3D Printing For Patient-Specific Orthopedics

Video by Kwok Chuen Wong, chief of Orthopaedic Oncology, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital.

The use of 3D printing is rising and has become more prevalent in medical applications over the last decade as surgeons and researchers are increasingly utilizing the technology’s flexibility in manufacturing objects. 3D printing is a type of manufacturing process in which materials such as plastic or metal are deposited in layers to create a 3D object from a digital model. The 3D printing technology has been reported to be beneficial in patient-specific orthopedics, such as in the creation of anatomic models for surgical planning, education and surgical training, patient-specific instruments, and 3D-printed custom implants.