to the direct manufacturing of 3D printing of hearing aid shells, implants, complex surgical instruments and 3D printing drugs. In terms of depth, the development of 3D printing inanimate medical devices has moved towards printing bioactive artificial tissues and organs. This paper mainly introduces the new progress of medical 3D printing technology in the following five fields.
1. surgical planning model. Preoperative planning is very important for high-risk and difficult surgery. Traditionally, obtaining patient data through CT, MRI and other imaging devices is the basis for surgeons before planning. However, the obtained medical images are two-dimensional and need to use software to convert the two-dimensional data into real data. 3 D data. The 3D printer can directly print 3D models, which can not only help doctors make accurate surgical plans and improve the success rate of surgery, but also facilitate the intuitive communication between doctors and patients on surgical plans. In addition, 3D printing can provide a traceable basis for doctors and patients even if treatment fails.
2. implants. Some implants are made by casting or traditional metal processing methods, and molds need to be made first. For only one or a few implants, the production cost of a single implant is very expensive. For the special implant with complex structure, the traditional planting technology is difficult to achieve. 3D printing technology is used to manufacture orthopaedic implants, which can effectively reduce the manufacturing cost of customized small batch implants and produce more complex implants. In recent years, the medical industry has increasingly used metal 3D printing technology (direct metal laser sintering or electron beam melting) to design and manufacture medical implants. With the cooperation of doctors and engineers, more advanced and qualified implants and artificial limbs can be produced by using 3D printing technology.
In any case, the initial application of 3D printing technology in the medical field has subverted people's understanding of existing medical care. Many developed countries have invested enough manpower and funds as a global strategy for human health. After the completion of large-scale human gene sequencing, regenerative medicine tissue engineering based on 3D printing technology has become one of the active development fields in the field of life science and the focus of technical competition. It has gained the commanding height of the frontier technology of life science.
