Merseyside life science company wins 3D printing award

A 3D technology company that creates replicas of patients’ organs to help surgeons practice operations has won May’s Merseyside Innovation award.

3D LifePrints won the award for its use of 3D printing within the healthcare industry. The company is based in the Innovation Hub at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool and has been serving a number of, other trusts in the region.

The company’s work with Alder Hey sees it producing precise anatomical models from patient scan data. The models help surgeons plan and simulate procedures and give them a reference point for during surgery. They can also be used to help explain surgery to patients and families.  

3D LifePrints operates from hubs which act as both a design/manufacturing as well as a sales portal. The company state that this way of working allows its staff to assist and develop medical research both within Merseyside and across the rest of the UK.

Co-founder and CEO Henry Pinchbeck said: “The potential for 3D printing within the medical sector is massive and is a direct route to the provision of personalised healthcare.

“We innovate on a daily basis through our direct contact with clinicians. However the basis for the innovation is a business model which embeds 3D LifePrints within the hospital so as to be as close as possible to the clinical teams. Through our work with surgeons, we are able to create bespoke models on-site within 12 to 30 hours of request.

“This collaborative process begins by scanning the affected organ usually by CT or MRI – but which in some cases for external features can be done simply on hand held scanner or iPhone – meaning clinicians are no longer restricted by generic devices and treatments, the outcome is a custom-made solution.”

3D LifePrints is also planning to become an educational hub which will offer trainee medical students across Merseyside a safe environment to practice and enhance their skills.

Anne Donnelly, business development manager of long-time MIA sponsor, the University of Liverpool, said: “The adaptive nature of 3D LifePrints models are astounding and are already making a huge impact on how certain surgeries are approached at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

“This truly is an exciting step for the medical industry and Merseyside as a whole. With design and manufacturing all based at the hospital, the potential for growth is immeasurable and seemingly unstoppable