Posts in category: Medical

Custom 3D printed models tailored to individual patients are helping surgeons remove oral cancers with greater precision, according to new research from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). In 92 percent of head and neck surgeries that used a 3D model during the operation, complete tumor removal was achieved, compared to 74 percent of surgeries performed without one. Researchers report that this approach allows for more accurate excision of malignant tissue while preserving healthy structures, potentially reducing the need for follow-up treatment.

Researchers at the U.S. private research universities Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and Northwestern University in Illinois have developed a method for producing small, biodegradable tubular scaffolds using 3D printing. The scaffolds feature microscopic grooves and channels designed to guide cell growth, with the goal of supporting the regeneration of functional blood vessels.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has announced award recipients under its Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts (THEA) program. With funding of up to $125 million, the initiative aims to develop the first complete human eye transplantation procedure, targeting restoration of vision for people who are blind or visually impaired.

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, tablets have long been produced through standardized processes that leave little room for fine-tuning how a drug behaves once ingested. Chinese pharmaceutical technology company Triastek is challenging that model. By applying 3D printing to drug product development and manufacturing, the company is introducing a more controlled and predictable way to engineer oral medications.