Picture: UKHD
Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and an industrial partner, wants to use 3D printing technology for individualized implants directly in the clinic. With funding of 1.2 million euros from the BMBF and additional funds from the medical technology company KLS Martin SE & Co. KG, the ADDIFEM project is being implemented. It focuses on optimizing the treatment of patients with complex midface fractures and other surgical challenges.
The current methods for producing patient-specific implants are time-consuming and significantly prolong the time to surgery. The use of a point-of-care (PoC) platform aims to speed up the manufacturing process. The aim is to plan and produce implants on site in the clinic.
“The BMBF funding for this pilot project enables close integration between the clinic and industry in order to provide our patients with specific implants faster, more efficiently and more precisely and to shorten innovation cycles,” says Professor Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Hoffmann, Medical Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (MKG Surgery) at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD).
The first phase of the project will focus on the digitalization and automation of planning processes. Later, the implants will be produced in the clinic on a trial basis. The preferred material here is the high-performance polymer PEEK, which is known for its biocompatibility and strength.
“By planning and manufacturing directly on site, we expect not only faster patient care but also greater precision and accuracy of fit of the individualized implants and thus a higher success rate and a lower risk of complications,” says Dr. Dr. Reinald Kühle. “It is a great opportunity to develop new materials and processes under conditions close to the clinic and to bring them to production maturity with our partner. This also includes joint training of medical staff and engineers in order to achieve the best results.”
In the long term, the procedure is not only to be established in Heidelberg, but also transferred to other clinics. This requires intensive collaboration between medical specialists and engineers in order to optimize the processes and set new standards in medical technology. The findings from this project could be groundbreaking for the future application of 3D printing technologies in clinical practice.