How 3D Printing is Advancering Healthcare in the UAE

    3D printing is the process of creating a physical object from a digital design. Unlike traditional manufacturing techniques, which subtract material through cutting or molding, 3D printing adds material layer by layer to create a finished product.

    This flexible technology is transforming the way products are designed, prototyped, and manufactured across several industries. It is also enabling new applications like medical devices.

    Personalized Medicine

    In the UAE, healthcare is a priority and a top industry, and the use of 3D printing in medical devices enables the delivery of better care to patients. This technology supports patient-centered care and improves outcomes with custom prosthetics and implants. Moreover, it helps to produce these devices faster than traditional manufacturing techniques.

    Surgeons can create detailed 3D models of anatomical structures, which help them to prepare for complex surgeries and make procedures safer and more accurate. This can significantly reduce operating times and improve the results. Additionally, surgeons can practice surgical procedures on these models to improve their skills and accuracy before performing them on patients.

    Medical educators are also using 3D printers to produce educational tools and models that can enhance the learning experience of students and professionals in a clinical environment. The 3D printouts provide a realistic and interactive learning experience to enable students to understand difficult concepts in a more visual way.

    Another important healthcare application of this technology is the creation of customized medication for patients. This is a big step forward in the field of personalized medicine, which allows doctors to optimize drug dosage and maximize therapeutic results for each patient. Additionally, this technology can be used to manufacture medical supplies like catheters and dressings that are tailored to each individual’s unique body size and shape.

    Surgical Planning and Models

    Surgical outcomes can be improved by enabling doctors to pre-plan their procedures using 3D printed anatomical models. This enables surgeons to anticipate any challenges that may arise during the surgery, resulting in more accurate surgeries and shorter operating times for patients.

    Surgeons are also able to practice on life-like medical models before performing surgery, allowing them to improve their skills and familiarize themselves with anatomy. This can prevent complications, improve patient safety, and decrease the cost of training by avoiding the need to use animals or human cadavers.

    Furthermore, 3D printing allows medical and dental professionals to customize prosthetic limbs and implants for patients, making them more comfortable and functional. This is especially useful for people with physical disabilities, as it can help them lead a more independent and active lifestyle.

    According to Redha, the Dubai Health Authority’s 3D lab has already supported a number of medical and dental departments in their operations. For example, the Cardiology team at Rashid Hospital used a 3D printer to pre-plan and test the fitting of trans aortic valve implants, while the Maxillofacial department at Hatta Hospital produced models of jaws and skulls that they took into surgery for visual reference and intra-operative monitoring.

    Customized Prosthetics and Implants

    Medical and dental professionals in the UAE have adopted 3D printing for creating customized solutions for patients. The technology has paved the way for more precise surgeries, faster turnarounds, and improved patient outcomes.

    Surgeons can create models of the patient’s organs, bones, and tissues through 3D printing to strategize and practice complex procedures before surgery. They can also use these models to make surgical guides that will improve accuracy and efficiency and reduce operating times.

    In addition, doctors can use 3D printing to produce personalized prosthetics and implants that are more accurate than traditional versions. These devices can be made on-site, reducing the time and costs involved in manufacturing and distribution. For example, GE Additive used 3D printing to produce over 10,000 hip replacements between 2007 and 2018.

    In the future, scientists might be able to print living cells and biocompatible materials through 3D printers to create tissues and organs. This could help solve the world’s shortage of organs and allow patients to receive transplants from their own bodies.

    Drug Formulation

    The UAE is leveraging 3D printing to revolutionize drug formulation. This advanced technology creates drug delivery systems that align with patient preferences, needs and comfort, boosting efficiency and improving adherence to treatment.

    Incorporating patient feedback, the design process of drug delivery systems is iterative and collaborative, ensuring that medical professionals and patients have an active role in the development of these cutting-edge technologies. This approach also promotes transparency and accountability, increasing trust between healthcare providers and patients.

    Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that subtract materials through cutting or molding, the printing process of 3D devices adds material to build up an object layer by layer, following a digital design. This flexibility allows researchers to prototype and refine designs quickly, reducing costs in the development of new medical devices.

    Additionally, by fabricating anatomical models with 3D printers, surgeons can simulate complicated procedures before undergoing actual operations, which enhances surgical precision and reduces risk of complications for patients. 3D printing is also used to produce prosthetics, implants and medical devices that are customized to fit the specific anatomical specifications of patients, boosting comfort and functionality for patients.

    Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies are leveraging 3D printing to improve the solubility of certain medications. For instance, Algahtani et al used 3D printing to develop self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) with printed microcapsules containing the anti-diabetic medication dapagliflozin and allowing the drug to dissolve in the stomach, thereby reducing its dosage and improving patient compliance.

     

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