We no longer need to explain why additive manufacturing is so popular in the medical sector: examples and applications abound, and the benefits are very real. But beyond these use cases, a more transformative trend is emerging: the direct integration of 3D printing within hospitals.
More and more institutions are setting up in-house facilities, creating their own labs, and developing specialized expertise. Why all the excitement? Here are 8 concrete reasons why additive manufacturing is becoming an essential tool for healthcare professionals.
The AP-HP has implemented multiple 3D printers (photo credit: PRIM3D)
#1: Responding to Needs for Personalization
This is undoubtedly the most obvious reason. Every patient’s anatomy is different, and the healthcare provided in hospitals must reflect this reality: tailored treatments are essential, regardless of the condition being treated. Additive manufacturing is ideally suited to this challenge because it can produce tools, medical devices, implants, and even anatomical models that precisely match the patient’s anatomy.
In some French hospitals, such as the AP-HP, custom-made titanium skull implants are already being produced using the patient’s medical imaging data. In the United States, institutions like the Mayo Clinic also design personalized implants for complex cases, particularly involving the spine or jaw. This results in solutions that are more effective and often better received by patients.
Photo Credit: Mayo Clinic
#2: Better Preparations for Surgical Interventions
Since additive manufacturing allows custom-made parts to be designed, healthcare professionals can develop assistive devices and anatomical models tailored to the specific conditions they are treating. Using certain printing processes, such as material jetting, it is possible to replicate blood flow, the mechanical behavior of tissues, and more. Surgeons can better prepare for operations of varying complexity and gain a deeper understanding of certain diseases. 3D printing provides them with a physical representation of the pathology.
For example, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London prints malformed children’s hearts to prepare for highly complex cardiac surgeries. In the United States, the Cleveland Clinic uses kidney models incorporating tumors to precisely plan surgical procedures.
Thanks to 3D printing, surgeons can better prepare for their surgeries (photo credit: Stratasys)
#3: Training Medical Students
These 3D-printed anatomical models and medical aids also serve as valuable resources for medical students and residents. Learning through visual observation and tactile perception of the human body is far more effective. Training becomes more hands-on, which helps improve the performance of our future doctors. These models allow for the practice of surgical procedures without posing any risk to patients.
#4: Reassuring the Patients
Additive manufacturing also benefits patients by allowing them to visualize their surgery and/or condition more clearly. Healthcare professionals can show patients a 3D model of their kidney, for example, and explain how the surgery will be performed. For children, some hospitals use 3D printing to create figurines modeled after the patient to help lift their spirits.
Additive manufacturing is becoming an additional tool to ensure better communication between healthcare professionals and patients.
#5: Shorter Operations and Recovery Times
Having said all that, one naturally thinks about the consequences. Integrating 3D printing into a hospital setting affects the time spent in the operating room and patients’ recovery. If healthcare professionals are better trained and better prepared, they will spend less time in the operating room and increase the chances of success. Anesthesia times are shorter and complications are less severe. Some studies show that 3D printing of anatomical models and surgical guides reduces operating times by 10 to 20%.
#6: Responding to Emergencies and Working with Local Suppliers
The integration of 3D printing into a hospital has implications for its logistics system and production strategy. Having a 3D printer available in a department at any time means on-demand manufacturing, tailored to specific needs. Facilities are no longer dependent on suppliers or contractors for certain parts and can manage their orders completely independently. This is particularly important in a crisis. We saw this clearly during the COVID-19 pandemic: equipped hospitals were able to produce medical supplies, particularly face shields for protection, and thus respond to an increasingly urgent need.
These breathing valves were 3D-printed during the COVID-19 pandemic (photo credit: Michel Faini)
#7: Cost Reductions
Purchasing 3D printers is inevitably a significant investment for a hospital, and it’s not something every institution can afford. But in the long run, the technology will help reduce certain costs. We were just talking about on-demand production: imagine the savings on storage and transportation costs if you can produce items in-house, as close as possible to where they’re needed. The hospital will also save money on small batches and highly customized parts.
For example, the Mayo Clinic has shown that producing certain anatomical models in-house costs 10 to 50% less than outsourcing them.
#8: Supporting Innovation and Research
The 3D printer is a fascinating tool that’s ideal for accelerating research and innovation. This technology will allow healthcare professionals to test materials, create more complex tools, and experiment with new ideas—all right there in the hospital.
We can take this further by discussing bioprinting and 3D printing of medications. Some hospitals are already equipped to create tissue or skin right next to the operating room. This is a true revolution for the healthcare system. Eventually, healthcare facilities will no longer be just places of care, but also centers of production and medical innovation.
In Barcelona, Vall d’Hebron Hospital has introduced a 3D drug printer (photo credit: Pharmacy Service – Vall d’Hebron University Hospital)
As you can see, the integration of 3D printing into hospitals marks a turning point in the organization of healthcare. Beyond the technology itself, an entire model is evolving: one that is more personalized, more responsive, and closer to the patient. And while we are still only at the beginning, one thing is certain: additive manufacturing is establishing itself as a strategic tool for the medicine of tomorrow.
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*Cover Photo Credit: Formlabs