Medscape features a conversation with Mark P. Figgie, MD, chief emeritus of the Surgical Arthritis Service at HSS, about the hospital’s process for using custom implants and current challenges in matching patients to the best orthopedic implant while getting them treated in a timely manner, since the Lima Corporate 3D printing facility for complex custom orthopedic implants opened at HSS.

Dr. Figgie explained, “First, we identify the patient who may benefit from having a 3D model made, and that can be anything from somebody who's had previous surgery to others where the bone geometry is unusual, and we're not sure if an implant is going to fit properly. We have some patients where there's been significant wearing away of the bone in, for example, the acetabulum, and we want to see what bone is left to determine if a standard implant will fit or if we need to do any sort of patient-specific implant to make up for the bone loss.”

Read the full article at Medscape.com.