Ultimaker, the leading open source 3D printer manufacturer, supports Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Boyd Goldie of Spire Roding Hospital in London as he revolutionizes modern medicine by incorporating 3D printing into his surgical procedures. Goldie uses the Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer to recreate patient’s fractured or broken bones to help him, his colleagues and patients understand the extent of the injury and plan out the best course of action to take during surgery.

Whether a patient comes into the hospital for an emergency or elective procedure, CT scans are taken of patients’ bones. After scanning, Goldie is able to view the scans on a computer screen but this image is hard for patients to understand and doctors to visualize in relation to the rest of the body. With modern radiology software, Goldie is able to convert the CT scans to files that are compatible with the Ultimaker printer and start printing a 3D model of the bone scans within 15 minutes. Having a physical model of the bone allows Goldie to better plan his surgeries, including where to make incisions and understanding where a fracture lays in relation to other bones, so there are no surprises.

Goldie choose to use the Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer because of its quick and accurate printing speeds and the ease of use and control it offers. The bone models can be scaled larger or smaller than their actual size so doctors and patients can scale them to the size they need.