Consensus Orthopedics Inc. is a California manufacturer of hip and knee implants. For the last 20 years, the company has been bringing their orthopedic design and manufacturing experience to bear, building joint implants and instruments for the global market.
Now as part of a new deal with Belgian firm Materialise, Consensus Orthopedics will use that company’s Knee Guide System – 3D surgical planning software and patient-specific surgical guides for knee surgery – which allows surgeons to plan knee surgeries based on a given patient’s unique anatomical and structural requirements.
The system is used to make pre-operative plans and fabricate patient-specific guides which are 3D printed for use during surgical procedures.
The Materialise Knee Guide System is an end-to-end solution, and the first total knee surgery to be planned using the Knee Guide System was completed in September of last year. This technology proceeds from pre-planning of knee replacement surgeries through the 3D printing of necessary surgical guides which are based on data from 2D X-ray images.
Dr. Roger Jaeken, the surgeon who performed the first operation, says it’s the ability to work from X-ray images rather than CT scan data which will make the surgical pre-planning process even more efficient as patients will no longer be forced to undergo CT or MRI scans.
“Since the start of Materialise 25 years ago, it has been our mission to improve people’s lives through meaningful applications of 3D printing. It is the realization of this mission that first led us to pioneer medical image based guide technology, including solutions for the knee, and is why a collaboration with Consensus Orthopedics is a natural next step,” says Jeroen Dille, the Director of Materialise’s Clinical Unit. “Through this collaboration, we are further positioned to help even more surgeons discover the benefits that 3D printing can offer in the planning and execution of total knee arthroplasty.”
Colleen Gray, the President and CEO of Consensus, says the fact that Materialise offers “a unique and differentiated product” was key to the deal.
“The ability for our surgeons to pre-operatively plan – and use patient-specific guides based on their patients’ MRI – allows for more predictable surgical outcomes,” Gray says. “Consensus is excited to team with Materialise and deliver innovative solutions for the orthopedic market.”
Both companies say the fact that the technology is built on 25 years of experience in 3D planning and printing for medical applications through dedicated 3D visualization and planning software, engineering, and design services means the production of 3D printed, patient-specific guides and implants is a proven system.
Can you envision a time when the Materialise Knee Guide system will make strong inroads into the surgical planning market in the US? Let us know in the Materialise Knee Guide System forum thread on 3DPB.com.
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
You May Also Like
Medical Goes Additive: How Social Networks Are Humanizing the 3D Printing Industry
It seems so obvious that it shouldn’t need to be said, but the activities of machines can only ever be, at most, half of what defines a technology. The remainder...
3D Printing Webinar & Event Roundup: March 26, 2023
Get ready for a busy week that’s chock full of webinars and events, both virtual and in-person, all around the world. Let’s not waste time, read on for all the...
2023 AMUG Conference Showcases Maturity of 3D Printing Industry
In reading our series on the early days of the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG), attendees of the 2023 AMUG Conference may be blown away by the sheer growth of...
3D Printing News Unpeeled: Failure to Ignite, Synchrotrons and Connectors
Relativity Space‘s rocket did launch after two failed attempts but the second stage failed to ignite. This is a terrible event in 3D printing. It makes us all look bad and...
Print Services
Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.