So I recently saw this press release from the University of Michigan Health System, about an infant's life saved with a custom 3-D printed polymer splint implanted in her collapsing airway.
[Dr. Glen] Green and his colleague, Scott Hollister, Ph.D., professor of
biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering and associate
professor of surgery at U-M, went right into action, obtaining emergency
clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to create and implant a
tracheal splint for Kaiba made from a biopolymer called
polycaprolactone.
On February 9, 2012, the specially-designed splint was placed in
Kaiba at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The splint was sewn around
Kaiba’s airway to expand the bronchus and give it a skeleton to aid
proper growth. Over about three years, the splint will be reabsorbed by
the body.
Remember polycaprolactone?...
Apparently Instant Mold CAN do anything ;)
Can it prove that Mars Squirrel is real? Can it? Didn't think so.
ReplyDeletePretty cool stuff though.
I'd never even heard of Mars Squirrel until just now. So I guess, no it can't. That is some interesting pareidolia though.
Deletespeechless... we debate a lot about 3D printing at the art school but that was out of this world. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete