A global additive manufacturing (AM) solutions provider,
3D Systems has announced that in collaboration with the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) the company’s point-of-care AM solution has been used to design and produce the world’s first Medical Device Regulation (MDR)-compliant 3-D printed PEEK (polyether ether ketone) facial implant.
Professor Florian Thieringer and Dr Neha Sharma, together with their team of biomedical engineers, designed and manufactured a custom device to address a patient’s ‘unique need’ using 3D Systems’ technology and product manufacturing expertise. They used this implant as part of a successful surgery completed at the hospital in March this year. Production of the first MDR-compliant facial implant was completed using VESTAKEEP i4 3DF PEEK by Evonik on a 3D Systems’ EXT 220 MED — an extrusion 3-D printer designed specifically for the AM of patient-specific medical devices directly at the hospital.
Professor Thieringer said: “Our goal is always to provide the best possible care for our patients. Being directly involved in both the design and manufacturing of patient-specific implants — right here in our hospital — allows us to tailor treatments precisely to individual needs, respond faster, and improve surgical outcomes. The ability to produce implants on demand represents a new era in personalised care.”
Stefan Leonhardt, 3D Systems’ director, medical devices, added: “The rapid adoption of the EXT 220 MED by leading healthcare institutions, combined with our expanding applications pipeline, underscores the transformative power of 3-D printing in clinical settings. We are proud to collaborate with the pioneering clinicians at University Hospital Basel and other leading hospitals worldwide to expand the applications that can be addressed with additive manufacturing.
“Since its launch in August 2023, our solution has been used in more than 80 successful cranial implant surgeries; the successful use of the EXT 220 MED for maxillofacial implants showcases our commitment to ongoing innovation that delivers personalised healthcare solutions for new applications.”