KMC Hospital Launches Coastal Karnataka's First 3D Designing and Printing Lab for Precision Healthcare

The technology has already found applications in various medical specialities, such as cardio-thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, and orthopaedics, showcasing its versatility and potential to enhance patient care.

KMC Hospital's Center of Excellence for Technology-Assisted Reconstructive Surgery unveiled its pioneering 3D Designing and Printing Lab. In collaboration with CTARS, this facility promises to reshape healthcare practices in coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala.

The 3D lab, a pioneer in this region, introduces a tangible approach to medical diagnostics. For instance, when dealing with a lower jaw tumour, traditional imaging diagnostics are complemented by a 3D model, offering immediate and hands-on insights into the nature of the condition.

This advancement brings forth services like pre-surgical planning, educational tools, and personalised guides and implants. Such capabilities are set to elevate surgical precision, resulting in enhanced clinical outcomes.

The diverse benefits of utilising 3D design and printing in the healthcare include following:

• Personalised pre-surgical planning

• Customised surgical tools and prosthesis

• Enhanced patient education

• Reduced surgical time in operation theatre

• Shorter hospital stay and better clinical outcome

• Allows knowledge exchange between different centres

Commenting on the same, Saghir Siddiqui, Regional COO of KMC Hospital, Mangalore, said, "I am delighted to announce the launch of advanced 3D design and printing equipment for healthcare at our hospital—the first of its kind in this region."

Previously, in November, Stratasys collaborated with Siemens Healthineers to enhance medical imaging phantoms for computed tomography (CT). This joint effort leveraged Stratasys' PolyJet technology and RadioMatrix technology, along with Siemens Healthineers' advanced algorithms, to enhance the accuracy and realism of CT phantoms.

Meanwhile, in August, IIT-G Created a 3D Printed Device for Rapid UTI Diagnosis. Headed by Dr Partho Sarathi Gooh Pattader, the team developed a method to detect specific bacteria causing urinary tract infections (UTIs). The device, designed for Point-Of-Care testing (POCT), delivers rapid and precise results, addressing a critical gap in medical diagnostics.

The POCT prototype is tailored to swiftly identify UTI bacteria, streamlining a historically tedious and time-consuming process.

This innovative solution from the research team is geared towards significantly reducing detection time, thereby elevating the standard of patient care in the realm of urinary tract infections.