Hospital-Based 3D Printed Patient-Specific Templates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current patient-specific templates (PST) and implants (PSI) for bone and joint surgery are complex, costly, and require outsourcing, leading to logistical challenges, high costs, and limited availability in developing countries, with existing systems often requiring multiple companies and locations for data collection, planning, and production, and lacking hospital-based procedures.
Innovation Solution
A compact, portable apparatus integrating data collection, computerized planning, and desktop 3D printing, allowing for hospital-based or clinic-based PST/PSI production, eliminating the need for external companies and enabling direct surgeon control over the process, using biocompatible materials and advanced imaging integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If patient-specific templates (PST) are manufactured using conventional outsourcing processes, then customization accuracy is improved, but production time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate processes (imaging, data processing, surgical planning, and PST manufacturing) into a single integrated hospital-based system. The apparatus includes an imaging unit, data processing unit, surgical planning unit, and desktop 3D printer all working together within the hospital, eliminating the need for external company involvement and reducing production time from 4-6 weeks to a much shorter duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The hospital becomes self-sufficient by manufacturing its own patient-specific templates using the integrated apparatus. The system performs all necessary functions in-house, from acquiring patient imaging data to producing the final PST, without requiring external outsourcing. This self-service capability dramatically reduces both time and cost while maintaining customization accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If patient-specific templates (PST) are manufactured using conventional outsourcing processes, then customization accuracy is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate processes (imaging, data processing, surgical planning, and PST manufacturing) into a single integrated hospital-based system. The apparatus includes an imaging unit, data processing unit, surgical planning unit, and desktop 3D printer all working together within the hospital, eliminating the need for external company involvement and reducing production time from 4-6 weeks to a much shorter duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The hospital becomes self-sufficient by manufacturing its own patient-specific templates using the integrated apparatus. The system performs all necessary functions in-house, from acquiring patient imaging data to producing the final PST, without requiring external outsourcing. This self-service capability dramatically reduces both time and cost while maintaining customization accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If conventional imaging methods (CT or MRI) are used for data collection, then imaging quality is improved, but procedure time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging unit is designed to perform multiple imaging functions (CT and MRI capabilities) within a single integrated apparatus. This multi-functional capability allows the system to provide high-quality imaging data without requiring separate external imaging facilities, thereby reducing procedure time and eliminating the need for additional transportation and scheduling while maintaining imaging quality.
4Manufacturing precision
If patient-specific templates (PST) are manufactured using conventional outsourcing processes, then template accuracy is improved, but logistical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate processes (imaging, data processing, surgical planning, and PST manufacturing) into a single integrated hospital-based system. The apparatus includes an imaging unit, data processing unit, surgical planning unit, and desktop 3D printer all working together within the hospital, eliminating the need for external company involvement and reducing production time from 4-6 weeks to a much shorter duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the manufacturing capability from external companies and brings it directly into the hospital setting. By removing the external outsourcing step and implementing in-house manufacturing with the integrated apparatus, the system eliminates complex logistics involving multiple countries, companies, and transportation while maintaining template accuracy through the unified system.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to Patient-Specific Templates (PST) which have already been used by implant manufacturers and clinically applied by orthopedic surgeons. This work presents an apparatus comprised of a unit acquiring data from the surface of bones and joints, a computerized unit for surgical planning and a desktop 3D printer for manufacturing PST, which are functionally, physically and electrically connected. The apparatus is compact, portable and suitable for hospital-based or clinic-based service. The data-collection unit has electro-magnetic (EM) device, diagnostic ultrasound machine, laser scanner and a receiver for acquisition of external data. It integrates the data from multiple sources and has sensor fusion ability. The surgical planning unit has specific software program capable of merging the collected data through mathematical model of specific parts of bones, joints and a library of implants and prostheses.