By Dr Deepu
3D printing technology has been in existence since the 1980s. Charles “Chuck” Hull, cofounder of 3D Systems, is credited with the invention of the world’s first 3D printer (stereolithography) in 1983. In the mid to late 1980s, there was a proliferation of 3D printing technology. In 1987, Dr Carl Deckard developed the selective laser sintering (SLS) process. In 1989, Scott Crump invented fusion deposition modeling and went on to cofound Stratasys. Today, these two companies, 3D Systems and Stratasys, are the leaders in the 3D printing industry.
With three-dimensional (3D) printers, digital surface models are readily made into physical models to allow rapid prototyping. 3D printing has been increasingly applied to medical disciplines in which therapeutic interventions heavily depend on appreciation of complex anatomic structural relationships.
The anatomy of the tracheobronchial tree is uniquely suited for 3D printing technology. The adult trachea has an internal diameter of approximately 16 to 20 mm and spans approximately 10 to 13 cm. It is covered with 16 to 20 C-shaped pieces of cartilage anterolaterally, and the posterior trachea is membranous. The right mainstem bronchus is approximately 1.5 cm long with an internal diameter of 10 to 12 mm. The left mainstem bronchus is approximately 4 to 4.5 cm long with an internal diameter of 8 to 12 mm (DICOM dataset file available online as supplementary material). The current molded silicone stents (DUMON; Novatech) have the appropriate ranges of diameter (9-18 mm), thickness (1-1.5 mm), and length (20-110 mm). These stents are manufactured with a conventional mold injection technique and come in predefined sizes. If custom modifications were needed, a custom stent could be generated in approximately 3 weeks, a substantial wait time for the patient.
3D printing technology has been in existence since the 1980s. Charles “Chuck” Hull, cofounder of 3D Systems, is credited with the invention of the world’s first 3D printer (stereolithography) in 1983. In the mid to late 1980s, there was a proliferation of 3D printing technology. In 1987, Dr Carl Deckard developed the selective laser sintering (SLS) process. In 1989, Scott Crump invented fusion deposition modeling and went on to cofound Stratasys. Today, these two companies, 3D Systems and Stratasys, are the leaders in the 3D printing industry.
With three-dimensional (3D) printers, digital surface models are readily made into physical models to allow rapid prototyping. 3D printing has been increasingly applied to medical disciplines in which therapeutic interventions heavily depend on appreciation of complex anatomic structural relationships.
The anatomy of the tracheobronchial tree is uniquely suited for 3D printing technology. The adult trachea has an internal diameter of approximately 16 to 20 mm and spans approximately 10 to 13 cm. It is covered with 16 to 20 C-shaped pieces of cartilage anterolaterally, and the posterior trachea is membranous. The right mainstem bronchus is approximately 1.5 cm long with an internal diameter of 10 to 12 mm. The left mainstem bronchus is approximately 4 to 4.5 cm long with an internal diameter of 8 to 12 mm (DICOM dataset file available online as supplementary material). The current molded silicone stents (DUMON; Novatech) have the appropriate ranges of diameter (9-18 mm), thickness (1-1.5 mm), and length (20-110 mm). These stents are manufactured with a conventional mold injection technique and come in predefined sizes. If custom modifications were needed, a custom stent could be generated in approximately 3 weeks, a substantial wait time for the patient.