Surgeons share 3D printing tips for patient specific implants

Three surgeons showcased implant technology from engineering and healthtech company, Renishaw, during a masterclass at the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) conference this year.

On 30 June, surgeons Cellan Thomas, Saty Bhatia and Shakir Mustafa gave a masterclass on the use of 3D printing technology for oncology and skull base access for patient specific solutions. All three surgeons use patient specific implants (PSIs) on a regular basis and demonstrated the benefits of 3D printing technology in craniomaxillofacial surgery.  

The masterclass included an overview of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) as well as Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and additive manufacturing. The overview showed how additive manufacturing technology can improve the production and quality of PSIs for multiple applications. They also looked at the use of additively manufactured PSIs and custom surgical guides for cranioplasty, orbital floor trauma reconstruction, zygomatic osteotomies, secondary trauma treatment and mandibular re-resection with free tissue flap reconstruction.  

The surgeons were also joined by Luke Maxwell, a specialist technician who works closely with the surgical teams led by the speakers. During the masterclass, he explained the entire process, from implant and guide design to planning for surgery. He also showed the importance of guides and collaborating closely with surgeons when planning and designing to get the best results for patients.  

“The collaboration between Renishaw and experienced surgeons aims to motivate more hospitals to adopt additive manufacturing technology to improve patient outcomes,” explained Ed Littlewood, marketing manager at Renishaw’s Medical and Dental Products Division. “This masterclass allows surgeons to learn from professionals with hands-on experience of Renishaw’s technology and see how it has developed to impact this field of surgery through several recent cases.”