Rational Design For 3D Printable Spinal Orthoses

This is a presentation by Maria Cristiana Costa, Biomedical Engineer at Ghent University.

Nowadays, we see 3D printing technologies emerging in the healthcare system through the generation of 3D Labs in hospitals that have been shown important to improve patient care. By giving physicians the autonomy to use 3D technologies, it allows them to design and deliver personalized solutions that, for critical cases, best fit the patient’s needs. However, it is still missing a way to deliver such solutions in an integrated and streamlined way.
This presentation will show you how do we, in the 3DMED project, developed a structured workflow to integrate digital 3D printing technologies applied to the design and manufacturing of scoliosis braces.

Scoliosis braces are medical devices used for the correction of spinal deformities in patients with idiopathic scoliosis between the age of 10-18 years old. These patients typically have to wear a tailored made brace for almost 24h a day. So far, the design and manufacturing of scoliosis braces involve a number of manual and empirical steps based on the experience and knowledge of Certified Prosthetist Orthotists (CPO). Recently, the integration of digitalization and Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies allow a more thorough analysis over the biomechanics of spinal correction in patients with scoliosis, thus bringing more functionality and specificity to the design process. Together with VIGO, a Belgium company, which is a worldwide leader in the development of external orthopedic devices, including spinal braces, we have been able to address the challenge and go from clinical images to the design and production of two optimized 3D printed braces.