Medical applications of 3D printing.

[Warrigal]

Amazing developments in applied science and technology. Note the co-operation of two countries - Australia and Spain. CSIRO stands for Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and is a semi government R and D organisation. Anatomics is as Australian company that designs and manufactures surgical implant devices.

CSIRO uses to 3D printing to create new ribs for cancer patient

Anatomics and CSIRO collaborated to create a customised titanium implant
Rohan Pearce (Computerworld) on 11 September, 2015 12:22

Image credit: Anatomics.

A Spanish cancer patient has a new, customised titanium sternum and ribcage, thanks in part to a collaboration between the CSIRO and a Melbourne medical device company.

Melbourne-based company Anatomics used the CSIRO's 3D printing facility, Lab 22, to create the implant. The federal science and industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, revealed details of the project today.

The 54-year-old patient, who suffered from a chest wall sarcoma that meant his sternum and part of his ribcage needed to be replaced, is recovering well and has been discharged, the CSIRO said.

"We thought, maybe we could create a new type of implant that we could fully customise to replicate the intricate structures of the sternum and ribs,” said Dr José Aranda from Spain's Salamanca University Hospital. "We wanted to provide a safer option for our patient, and improve their recovery post-surgery," Aranda said in a statement.

The titanium implant was printed using $1.3 million Arcam 3D printer at Lab 22.
"The printer works by directing an electron beam at a bed of titanium powder in order to melt it," said the CSIRO's Alex Kingsbury.
"This process is then repeated, building the product up layer-by-layer until you have a complete implant."

"We wanted to 3D print the implant from titanium because of [the sternum and ribcage's] complex geometry and design," said Anatomics CEO Andrew Batty.

Anatomics was responsible for designing the implant.

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