Hips to heart: How 3D printing is transforming healthcare

Last month, a real estate company 3D printed a villa in Pune in just four months. Siddipet in Telangana has the world’s first 3D printed temple. The uses of this technology are growing every day but it’s in healthcare that it probably holds the most promise. In March last year, the BBC reported how a cancer patient in Seoul, South Korea had received the world’s first 3D printed windpipe transplant made from another person’s stem cells.

While 3D printing for organs is still developing, the technology is driving other life-saving innovations. For instance, it is being used to make exact replicas of organs like the heart so that surgeons can rehearse for complex surgeries. Customised 3D printed hip and knee implants are also revolutionising the prosthetics industry.

“It has huge potential in the medical field, and we will be using 3D printing extensively in the near future,” says Dr Swati Garekar, senior paediatric cardiologist at Fortis Hospital, Mulund. Ten years ago, she was part of a team that used the technology for a rare corrective surgery on a nine-month-old with a congenital heart defect. The infant’s pulmonary artery and aorta stemmed from the right ventricle instead of the left, making surgery highly complex and risky. MRI scans helped Mumbai-based biotech engineer Firoza Kothari craft a 3D-printed replica of the infant’s heart in 48 hours. The model could be taken apart like a puzzle and allowed surgeons to study every internal structure in detail before operating.

Kothari went on to launch 3D printing med tech startup Anatomiz3D, which provides customised organ, soft tissue and bone models to hospitals across India, including AIIMS (Kochi and Delhi), Lilavati Hospital, Max Hospital and Apollo Hospital among others. “We have made customised 3D models for nearly 4,000 surgeries so far. Apart from surgical planning, these models assist in procedure simulations and medical education as well,” says Kothari. Anatomiz3D products include cranio-maxillofacial (face, neck and scalp) implants and 3D models spanning multiple specialties such as orthopaedics, neurosurgery, cardiology, oncology, paediatrics and more.

Kothari says 3D modelling greatly reduces surgery time. “Further down the road is bio-3D printing, where cells, tissues and organs can be printed and used as replacements for defective body parts. Labs across the world are also using bio-printed cells and tissues to test potential medications,” says Dr Garekar. Some hospitals are also using virtual reality-based 3D simulations to train medical professionals.



In India, 3D-printed titanium implants are being used in many hospitals for complex bone surgeries, allowing for faster recovery and better integration with natural bone. “We apply 3D printing routinely for intricate hip and knee replacement surgeries. In recent years, we have successfully used the technology in over 100 cases, especially those with extensive deformity, failed previous surgery, or tumours needing customised implants,” says Dr Vaibhav Bagaria, director, orthopaedics, Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai.

Researchers at China-based orthopaedic firm Naton Biotechnology recently developed a breakthrough laser 3D-printed total knee implant that is more durable and biocompatible. In India, 3D-printed implants are used for complicated cases where standard implants fail. Dr Bagaria recalls the case of a patient with end-stage post-traumatic arthritis and a massive pelvic bone defect. “We designed a patient-specific acetabular (hip bone socket) implant using 3D printing. The patient got maximum mobility and pain relief.”

However, high cost remains the chief reason for 3D printing being underutilised in Indian hospitals, says Dr Garekar. “Even the medical fraternity is largely ignorant about 3D technology benefits. Besides, we don’t have enough biomedical specialists to build these models.”

Kothari is hoping to make 3D-printed products accessible across India, including rural areas. “We produce bones for approximately Rs 5,000, when the average market price is Rs 25,000. Through clinical conferences and tie-ups with hospitals, we bridge the gap between rural patients and advanced medical solutions, ensuring even those in non-metros can benefit from personalised treatments,” she says.

Quote: We apply 3D printing routinely for intricate hip and knee replacement surgeries. We have used the tech in over 100 cases with deformity, failed surgery, or tumours needing customised implants
Dr Vaibhav Bagaria, orthopaedic surgeon