nir-vana innovation network

An Italian SME, born as an innovative start-up in the additive manufacturing field, specialised in prototyping for the engineering sector, has recently turned its attention to medical and healthcare application, after a collaboration with a local healthcare facility.
As of today, the organ to be operated is studied mainly on a screen where the model is extrapolated from the computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the rare cases of organs manufactured, models are very expensive, or they do not present similar characteristics of the real ones. In addition, the estimated waiting time is several months, compared to a few weeks required for a prosthesis made with additive manufacturing.
Company’s team has developed a way to manufacture highly detailed and realistic 3D printed models of human organs, using a combination of technologies and materials suitable to represent tissues.
From a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a patient, they reverse the design of the organ, selecting each tissue and designing the full organ with all the details needed by the surgeon into a 3D mesh file for 3D printing. This is already a design which could be used for 3D view or even virtual reality.
Then, from the 3D model, they can realize a manufactured model of the organ.
The 3D printed model of the organ, with high details, realistic materials for each part, can be also tailored on the surgeon needs: it can be realized
• with a transparent material, if it’s necessary show the inside of the organ;
• with a real colour material;
• highlighting the tissues requested and ducts made by cavities for fluid flowing;
• highlighting metastasis in the organ
• with hard or soft tissues.

All this gives a unique edge when it comes to understanding the issues related to a disease of a human organ, planning a surgical operation and training for it.
The company is looking for hospitals, private clinics, healthcare facilities or companies providing healthcare services, that need 3D printed human organs, moulded on CT or MRI analysis, in order to sign a manufacturing agreement.

Advantages & innovations

The innovative technique allows to realize organs with an high degree of definition, making them realistic or in according with the surgeon needs. Thus, the main advantages are: • transparent or real colour material • hard or soft tissue • possibility to examine and manipulate it, giving an understanding way beyond any virtual representation. • a better planning for therapeutic approaches, improving skills difficult surgical procedures • time and costs savings of the operations • increasing the chances of success of operations Moreover, the innovative procedure and way of manufacturing solved several issues: • it dramatically decreases the time needed to provide a model of the organ to the surgeon; • it allows time reduction in pre-surgical preparations; • it allows the surgeon to plan and create hand-made prosthesis.

Stage of development

ITALY

Partner sought

Type: hospitals, private clinics, healthcare facilities or companies providing healthcare services Activity: healthcare Role: the partner should request the production of 3D organs from the Italian company, by starting a long-term production activity. Ideal cooperation could be achieved with specialized clinical structures in a given sector, so as to require the manufacture of a limited number of organs.