3D printer manufacturer 3D Systems has added a new hybrid maxillofacial surgery guide to its virtual surgery planning (VSP) medical planning product portfolio. 

Combining the strength of titanium with the softness of nylon, 3D Systems' surgical tools can be occluded, allowing surgeons to perform operations with greater precision and confidence. These guidelines were developed in response to customer feedback and have been deployed at the Center for Orthognathic and Maxillofacial Surgery in New York to provide medical staff with a way to optimize patient outcomes.

"The new VSP hybrid guide is the next generation of occlusal-based surgical guides," said Dr. Jay Neugarten, an oral surgeon at the center. "In order to be able to combine two materials-nylon and titanium-to make cutting and predictive drilling surgical guides, these guides are aligned with the dentition to provide precise and accurate surgical results for my patients."

"The VSP surgery plan and guidelines are an integral part of my ability to provide very successful results for patients undergoing jaw correction surgery."

3D Systems' VSP product portfolio 

Last year, 3D Systems underwent a "strategic adjustment", refocusing on its core medical and industrial verticals, and offloading its Battery Ventures and Cimatron subsidiaries. During that time, the company significantly expanded its medical product portfolio, achieved a "breakthrough" in 3D bioprinting with United Therapeutics, and produced more than one million surgical implants.

Elsewhere, 3D Systems' VSP service combines imaging, simulation, and 3D printing to create mature surgical plans, and is rapidly becoming the core of its clinical products. The company's anatomical solutions have been deployed in more than 140,000 patient cases, and its FDA-approved implant range continues to grow. 

In September last year, the company's VSP Orthopedics platform sold through Onkos Surgical's My3D service obtained 510(k) approval from the FDA. Soon after, 3D Systems also received FDA approval to use its LaserForm Ti and DuraForm ProX PA materials for 3D printing of maxillofacial surgical guides, which have now been carried out through its medical partner Stryker before its full release in May 2021 Limited release. 

Menno Ellis, Executive Vice President of 3D Systems Healthcare Solutions, said: "With the launch of VSP Hybrid Guides, we have enhanced the capabilities of our well-known VSP surgical solution portfolio to facilitate cranio-maxillofacial surgery." "With our professional biology With the cooperation of medical engineers, surgeons can develop effective surgical plans and patient-specific equipment to help improve patient outcomes."

3D Systems' latest medical equipment is designed to help surgeons provide better results for their maxillofacial patients, using nylon to achieve tooth-based registration. Therefore, compared with traditional equipment, clinical users can effectively place new tools with more confidence, thereby improving the visibility of the surgical site. 

More importantly, occlusal alignment may reduce the patient's guidance footprint, and the device's slim overall profile means it can be accurately placed in hard-to-reach areas. The new rails produced using the company's LaserForm Ti and DuraForm ProX PA materials are also easy to assemble and can even be customized to embed multiple cutting/drilling positions on a single device.

Neugarten said that when combined with 3D Systems' wider range of VSP products, the VSP Hybrid Guide can provide the accuracy level of the car's satellite navigation system, help improve the efficiency of the surgical process, and potentially save surgeons and patients in the operating room. time. 

"Using VSP Hybrid Guides with Stryker's Facial iD custom board can simplify my surgical workflow," Neugarten concluded. "This ability to seamlessly transfer my digital treatment plan to the surgical field allows me to provide the highest level of care to my patients."

In addition to making guidelines to improve patient treatment outcomes, 3D printing is now being used on a more experimental basis to create facial grafts that can be implanted into the patient's skull. For example, just last year, scientists at Texas A&M University developed a new type of additive-made scaffold that can directly promote the growth of bone cells after surgery. 

For more end-use applications, the Quebec Industrial Research Center (CRIQ) has adopted the GE Additive Arcam Q10 3D printer to accelerate its production of mandibular implants for patients. The organization turned to additive manufacturing with the goal of shortening the delivery time of equipment from approximately six weeks to only three weeks. 

At the same time, researchers at Paulista University further implanted the patient by 3D printing a facial prosthesis for a Brazilian cancer survivor (including her entire right eye). Using images captured from a smartphone, the team was able to manufacture implants with less invasiveness than traditional grafts. 

For more information on the VSP Hybrid surgical guide, please see the paper titled "Computer-aided Stereolithography for Preoperative Planning of Free Mandibular Tissue Reconstruction". The research was co-authored by Jill Sink, David Hamlar, Deepak Kademani, and Samir S Khariwala. 

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The featured image shows 3D Systems' new 3D printed surgical guide attached to the skull. The picture comes from 3D Systems.

Paul is a graduate of history and journalism and is keen to find exclusive news about the latest technology news.

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