Orthopaedic surgeons use 3D printer to build replicas of patient bone injuries in Mackay
by:Tuowei2019-09-09
Surgeons at North Queensland hospital are using 3D printers to build life The size replica of the patient\'s broken bone. Mackay Base Hospital is the first hospital in Queensland to incorporate 3D printing into patient treatment, after similar machines were launched in Brisbane and Gold Coast hospitals. The surgeon can enter the data of the patient\'s CT scan into the printer, and then the printer needs 3- Depending on the size of the bone and the severity of the fracture, it takes 12 hours to build a bone model. When printing a copy, the doctor can remotely register by means of a webcam installed inside the machine to monitor the progress of the building. Plastic surgeon Jonathan Davis says having a faithful replica before the operation will allow the doctor to make the decision they have to make in the operating room. \"At the moment we have CT scans and X- \"The light is 2D and it\'s hard to imagine,\" he said . \". \"A 3D structure, that\'s what you\'re dealing with in your life, and then it\'s clear that when you\'re in the operating room, there\'s a lot of soft tissue on the road and you\'re only exposed to limited bones. Tight printer usage- Heat to high temperature, melt, and then a rolled plastic filament deposited on the printing platform at a time. The printer was purchased by the hospital for about $8,000 and shipped from the Netherlands, but the cost of printing a bone is only $10. Having these reproductions may reduce the time of surgery and thus reduce the risk of infection, Dr. Davis said. \"It\'s all about shortening the time of surgery,\" he said . \". \"The best way to do this is to plan the procedure in advance and make an attack plan before you go in and open the skin. \"The longer the skin opens, there will be many problems, including infection and damage to the skin and soft tissue, which we can avoid by shortening the effective operating time. \"From the point of view of surgical planning, it will save time in terms of the time the patient may have on the operating table, as we will have more structured plans. \"For example, if you have a serious broken arm when you come in, we can print it out. \"We can also print the other side, the healthy side, and we can use the healthy side to really understand the normal structure of the skeleton and use it to adjust and install the steel plate. \"The opportunity to hold a replica of the injured bone in the hands of the patient can improve their understanding of the treatment. \"Some studies have been done during the consent process, and whether a 3D printing model can increase the patient\'s knowledge of their condition and fracture,\" Dr. Davis said . \". \"This shows that there is indeed a clear model of 3D printing in patient education. \"The plastic used to make the bones melts before they are disinfected, but the doctor is trying different materials so that the bones can be taken to the operating room. Subject: biotechnology, health, Mackay-