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3D Printed Finger Implants Could Revolutionize Rheumatic Disorder Treatment
With 1 in 3 American adults living with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, a painful and difficult-to-treat condition, medical advances are essential for improving their quality of life. The Fraunhofer Institute, a German research organization with 76 bases across the country, has worke
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With 1 in 3 American adults living with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, a painful and difficult-to-treat condition, medical advances are essential for improving their quality of life. The Fraunhofer Institute, a German research organization with 76 bases across the country, has worked on the development of 3D printed finger implants which can be personalized to the patient. The research was a collaboration between the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies (IAPT), the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine (MEVIS).
Technical Method
The team used AI-based software to turn 2D photos into 3D models, which they were then able to use to make an individualized implant model to be 3D printed. It is hoped that this method will in the future eliminate the need for time- and resource-consuming CT scans.
Arthritis sufferers, such as that of the hand on the right, could benefit from 3D printed finger implants. (Photo credit: FORM Hand Therapy)
They used metal binder jetting to produce the finger implants. Dr. Philipp Imgrund, head of the AM Process Qualification department at Fraunhofer IAPT, explains that this method allows for ‘extremely precise production’ of the implants and enables the structure to be created in a manner which facilitates its growth and incorporation into the bone. Post-processing requirements are also few.
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