>>> IN PART TWO OF OUR LOOK AT 3D PRINTING, WE TAKE A LOOK AT
ITS USES IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.
BAYSTATE MEDICAL CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD IS USING 3D PRINTED
MODELS WHICH ARE PRODUCED IN-HOUSE, TO HELP DOCTORS WITH
PRE-SURGICAL PLANNING AND EDUCATION -- PROVIDING BETTER
OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS RIGHT HER IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
CAROLEE MCGRATH BRINGS US THE S. >> Reporter: GREG IS A
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER AND SERVICE SPECIALIST AT THE CLINICAL
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT BAYSTATE MEDICAL CENTER IN
SPRINGFIELD.
WHEN HE STARTED HIS JOB, HIS FOCUS WAS LARGELY ON FIXING
CRITICAL MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS.
BUT NOW HIS FOCUS HAS SHIFTED.
>> BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED, I WAS LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION TO A
PROBLEM, AND THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WE COULDN'T BUY CERTAIN
SMALL PARTS WITHOUT BUYING AN ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, AND ALSO SOME
OF THE PARTS WE WERE BUYING FOR VERY SIMPLE PLASTIC PIECES THAT
WERE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO PRETTY MUCH LOWER COST OF
FIXING SOME OF THESE PARTS.
>> Reporter: WITH A 3,000-DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN A 3D PRINTER, GREG
FOUND A COST-SAVING SOLUTION.
>> ONCE SOME OF OUR SURGEONS FOUND OUT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A
CT SCAN AND AN MRI AND SEGMENT OUT PARTS OF YOUR ANATOMY AND
THEN BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY PRINT IT OUT, THEY WERE PRETTY
EXCITED.
>> Reporter: AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HEAR THE
HUM OF THE 3D PRINTER IN GREG'S OFFICE, PRINTING OUT MALS WHICH
DOCTORS CAN WHY FOUR PRESURGICAL PLANNING AND FOR EDUCATION.
THE PRINTER TAKES THE INFORMATION FROM AN MRI OR CAT
SCAN AND MAKES THE IMAGE THREE DIMENSIONAL.
>> TO GO FROM LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO OBVIOUSLY
AN ACTUAL 3D IMAGE HELPS PATIENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR
CONDITION BETTER.
>> 3D PRINTING IS REALLY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, WHICH
VERY SIMPLY MEANS, STARTING WITH NOTHING, AND THEN BUILDING UP
LAYER BILAIIER TO MAKE AN OBJECT.
>> THIS IS A 3D PRINTED MAL.
THIS STRUCTURE HERE -- MODEL.
THIS IS A CYSTIC TUMOR ADJACENT TO THE HEART THAT WE HAD TO
REMOVE.
>> Reporter: DR.
MORE YARDY IS THE CHIEF OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY
AT BAYSTATE.
>> SO WHEN YOU -- WHEN WE WORK WITH OUR ENGINEERS TO CREATE
THIS -- GREG CREATED THIS 3D MODEL FROM THE CT SCANS WORKING
WITH OUR PEDIATRIC RAIDOLOGISTS, IT GIVES YOU A BETTER IDEA.
THIS TONGUE OF FISH A, WE COULDN'T SEE THAT AN TOPICALLY
AT THE TIME OF SURGERY, BUT WE KNEW IT WAS THERE.
IT MADE THE OPERATION, I THINK, DEFINITELY GO SMOOTHER AND
FASTER.
>> Reporter: THE DOCTOR SAYS IT MAKES IT EASIER.
>> THEY'RE NOT RAIDOLOGISTS, THEY'RE NOT USUALLY MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS, YEAH, I CAN SEE HIT IT.
>> Reporter: OTHER APPLICATIONS OF THE 3D PRINTING IN THE
MEDICAL FIELD INCLUDE PRINTING PROSTHETIC LIMBS.
THEY ARE WORKING ON USING IT TO FOR REPLACEMENT ORGS.
IT IS HELPING THEM EXPLAIN AND IMPROVE CARE FOR PATIENTS.
>> IT HAS BEEN USED IN THE AREA, BUT IT'S BEEN OUTSOURCED WHEN
PEOPLE NEED THINGS, THEY WOULD SEND OFF REQUESTS AND HAVE
SOMETHING PRINTED, BUT IT'S MUCH EASIER WHEN IT'S IN HOUSE, AS
SOON AS IT BECAME AVAILABLE IN HOUSE, THEN I BEGAN USING IT FOR
SOMETHING IT HASN'T BEEN USED BEFORE, WHICH IS PATIENT
EDUCATION.
>> Reporter: DR.
MICHAEL EUNICE IS THE CHIEF OF ONCOLOGY.
IN A RECENT CASE, HE USED IT TO HELP ADMINISTER PAIN MEDICATION
TO A WOMAN WITH A BENIGN TUMOR ON HER NECK.
>> SHED A C7 THAT HAD BEEN OPERATED ON.
THERE'S BONE MISSING FROM THE VERTEBRAE.
THERE'S REALLY NO WAY, BASED ON THE IMAGING, TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW
TO GET TO WHERE WE WANTED TO GET.
SO I WORKED WITH ANESTHESIA, AND I WORKED WITH OUR 3D PRINTING TO
SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE ACTUAL ANATOMY, AND WE COULD
COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR ATTACK FOR HOW TO REACH THIS SPOT.
WITHOUT THAT 3D PRINTING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE.
>> Reporter: THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY CUTS DOWN TIME IN SURGERY, WHICH
PROVIDES A BETTER OUTCOME FOR PATIENTS AND REDUCES MEDICAL
COSTS.
>> IF WE DO IT WITH LESS TIME, IT'S LESS OF ANESTHETIC FOR THE
PATIENT, IT'S LESS COSTLY, BECAUSE THE OR COSTS MONEY, IT
CAN BE 20 -- DEPENDING ON THE OR, 50 TO $100 PER MINUTE,
DEPENDING ON THE STAFF YOU HAVE AND EQUIPMENT YOU'RE TYING UP.
THE PATIENT'S NOT ASLEEP FOR AS LONG AND THEORETICALLY, IT'S
BETTER FOR THEM AS WELL.