The hospital’s 3D-printing labs would provide medical 3D printing services for better healthcare, through the creation of anatomical models for pre-surgical planning and education, patient-specific cutting and drilling guides, and customised implants and implant moulds, the partners said.
In a virtual press conference, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said that India will become a global healthcare destination, with its doctor’s expertise, support services, the process protocols and most importantly the support it has from the industry, and the automation and the 3D printing.
“We are proud to once again be the pioneers in bringing the latest in medical technology to benefit our patients. It would not be wrong to say that with the Hospital 3D-printing labs, the future of healthcare is here”, he added.
As healthcare evolves, 3D-printing will play an important part of this future transformation, Reddy said.
In a similar vein, Apollo Hospitals Group Joint MD Sangita Reddy said 3D-printing has many applications in healthcare and the in-house 3D-printing labs at the hospitals will enable better patient care and treatment planning.
“Advances in 3D printing technology today produces customised, lighter, stronger, safer and higher performing products with reduced lead times and lower costs,” she added.
All 47 locations of Apollo Hospitals where advanced orthopedic surgery is currently happening will have access to this technology, Reddy said.
Talking about the growth potential of 3D printing, Reddy said, “3D printing is growing at a rate of around 60 per cent. It is USD 12 billion in 2020 and estimated to be USD 120 billion in 2025.”
Anatomiz3DÂ co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Firoza Kothari said that since 2015, Anatomiz3D has believed in the potential of 3D printing in personalising healthcare and has seen itself follow a path to translate its vision to a reality.
“Our strategic collaboration with Apollo Hospitals, a progressive organisation and one of the pioneers in adopting new technologies early on that are beneficial to its patients, is a strong step towards such large scale translation,” she added.
Together, Apollo Hospitals and Anatomiz3D aim to make customised medical devices easily accessible to patients, for an enhanced quality of life, Kothari said.