Medical device company LimaCorporate and the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York have announced they are founding their first additive manufacturing 3D printing facility for custom complex implants in a hospital setting.
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The collaboration will aim to start to increase the availability and speed of personalised orthopaedic care for patients with complex orthopaedic conditions in the country.
HSS has sourced patient-specific custom implants from Lima’s headquarters in Italy since 2016. These devices are intended for treatment of highly complex cases, using Lima’s Trabecular Titanium material and 3D printing technology. The close proximity of Lima’s additive manufacturing capabilities to a care environment can significantly help providers who are in turn helping patients.
Leonard Achan, chief innovation officer at HSS, said: “The close integration between surgeons and engineers is invaluable for designing and refining joint replacements and identifying new solutions for the most complex patient cases.”
The new facility, operated by Lima on the HSS main campus on New York’s Upper East Side, will leverage the combination of Lima’s advanced technology and experience, and HSS’ expertise in clinical care and bio-mechanical engineering. The collaboration aims to result in new products and solutions for patients across the U.S.
Luigi Ferrari, CEO of LimaCorporate, said: “We are proud to be the first company to bring 3D printing of implants directly to a hospital organisation, where the collaboration between top ranked surgeons and engineers can drive innovation and easier access to patients in the US. This is what defines Lima. A company that has in the past, and will continue in the future, strive to transform orthopaedics by challenging the status quo.”
Lima will be the registered manufacturer for all devices designed and produced at the new facility. It is expected to be operational by early 2020 and will initially serve hospitals in the region before making the devices available to all providers in the U.S.