Materialise designed a 3D-printed tracheal splint that was developed using bioresorbable technology licensed to Tissue Regeneration Systems by the University of Michigan in 2007. Time since has been spent in creating new methods that led to TRS’s approval from the FDA in 2013.
Now, the splint will go through clinical trials so the approved product can soon hit the marketplace. The product is designed to treat tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), a condition that reportedly affects 1 in 2,220 babies which can cause the airway to spontaneously collapse, and the stint eventually is absorbed into the child’s tissue.
Dr. Glenn Green and Dr. Scott Hollister of the University of Michigan used Materialise’s Mimics Innovation Suite to create the splints based on patient CT scans.
“Here at Materialise, we strongly believe in the transformative power of great collaborations, such as the one we have enjoyed these past two years with Dr. Green, Dr. Hollister, and all others who have contributed to this live-saving application of 3D printing,” Bryan Crutchfield, Managing Director of Materialise USA, said in a company statement. “This collaboration is proof that when the right skill sets and technologies are combined, solutions can be found for problems once thought impossible.”
“This agreement is a critical step in our goal to make this treatment readily available for other children who suffer from this debilitating condition,” C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital otolaryngologist Dr. Green said.
“We have continued to evolve and automate the design process for the splints, allowing us to achieve in two days what used to take us up to five days to accomplish,” added Dr. Hollister, Ph.D., professor of biomedical Engineering and mechanical engineering. “I feel incredibly privileged to be building products that surgeons can use to save lives.”
Photo: Flickr user Wirawat Lian-udom
