Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgeons at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are setting up a new in-house 3D printing facility for the creation of anatomical models. The facility will cater to multiple hospitals in the region and provide patient-specific models for better patient-care and surgical planning. The use of 3D printing is set to drastically reduce workload and costs for healthcare providers.

Newcastle Hospitals, with the aid of axial3D, are looking to start up the program by installing a 3D printer at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. This facility will print and shift medical products to any healthcare providers in an on-demand capacity. If the demand for 3D printed anatomical models surpasses the printer’s feasible workload, the companies already have a back-up plan. The excess jobs will be shifted to axial3D’s head office in Belfast and shipped to the clinic, doctor or hospital that placed the order.

3D printing has become crucial to various areas of the medical care. With it, spinal surgeons can reduce a complex surgical procedure by 2 hours, especially for patients afflicted with Spina Bifida and a kyphotic deformity. Furthermore, shorter operation times reduce risk for the patient and also save up to £8,000 per operation. On top of that, the process reduces workloads and frees up hospital personnel for other tasks.

“3D printing has become an essential part of pre-operative planning in complex spinal cases,” said spinal surgeon Dr. Andrew Bowey. “In Newcastle, we’re excited to now roll 3D printing out across the trust. The benefits in other areas, such as trauma, are clear to see.”

Aside from pre-operative parts, medical additive manufacturing is a tour de force in anatomical research, replicas, reference models and so much more. Various other companies, like 3D Systems, have also launched a on-demand service for anatomical models in the past. The core difference here is the level of support provided by an official medical organization like the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. After all, The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation is among the top 10% of best performing Trusts in the UK.