Current Market For Biomedical Implants

The use of additive manufacturing (AM) for the fabrication of biomedical implants has grown in the recent years because it gives the flexibility to create patient-specific customised implants and on-demand production. AM has opened the possibility of the fabrication of implants in the clinical setting, so-called bedside manufacturing that gives the opportunity to print directly into the patient or in a nearby location. In this chapter, an insight into the global 3D-printed medical devices market and more detailed discussion of the different applications including artificial skin; cardiovascular stents; ear, nose and throat (ENT); and dental are presented. The chapter reviews recent advancements in 3D printing technologies for biomedical implants. It describes recent developments in the 3D printing of artificial skin with a focus on the treatment of burn wounds. Additionally, the recent progress in the field of electronic, multifunctional skin is reviewed. The chapter also discusses the methods and materials being used for 3D printing stents including computational-based 3D-printed metal, biodegradable polymer, self-expandable and drug-eluting stents. ENT is a speciality area where AM has been also successfully utilised for the fabrication of implants. The examples of implants such as hearing aids which are already on the market and 3D printing techniques which can be used to create implants to replace the bones in the middle ear (ossicles) when damaged or to reconstruct the entire ear are discussed. Finally, dental implants in the research and development stage is reviewed.