In a significant boost to advanced medical care in Uttar Pradesh, the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) in Lucknow is gearing up to launch its own state-of-the-art 3D printing lab. The facility, earmarked for a budget of Rs 25 lakh, is specifically designed to manufacture customised dental, facial, and orthopaedic implants for patients. The institute aims to make this new lab operational within the next three months.
Workshop Paves the Way for Advanced Surgical Planning
The announcement was made by Chief Medical Superintendent Prof Vikram Singh during a workshop titled "3D Planning and Printing in Healthcare" held on Friday. The event was coordinated by Dr Simith Yadav and Dr Sweta Mehta and saw participation from around 200 medical and dental practitioners from across Uttar Pradesh. Prof Singh stated that the workshop was organised to educate students and professionals on how these advanced implants can be created in-house at RMLIMS.
Currently, the institute faces delays as it must send patient CT scans to external companies in cities like Chennai, Pune, and Bengaluru to get 3D models printed. These models are crucial for pre-surgical planning. Once the implant design is finalised, the requirement is sent again to these firms for printing the final implant using PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), a strong and biocompatible plastic used in reconstructive surgeries.
How the 3D Printing Lab Will Transform Patient Care
Experts at the institute highlighted the profound impact the in-house lab will have on treatment outcomes. Dr Padmanidhi Agarwal, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, explained that patients with complex conditions like facial injuries, jaw deformities, tumours, or missing teeth often struggle because their treatment demands implants that match their anatomy perfectly.
"3D printing technology allows us to create an exact replica of a patient's bone structure or facial contours," Dr Agarwal said. "This enables surgeons to plan the procedure with much greater precision, which significantly reduces operation time and leads to vastly improved functional and aesthetic results for the patient."
Prof Shally Mahajan from the dental faculty emphasised the practical benefits. "Having our own lab will make the entire process faster, more cost-effective, and accurate," she noted. The elimination of outsourcing will streamline workflows and potentially reduce costs for patients.
Demonstrating the Vast Applications in Modern Medicine
The workshop also featured a live demonstration by Dr John Nesan and his team from CTARS, Chennai. They showed attendees how standard clinical scans are converted into detailed 3D models. These models are the foundation for designing patient-specific prostheses—artificial body parts tailored to fit an individual perfectly.
The team elaborated on the diverse applications of this technology across multiple medical specialties:
- Orthopaedics: For complex bone surgeries and implants.
- Neurosurgery: In planning procedures for the brain and spine.
- Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery: For jaw reconstruction, dental implant planning, and creating orthodontic aligners.
- Prosthetic Rehabilitation: Crafting custom artificial limbs and other body parts.
The establishment of the 3D printing lab at RMLIMS, Lucknow, marks a pivotal step towards integrating cutting-edge technology into public healthcare. It promises to make personalised, precision-driven surgical care more accessible and efficient for the people of Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
