Medi3D Print

• Project Management: Gernot Kronreif, ACMIT - Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology
• Project partners: Karl Landsteiner University for Health Sciences / Division of Biomechanics
• Project duration: 39 months from 01 January 2018

Background

3D printing is making its way into medicine and can be helpful in a number of ways. In addition to custom-fit implants and orthoses, 3D printing can be used in the preparation of operations to gain a better understanding of the planned procedure. The printing of organs is also becoming increasingly important. In this research project, the polyjet process will be used to print materials that are as close as possible to real biological tissues in terms of haptics and biomechanical behaviour. The printing technology developed in this way enables the production of patient-specific organ models based on CT and MRI data, which can be used for preoperative planning before complicated interventions. In addition, mechanically equivalent organs or specimens can be produced for the further development of surgical techniques and implants, making the use of body donations for these purposes superfluous. The printed organs can be standardised and do not exhibit undesired variations as is the case with body donations.