Blog Spentys

Spentys, a Belgium software company enabling mass-customization of orthopedic devices and atum3D, a Dutch company that connects digital light processing (DLP) technology to cost-effective, high-quality serial manufacturing capabilities are partnering to introduce 3D technology into the emergency room of hospitals.

Casting is an immobilisation procedure that is often applied for closed, reduced or non-displaced fractures. Immobilisation is useful for various reasons: it keeps the bone in the right position, protects the surrounding structures from injury and reduces pain.

Together with the 3D-print lab at the University Hospital Basel (Lead: Dr. Florian Thieringer), Dr. Philipp Honigmann introduced 3D-inhouse printing at the Kantonsspital Baselland. Inside, various 3D printed medical devices are manufactured to assist the medical staff in their daily tasks. Among these devices, we will highlight the use of 3D printed orthotics for the upper extremity.

Similar to other technologies that have dramatically influenced the medicine world, such as X-Ray Imaging or the Medical Thermometer, 3D printing has the potential to significantly improve upon the current medical standards. Although this technology has started being used around 20 years ago in procedures such as anatomical modeling for bony reconstructive surgery planning or joint replacement and craniomaxillofacial reconstruction, today’s hospitals are still somewhat reluctant in adopting this innovative technology.

Orthopedics is a medical specialty that annually generates billions of dollars. From diagnosis to surgery, medical experts try to solve all healthcare issues. As orthopedic injuries rise in our medicalized society, so does the emergence of new advanced technologies for specific treatments. These two features will drive the growth of the orthopedic devices industry.

Spentys wants to engage in the medical world, especially in orthopedics. By promoting and utilizing the additive manufacturing technique of 3D printing, many collaborations can be settled as the demand for personalized healthcare is increasing. Together with medical experts, Spentys can accommodate the specific needs of customized healthcare and provide multiple solutions.

Plagiocephaly translates to “flat head” syndrome in Greek and is also known as benign positional moulding, positional plagiocephaly, occipital plagiocephaly or plagiocephaly without synostosis. It is a deformation of the skull observed with children at a very young age and is known to be one of the most common cranial deformities in infancy. “Plagiocephaly”, can be used to describe asymmetric head shapes resulting from both synostotic and non-synostotic causes.

According to sources examining incidence rate, such as ‘VeiligheidNL’, an estimated two injuries occur over the cause of a thousand hours’ sports practice. This seems reasonable, but adding these numbers leads to 3.7 million injuries on a yearly base for the Netherlands. With almost half of these injuries requiring intensive treatment, it almost becomes contra-intuitive to conclude that the costs outweigh the benefits. This article will provide an overview of the most prevalent injuries in sports, benefitting from orthosis implementation in treatment.

After a surgical intervention or severe sports injury, a patient should initiate the rehabilitation process as early as practicable. Because the use of orthoses is inevitable in most cases, Spentys wants to highlight the importance of such orthopedic medical devices and more particularly the 3D printed ones. The following article will be focused on underlining the benefits of 3D printed orthopedic devices, with an emphasis on sports injuries.

An orthosis increases the freedom of movement and independence due to its supportive function and conducive effect on health, but for what pathological target groups might this be applicable? The third article in this series will cover the most frequently occurring muscle disorders and the muscle-controlling nerve diseases, the neuromuscular system.