3D Printing in the Medical Field

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Wide Range of Application
Consumer Demands
Adaptation to Current Needs
Ethical Issues
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Due to the capability to produce complex and highly realistic shapes, as well as the relatively fast and inexpensive production practice, 3D printing has become widely used in biomedical research. Back in the 1990s, such printing was used to create dental implants and individual dosages of pharmaceutical drugs. Nowadays, there are various and multi-scale ways of using this technology in medicine, such as printing of whole organs and elements of the body. The key issue in the field of bioprinting remains the areas of application in medicine and the establishment of certain boundaries for this technology. Supporters outline the wide range of application, the ability to adapt to current needs and fulfill customer demands, while opponents argue that these advantages are complicated by the ethical issue of 3D modeling in medicine. The government should invest more money in bioprinting because of the breadth of the scope of this technology, high adaptability, and ability to satisfy a sufficient amount of customer demands.

Wide Range of Application

The undoubted advantage that attracts attention in the medical field is the diversity of the use of this technology. 3D printing is used in the orthopedic field, capturing the production of products for the support and rehabilitation of damaged extremities. In the field of orthoses and corsets, this technology is also often used. When creating orthopedic corsets, for example, 3D printing works in combination with equally thorough 3D scanning to give the product the most accurate fit to the patient’s figure. Gradually, 3D printing may replace more traditional orthopedic therapy accessories. The amount of detail with which one can create 3D models also has had an undeniable impact on medical advances in the field of dentistry. Dentists can replace or repair a damaged tooth using 3D technology. In fact, using a 3D printer, one can print any dental implants, from bridges to dentures and full-fledged false teeth. The usage of a special software is necessary to create a 3D model of a required detail (Eshkalak et al., 2020). By scanning the oral cavity with a digital mechanism, a computer program allows the dentist to develop and print the necessary model for implantation. Medical 3D printing allows healthcare providers to create tools of the required precision for performing particularly complex procedures.

Consumer Demands

3D printing in medicine constantly adapts to the demands of the market, combining evolving technology with relevancy. The ergonomics of this method introduced the possibilities of an ultra-detailed printing process and the use of bioprinting in other medical fields. Personalized medicine implies that receiving medical care can and should be a process as private as possible, seeking an individual approach to each organism in order to bring the greatest help to the patients. An important argument in favor of 3D modeling of organs is the special adaptability to the cellular tissue of the person in need. 3D printing allows one to adjust the produced biotechnological organ to the characteristics of the receiving acceptor (Jamróz et al., 2018). For example, the full compliance of the shape of 3D prostheses with the anatomical needs of the patients is ensured by careful study of the 3D model, which is subsequently accurately printed. This suggests that professional diagnostic skills are now complemented by the ability to individually debug a wide variety of diseases.

Adaptation to Current Needs

The relevance of the 3D printing market in medicine is confirmed not only by the wide range of applications but also by high adaptability to modern requirements. 3 Medical products needed to combat COVID-19 can also be printed using an innovative method. Due to complications with the supply of intensive care supplies in many countries, hospitals have had to resort to 3D printing in order to develop oxygenation mechanisms. Stereolitographic 3D printing in medicine is able to help a fairly wide range of patients: those suffering from orthodontic diseases, people who have lost hearing, even those who need bodily tissues restored or replaced (Eshkalak et al., 2020). Thus, 3D printing can be useful in emergency situations where the rapid production of fine-tuned and nuanced medical devices is required.

Exponential Growth in the Bio-Printing Market (Millions USD)

Considering that the undeniable advantages of 3D printing in medicine are becoming more and more obvious, the market for medical services using 3D printing is growing. In particular, in 2022, the bioprinting market is expected to double, resulting in a $128 million turnover (Jovic et al., 2018). Such growth of influence allows not only to replace organ donors but also to create materials from biological tissue that will not be repelled by the recipient’s body. This proves the high adaptability of 3D printing technologies in the medical mearket, having both economic and humanistic potential.

Ethical Issues

However, there are opponents of the use of bioprinting in medicine who point out a number of ethical and legal issues. The ethical concerns about bioprinting are focused on the unfair use of this technology. The danger of this technology falling into the wrong hands can also be expressed in the risks of producing viral and infectious cells in unlimited quantities. The counterargument to these concerns is the need to create an ethical commission to control this technology. An example of a malicious abuse of 3D printing is the potential mixing of human cells with animal cells in order to improve the functioning of certain organs (Kritikos, 2018). The use of individuals thus enhanced is a biological modification that blurs the distinction between human and posthuman. Kritikos (2018) also warns that any controversy caused by unethical or immoral use of the technology could cause public opinion to turn against it. Given that 3D products are gradually getting cheaper, there is a real threat of such technologies being used for controversial and even counterhuman purposes. However, if the principle of using 3D modeling strictly for the benefit of people’s health is strictly observed, there are no other denials of the benefits of this technology.

Conclusion

The very breadth of the variety of applications and economic benefits give the conviction to speak in favor of 3D printing as the future of individualized medical services. The state should produce more medical devices using 3D printing, improving the application of this technology outside of regenerative medicine. The state also may use 3D printing to provide free medical care to the poor and insecure population. In the future, the application of the technology should be controlled by the ethical commission. If such commission is established, then doctors will be able to make permanent organ replacements for those in need and regenerate patients’ body tissues for long-term continuation of life. With the help of bioprinting, national medicine can take steps forward, since it will not have to order supplies of medical devices from foreign suppliers. Bioprinting, if used responsibly and adequately, can thus reduce a sufficient number of unreasonable costs and irreversible medical errors.

References

Eshkalak, S. K., Ghomi, E. R., Dai, Y., Choudhury, D., & Ramakrishna, S. (2020). The role of three-dimensional printing in healthcare and medicine.Materials & Design, 194. Web.

Jamróz, W., Szafraniec, J., Kurek, M., & Jachowicz, R. (2018). 3D printing in pharmaceutical and medical applications: Recent achievements and challenges.Pharmaceutical Research, 35(176). Web.

Jovic, T., Whitaker, I., & Jessop, Z. M. (2018). 3D bioprinting for surgical reconstruction and organ transplantation. Submission from the Reconstructive Surgery & Regenerative Medicine Research Group, The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Kritikos, M. (2018). 3D bio-printing for medical and enhancement purposes: Legal and ethical aspects. European Parliamentary Research Service. Web.

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