Dr. Ken Stewart is creating 3D-printed ears for children who suffer from microtia, which is a congenital disease in which the external ear is incredibly small or misshapen.
The Scottish doctor first uses 3D scanning technology to design hyper-accurate ear implants for the children. Rather than subjecting children to an anesthetic or undergoing an MRI, Stewart uses an Artec Spider 3D scanner to map the geometry of the patient's other, healthy ear and then creates a mirror image to use as the model for the implant. Stewart then creates a 3D-printed model of the ear, which is sent to a surgeon to carve the ear out of rib cartilage.
Dr. Stewart believes that 3D-printed ears made of polymer instead of rib cartilage will soon be used by medical professionals while recognizing that 3D technology is continuing to be a growing area of research within this field.
What's Driving This Trend
- 3D Printing in Medicine
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Increasing use of 3D printing technology in medical procedures, such as creating prosthetic ears, can revolutionize the field of healthcare.
- Personalized Prosthetics
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The use of 3D scanning to create hyper-accurate and customized prosthetic ears can lead to the development of personalized medical devices tailored to each patient's unique needs.
- Non-invasive Imaging
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The use of non-invasive 3D scanning technologies, like the Artec Spider, reduces the need for invasive procedures and can improve patient comfort and safety in healthcare settings.
Who This Affects Most
- Healthcare
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The integration of 3D printing technology in the healthcare industry opens up possibilities for advanced prosthetics and personalized medical devices.
- Manufacturing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The growing demand for 3D-printed medical devices creates new opportunities for the manufacturing sector to specialize in producing custom-made, high-quality prosthetics.
- Technology
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Advancements in 3D scanning and printing technologies present opportunities for companies in the technology industry to develop more efficient and accurate imaging solutions.
