Republished with permission from Military Times

The Department of Veterans Affairs has gotten its first 3D printing medical device cleared to assist in veterans’ surgeries, officials shared this week.

The product, a combination of “software and physical goods,” will be used to help doctors preparing for reconstructive surgeries of the jaw and face, Dr. Beth Ripley, a leader at VA for the expansion of 3D printing technology, told Military Times.

Known as the OroMaxilloFacial Advanced Surgical Planning System, the device, which was officially cleared for use by the Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 11, will assist surgeons with pre-surgical planning by using virtual and 3D-printed physical models to guide procedure and treatment options for patients.

Although there are similar devices that exist, this is the first instance in which a hospital system has designed, developed and manufactured such a product while simultaneously pursuing and attaining FDA clearance.

“What’s unique and novel about what we’re doing here at the VA is instead of going out to try and find it from a third party, we’re bringing it into the house, into the hospital, right next to the patient and allowing the surgeons that know their patient best to be involved in that,” said Ripley, who also serves as the deputy chief of the VA’s Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning.

Read the entire article on MilitaryTimes.com.

To meet Dr. Beth Ripley and other members of the VA 3D printing team, join us at the AM Medical Summit, November 1-3 in Minneapolis.