CHEO using 3D printing technology to enhance patient care
CHEO has adopted 3D printing technology to get critical medical equipment in need of repair back into service.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
The printers allow repairs to be made in a matter or hours, rather than days, the hospital says.
"With supply chain shortages, delays or difficulty obtaining unique replacement parts for critical equipment, in-house 3D printing allows us to design and print these parts within the hospital," a news release from CHEO said.
"This allows us to get these parts made more efficiently, quickly and at less cost."
The printers can also make new equipment; for example, by printing a life-like recreation of teeth to facilitate explaining a complicated dental procedure.
"For kids who are younger, being able to actually physically touch the different pieces because they're really concrete thinkers, having those pieces ... to touch and see and feel is really helpful," said child care specialist Maryse Deslauriers.
CHEO will be utilizing the three 3D printers for the next five years, after a successful pilot program was conducted with technology company PolyUnity.
"It's putting equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars back into use so that we can use it for patient care," said Oem Dave, a biomedical engineering technologist.
The hospital is the first health-care organization in Ontario to adopt PolyUnity's technology, CHEO said.
"We can often turn around things in a matter of days, which has been incredible. We're trying to shortcut a bunch of the supply chain issues that we've seen over the last four years," said Tom Burn, PolyUnity's production and design manager.
The technology also allows broken headsets that keep children focused during MRIs to be fixed, rather than replaced entirely or make a critical clip to return broken stretchers back into service.
"For kids who are having to go for radiation, we're able to show them what the mask looks like before they actually have to go there. So it really helps to normalize and help decrease anxiety around medical procedures," Deslauriers added.
Researchers say they continue to find other ways to implement the technology.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.