Mass production of standard orthopedic implants and the system of their distribution result in a dilemma to be tackled by orthopedists and neurosurgeons on a daily basis: how to apply standard implants to a specific clinical case? How to do with what is available, with what a healthcare institution can afford?
However, radiological diagnostics (digitization of internal human organs), image engineering technologies, object design in a virtual environment, 3D printing and modern non-destructive testing and quality control solutions make for technical means enabling design and production of patient specific implants and surgery instruments based on virtual skeleton modules of a patient obtained by digitizing patient’s organs from CT scan. This is a huge step forward in improvement of treatment quality.
This new business model of implant design and production precipitates changes in the surgical thought paradigm. Instead of letting surgeons continue to twist and turn trying to solve the problem of “how to do with what we have” we can now ask them to describe the individual structural and functional properties to be implemented in an implant that is going to be used in treatment of a specific patient, in a specific clinical case. This in turn increases surgeon’s personal responsibility for treatment results.
Our business philosophy is built on expected changes in the processes of surgical treatment of patients using orthopedic, spinal and dental implants occurring with transition from the model of mass production and distribution of standard implants towards implants’ mass customization. Production of patient-specific implants and surgical guides is not the challenge. Singular production of those products is already in place. The challenge is mass customization of implants and special surgery instruments to make them affordable to patients and national health care systems in terms of price and delivery.
Challenge No.1: Change the surgical thought paradigm: shift from “the same implant fits all” to patient-specific medical devices.
Challenge No.2: Make patient-specific implants affordable to patients and national health care systems in terms of price and delivery.