3D Printed Casts Take Us To The Future

Fitting perfectly and reducing the overall pain of a cast

If you have ever worn a cast, you know it is a one size fits all kind of deal, and it is so uncomfortable. One company decided to change the way they make casts to create a custom fit for an individual. This company is called Xkelet and uses 3D laser scanning equipment to create custom made casts like never before. They use the most advanced technology to make this happen, and so far, it has worked extremely well.

This Spanish-British firm developed software for 3D laser scanning that can scan any body part rapidly at any moment. This software can be a huge help to doctors all over the world who need to create casts on a whim. There are always medical emergencies where bones are broken, and casts are needed.

Creating a cast wasn’t always so easy. Casts are usually made of fiberglass or plaster and are meant to immobilize the bone while it is healing. They must set the patient’s bone, create a mold, then create the cast. It was painful for the patients and took a while to create. Now with this new software, they can skip the painful steps of touching the broken bones and use 3D laser scanning devices to capture precise details that allow them to 3D print a perfect fitting cast.

How does 3D laser scanning help doctors

Honestly, this technology helps way more than you would ever believe. There are so many amazing benefits for a doctor’s office to adopt this technology.

  • Noninvasive- Unlike previous ways, no touching is involved after the initial setting of the bone. A doctor can scan this device over the wound and gather all of the information.
  • Not Harmful- Believe it or not, though lasers seem scary, they will not hurt you in any way. This is a safer way to gather information because no doctor has to poke and prod a patient. 3D laser scanning is a much more comfortable way to obtain information.
  • Faster- Instead of a doctor taking measurements of someone’s arm by hand and touching it repeatedly, the doctor can wave a device over the broken piece and get information within a few moments. This cuts the time it takes to obtain information in half.
  • Storage- All information of a patient must be held for a certain number of years. It is one of the laws to be open practice. However, these files can get very large. 3D laser scanning helps save most of that information in the cloud server. This allows less physical space to be taken while storing the data in a place where it can never be erased.

Doctors have seen the benefits this technology can provide, and it is not slowing down any time soon. The more 3D laser scanning advances, the more hospitals and doctors will adopt this technology.

Final thoughts

Every doctor can benefit from this technology because it is a non-invasive way to gather information quickly. This can help patients heal faster, help store all data that is easy to access, and create a more efficient way to create custom casts.

Creating a comfortable cast will help patients heal. This is something that all doctors have to deal with eventually, and finding something that is comfortable for patients can be a game-changer for both parties.

Keep reading: more articles about 3D scanning

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