Among several standout characteristics of the Osteoid cast invented by industrial designer Deniz Karasahin is that it’s made by a 3-D printer using ABS plastic. Loading 3-D CAD data from a scan of a patient’s limb into the printer enables Karasahin to custom fit a medical cast that minimizes itching and odor and is lighter-weight than currently available plaster and plastic designs.
Perhaps more importantly, the Osteoid cast can accommodate a low-intensity pulsed ultrasound bone stimulator (LIPUS) by allowing direct skin contact through the cast’s unique ventilator holes. Using this stimulator for 20 minutes daily can purportedly reduce healing times and increase healing rates in non-union fractures. To find out more see, http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/128658-3d-printed-osteoid-cast-could-heal-broken-bones-40-per-cent-faster.
[…] The article also discusses how customized 3-D-printed implants have already been used at some facilities for “unique” patients, such as those whose challenging revision surgery would normally require substantial “trial and error” intraoperatively to properly fit implants. This printing technology can also facilitate production of customized cutting jigs, retractors, and other tools specific to individual patients. Companies are even using 3-D technology to develop casts, braces, and other interventions used in the nonoperative treatment of orthopaedic conditions (see related OrthoBuzz post). […]