Transformative 3D printing technology find wide applications in medical modelling and improving surgical outcomes boosting 3D printing healthcare market
The 3D printing technology is making huge strides across multiple industries and end-users. No industry is left untouched by 3D imaging technologies. Some of the applications of this transformative technology has already been observed in building prosthetics arms to help amputees, exotic decorative pieces and desktop 3D printing among some of the myriad effects. During the past few years, 3D printing technology is making huge strides in healthcare industry. The innovative prototyping technology not only claims to make human organs, but also find wide applications in medical modelling and improving surgical outcomes, boosting the 3D printing healthcare market.
3-D printing of human organs transforming 3D printing healthcare market
Recent efforts by a group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon university (CMU) is set to revolutionize heart surgery in the future by able to arteries using 3-D printers, thereby repairing damaged hearts. Human heart is unique in its structure and intricate in its functioning and a successful heart surgery may need transplants. Using 3D technology, the research efforts have provided immense hope to patients by offering them personalized parts made to fit precise anatomy – meanwhile bypassing donor lists and a host of immune-suppressing drugs. Previously stents were used for congenital heart surgery, and surgeons decided which stent to use by looking at the 2D image and the stent size depends on the unique features of each lesion. An accurate 3D printed heart model enables the surgeon to customize to the unique features of each patient’s heart. Furthermore, they have made the whole surgical planning process more successful. Doctors and clinicians can talk to patients and their family and explain the intricacy of the processes that will lead to faster recovery.
Already printed body parts have even made their way into human bodies as dental implants and prosthetics, including facial reconstructions, and recently the researchers have made possible bio-printing 3-D images of embryonic hearts.
3-D printing towards the goal of personalized healthcare
The trend of personalized medical care gaining prominence across all healthcare sectors would boost the demand of the market. Technological advances will lead to the design of better and customized medical devices based on individual needs. In addition, it minimizes the risk of infection and decrease the duration of anesthesia exposure. This would significantly reduce the hospital stay duration and expedite recovery. In addition, 3D printing healthcare market products would facilitate surgeons to enhance the success rate of complicated surgical procedures.
There are various other potential application in healthcare that continue to foster the market growth. Advancements in 3D technology has made healthcare providers and researchers to use 3-D models in medical device industry to design and test new products such as those in preclinical drug testing as the drugs can be tested on 3D printed organs as opposed to animal testing. Kore innovative applications include 3D printing of pills. Last year, U.S. FDA has approved the world’s first 3D-printed drug Spritam levetiracetam. Manufactured by Ohio-based pharmaceutical company Aprecia, the drug employs company’s trademark “ZipDose” technology, and is effective in controlling epilepsy seizures. 3D technology is allows the required medication to be packaged more compactly in precise dosages, and does away with the constraints of one-drug-fits-all approach. The porous pill technology, as the manufacturing company claims, is a step further in attaining the much-sought of personalized healthcare. The market witness intensive researches in how the potent technology can be used to develop medicines at molecular level.
3D printing healthcare market prospects
The world 3D printing healthcare market was evaluated at $579.0 million in 2014 and is estimated to generate $2,363.8 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 26.2% during the 2015- 2020 forecast period. Rapidly increasing R&D investments, expanding customer base, applications of the 3D printing technology in a range of biomedical applications, and extensive research and development activities at the academic and industrial level are the key factors driving the growth of the market across various regions. Prominent market players profiled in the study includes 3D Systems Corporations, Stratasys Ltd., SLM Solutions Group AG, EnvisionTEC, Arcam AB, Organovo Holdings, Inc., Oxford Performance Materials, Inc., Materialise NV, Bio3D Technologies, and Cyfuse Medical K.K.
