Week 4 medicine + technology + art
I remember I read an article not long ago that Stratasys a 3D printing and manufacturing company developed a 3D printing technology that helps improve maxillofaca surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK. According to online resources, their Objet Eden 350 3D Printer can print customized models to help with pre-surgical procedures. They stated that it would help them to save 93% of planning time, and an additional 4 hours of operation time, and reduce a total of 20,000 pounds per operation. Most of the patients who benefit from this are trauma and cancer patients, it would be especially benificial to those with facial or cranial tumours. I believe such innovative advancements in medical technology is very important and helpful. 3D printing is often linked with design, but in this case it is used for surgical planning and its data shown for efficiency and cost reduction is just incredible. I also can't help to think about Silvia Casini's article about MRI...