A slightly thrilling news has attracted worldwide attention recently. An Australian hospital separated the head from the neck of a cancer patient. Under the protection of a 3D printed vertebral body, the doctor successfully removed the tumor in the brain and implanted a 3D printed artificial bone for 15 hours. After 6 months, the patient returned to normal. This is the world's first and successful surgery for cancer after separating the brain and neck. It is difficult to achieve such a complex operation without 3D printing.

This is the gospel of 3D printing. 3D printing in the medical application which is often said from the preoperation print of the focus model, guide plate customization during operation to the replacement of the body's defect may be involved in current medical operations, especially in complex operations.

We divide it into two levels according to whether the implant is dissolved or not. Currently, the biocompatible but not dissolved material is mainly titanium alloy, which has been used in clinical practice. Research on soluble materials has also recently been heard: a European research project, RESTORATION, developed bioceramics that can be fully absorbed by the human body; British scientists developed a biological glass that mimics the properties of cartilage and stimulates the growth of cartilage cells. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University mixed PCL and bone powder in proportion to the printed branches. The frame can also effectively stimulate cell growth.

Although the fourth application level of medical 3D printing - biological 3D printing has not been used clinically yet, it brings great convenience to scientists in the laboratory. We can also see some significant cases: American scientists can use 3D printed placenta to study a pregnancy called "preeclampsia". While scientific research on this field was blank on the ethical stranded trial of pregnant women before. In addition, like the recent Zika virus that has been raging in the Americas, causing small head deformities and other fetal brain damage, scientists have also found the secrets of the 3D printing Mini brain.

This is part of the recent progress in 3D printing in the medical field. It can be seen that doctors and scientists have become more and more adept at the use of 3D printing technology, and the development of science is far beyond our imagination.

Maybe ordinary people still feel very far from 3D printing, but I think every one of us will soon enjoy the benefits directly. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently released a draft of the guidelines for 3D printing medical equipment, and Korea is also strengthening the approval process for 3D printers, and the relevant departments say South Korea will be completed regulations, repairs and announcements by November, and then speed up its commercialization process. There are various signs that 3D printing has been accelerating as a mainstream technology of medical treatment.