Researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have made a major health breakthrough with the world’s first 3D print of tailor-made medical stents, a critical biomedical device used to treat narrow or blocked arteries.
The achievement, in partnership with the Wollongong-based Medical Innovation Hub, represents a paradigm shift in the production of self-expanding nitinol stents for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), which afflicts more than 10 per cent of all Australians.
According to CSIRO, PAD is a condition in which fatty deposits collect and reduce blood flow in arteries outside the heart, most commonly in the legs. It says people with PAD typically experience pain when walking and in severe cases may develop gangrene.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, said the home-grown technology had the potential to revolutionise the $16 billion global stent manufacturing industry.
“This is a great example of industry working with our researchers to develop an innovative product that addresses a global need and builds on our sovereign capability,” Mrs Andrews said.
She said that until now, surgeons had been restricted to accessing off-the-shelf’ stents for operations.
“The ability to 3D print stents is expected to improve sizing options, preserve essential anatomy, and enable diameters and shapes to suit individual patient requirements,” she said.
“The process could also allow for individual stents to be made on-site, under the surgeon’s direction, reducing inventory and saving money.”
Mrs Andrews said the team of scientists at the CSIRO’s Lab22 in Melbourne cracked the problem using a cutting-edge 3D printing process called Selective Laser Melting.
Principal Research Scientist at the CSIRO, Sri Lathabai said the process allowed the team to create complex products with high geometric accuracy that were patient specific.
