Vinay Shankar | Blog

33: Breaking ground on 3D printed casts for fractures With Sigvards from Castprint

Listen Later
Our guest on this episode is Sigvards, co-founder of CastPrint, a company that uses 3D printing to make a more comfortable cast for fractures. Sigvards talks about how he came up with the idea and how CastPrint works. Learn about their process, their plans to tap into 10% of the European fracture cast market where there are 6 million fractures a year, and the future of 3D printing.
Topics Covered in this Episode:
  • birth of CastPrint.
  • science of 3D printed casts.
  • and drawbacks of CastPrint’s technology.
  • future of CastPrint and 3D printing in medicine.
    • The birth of CastPrint:
    • Frustration with the problems of traditional casts.
    • Plaster of Paris casts are uncomfortable.
    • Mobility is limited.
    • technology hasn’t really changed for almost two hundred years.

      • “Fractures and casts are just the beginning of this 3D printing technology.”

      The science of 3D printed casts:
      • Allows people to recover from a variety of injuries in a more comfortable way.
      • They’re bio-degradable and hypo-allergenic.
      • CastPrints are so simple, they can be created from scanning undertaken on an iPhone.

        • “We’re looking to the research to say this is equally effective.”

        Benefits and drawbacks of CastPrint’s technology:
        • It’s about three times as strong as a plaster cast.
        • CastPrints are more expensive, but you can significantly reduce rehabilitation costs.
        • Regular casts will always be cheaper because the material they require is cheap and readily available, but the applications for plastic casts are worth further research.

          • “You need to remember this is a medical device, and quality is important.”

          Benefits and drawbacks of CastPrint’s technology:
          • It’s about three times as strong as a plaster cast.
          • CastPrints are more expensive, but you can significantly reduce rehabilitation costs.
          • Regular casts will always be cheaper because the material they require is cheap and readily available, but the applications for plastic casts are worth further research.

            • “You need to remember this is a medical device, and quality is important.”

            The future of CastPrint and 3D printing in medicine:
            • CastPrint has printed about 600 casts so far.
            • They would like to tackle 10% of the cast market for fracture injuries.
            • Cast printing is just the beginning–long-term rehab is in the future.
            • 3D printing biomaterial is very exciting.

              • “If you’ve seen The Terminator 2 — man and machine are becoming more and more intertwined.”

              For more information:

              Website: https://castprint.co/

              ...more
              View all episodesView all episodes
              Download on the App Store
              Vinay Shankar | BlogBy Dr Vinay Shankar