We might still be years away from being able to easily print functional organs that could be used in humans, but there are still other applications for 3-D printing technology in healthcare using (for lack of a better word) simpler printing methods.
For example, we’ve heard of places using CT scan images and 3-D printers to create 3-D models used for surgery planning, and others using them to make custom dental or hearing aid fixtures.
To see how people are using 3-D printers, I spent some time at a place called Thingiverse (@Thingiverse). It’s the virtual community of MakerBot, a maker of commercial 3-D printers, where people share their digital designs for others to use. Turns out, there’s some really cool stuff being made.
Here are a few interesting models people have created that could have potential applications in healthcare.
Human foot model
Piece to attach an iPhone to a microscope
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Human heart model
Transfer RNA model
Medical ID bracelet for allergies or medications
Human inner ear model
To see more 3-D-printed creations, browse all of the Thingiverse categories.
