RAPID PROTOTYPING IN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY - A USER'S GUIDE

Abstract

3D printing an additive manufacturing technique, allowing for rapid prototyping in many industries. To date, medical applications have generally been within a research or industry environment, as the costs (expertise, software and equipment) have been prohibitive. We have established a means by which 3D printing of bones can be achieved quickly, cost-effectively and accurately from standard computer tomography (CT) digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) data. CT DICOM data of a malunited forearm fracture were manipulated using open-source software (no cost) and a 3D model was produced by selective-laser-sintering. The entire process took 7 days (total cost £77). This process and the resultant model were then assessed for overall accuracy. This sequential methodology provides ready and economical access to a technology that is valuable for preoperative templating/rehearsal in complex 3D reconstructive cases.

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