3D Printed Cast: A Solution Better than Before! - 3D Printing & Laser Cutting

Injuries like fractures don’t come knocking at your door as they are quite sudden. Many, including myself, found the process of applying and removing a cast that comes with injury to be more painful than the actual pain.

Most of us have been there at some point in our lives where we fractured our leg or hand. The time and process of applying a cast are enormous. It is way too expensive for what it does.

Hands down, 3d printed cast is a revolutionary invention in terms of solving all those bummers! They are easier to wear and work better. To know more about it, let’s move forward without more chit-chat!

What Are 3D Printed Casts, and Why It Is Good?

The most common measure to treat a fracture or a broken bone is a cast made out of plaster known as an orthopedic cast. They are shells that cover the broken or fractured part of your body to help it be in a stable structure and help it heal.

These plaster-based casts are often limited and uncomfortable. There are several other issues one faces when using a plaster cast, such as

As it is always covered, there may be itchy and dry skin
Impossible to clean, which causes rash and infection
It causes restricted movement and is heavy
Will breakdown if in contact with water

3d printed cast solves all these issues and provides a lot more promising features with their 3d printed arm cast and 3d printed leg cast.

Key Benefits of 3D Cast

Some benefits of 3d printed cast include:

It is entirely waterproof, which means the user will be able to maintain their hygiene by washing hands and taking a shower.

It doesn’t trap bacteria or moisture from sweating.

Completely customized only to fit you

Can be adjusted or removed if needed

It is lighter than regular orthopedic casts.

Some Quality 3D Printed Cast

Here are some 3d printed casts for broken arms and legs that got my attention when I looked into them. Do look into them if you are thinking of purchasing a 3d cast.

Cortex Cast

Invented made during the development phase of 3d printed casts. The designers of it, Jake and Ollie Evill, designed to finally give people an option other than the usual plaster cast. It provides a lightweight structure and is well ventilated and shower friendly.

They made this 3d cast using X-rays and 3d scans of the patient that requires it. This provides a perfected fitted cast for whichever required area. It can be worn by attaching two halves together.

They still haven’t made it commercially available as they still are looking for partners to develop it.

Osteoid Medical Cast

This award-winning 3d printed cast made by DenizKarashin is probably one of the best there is. He made it as a part of his 2014 A’Design Award and Competiton.

Other than being providing lightweight, ventilated, and waterproof, it is a 3d printed cast with ultrasound to heal bones faster. It is known as “Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS)” which is a bone stimulator system.

As they claim, with daily 20 minutes of the stimulation system, it is possible to speed up the healing process. And this system can function only with a 3d printed cast.

3d printed casts are allowing us to integrate different technology and make such 3d casts with ultrasound technology.

NovaCast

This is another 3d printed cast that is breathable and not so heavy. Made by a Mexican startup known as MediPrint. They released it at some point in 2016.

What differentiates them is they made an algorithm to input data from the doctor’s prescription in order to generate a cast. They take about three and a half hours to create a personalized cast.

Active Armor

Active armor cast is yet another customizable cast available only in the United States. It provides all the features other 3d printed casts provide and is FDA approved.

It is made out of high-temperature thermoplastic and is customized for each patient using 3d mapping. Moreover, it offers the adjustability to help if there is swelling during the healing phase. Active armor cast is the new cast for broken bones.

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How to Make A 3D Printed Cast: 3 Basic Steps

There is a specific procedure you have to follow in 3d cast printing. Following these steps will help achieve the best cast for the patient. Most 3d cast makers use these in order to achieve success, and they are as follows:

Step-1:

Firstly, to start off you need to x-ray your patient or collect an x-ray from them to identify where precisely the broken limb or bone is.

Step-2:

Now, to proceed, you have to work on modeling. Use a 3d scanner to make a 3d model of the injured part. Then based on those measurements, a perfectly fitting cast will be made. It is essential to use accurate dimensions so that the cast is neither loose nor too tight.

Step-3:

Here comes the printing part. The cast will be 3d printed with solid but lightweight filament. Once done, it can be put onto the patient in minutes once it has cooled down.

It is necessary to ensure there is no unevenness or sharp edges in the 3d printed cast so that once put on, the patient does to feel any discomfort.

Last Words!

So if you end up getting injured somehow and require a cast in your hand or leg, 3d printed cast is something you should look into. It is way more comfortable than the regular plastered cast and is more beneficial in your recovery process too.

Moreover, many hospitals have started adopting the usage of 3d printed casts these modern days, do you want to try them out?

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