Applications

Researchers Create 3D Printed Surgical Table

North American University researchers recently announced the successful creation of a 3D-Printed surgical table. The project, a collaboration between the University of Western Ontario (Western) and Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech), was conducted using open-source

Researchers Create 3D Printed Surgical Table
3Dnatives

North American University researchers recently announced the successful creation of a 3D-Printed surgical table. The project, a collaboration between the University of Western Ontario (Western) and Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech), was conducted using open-source hardware and resulted in the production of a fully functional medical application that cost only a fraction of its regular cost.

Everyone knows medical equipment is expensive, no matter what kind it is. The surgical table market in North America alone exceeded $456 Million in 2021 and is expected to grow a lot more in the coming years. Such a high number is no surprise, considering that a single surgical table can cost up to $250.000. For developing countries, where such equipment is needed at least as much as here, the inability to pay those steep sums ultimately results in patients not receiving the treatment they need. As an incentive to make surgical tables more affordable and easier to supply to countries around the world, the researchers from Western and Michigan Tech turned to additive manufacturing. 3D printing, as you might know, has already proven itself to be a promising alternative to traditional manufacturing methods in many industries, enabling faster, cheaper, and more sustainable productions.

Model of the 3D printed surgical table (photo credits: Western University)

Printing The Surgical Fracture Table

After carefully deliberating what would be the best way to complete the job, the team decided to use an open-source desktop 3D printer, which enabled them to produce the necessary components. The entire printing process was finished in a little more than a week, and the end product, a fully functioning surgical fracture table, only cost around $4,000. Compared to the regular price of $250.000, that is a total discount of 98.5%. According to Joshua Pearce, John M. Thompson Chair in Information Technology and Innovation at Western, materials were used that are widely available worldwide.