Across the world 3D printing is revolutionising the health industry. Clinicians are no longer limited to generic devices as medical devices can now be manufactured easier, faster and fully personalised to each patient.
The global adoption of medical 3D printing has accelerated – and is expected to exceed $4 billion in the next four years. Based in the UK, pioneering medical technology company 3D LifePrints has been utilising 3D printing for the past 8 years in order to provide surgeons and clinicians with products and services to enhance their patient outcomes.
Paul Fotheringham, Founder of 3D LifePrints explains: “3D LifePrints uses 3D technologies to provide innovative solutions to the global medical sector.”
“Our primary focus is the supply of patient specific medical devices to improve patient outcomes and lower operational costs, such as: anatomical models, orthopaedic and cranio-maxillofacial surgical guides and customised implants. Our products are best supplied as a Point of Care service from a 3D printing Hub embedded within a host hospital.”
“The services are provided from embedded 3D printing facilities “Hubs” within hospitals in the UK – we currently have Hubs in Wrightington Hospital NHS, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS and Oxford University Hospital NHS”
3D LifePrints started its journey over 2013 as a Social Enterprise, where the business was founded in Kenya by Paul Fotheringham and Michael Richard in order to supply 3D printed prosthetics for humanitarian purposes. Subsequently, 3D Lifeprints were invited by Panasonic and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS to setup a first of a kind Embedded medical 3D Printing Hub in Liverpool.
Paul adds: “Our Hubs provide a full spectrum of personalised medical services to the clinical teams as well as a range of high-fidelity simulation devices for training and research. We are able to innovate on a daily basis using a business model which embeds 3D LifePrints within the hospital so as to be as close as possible to the clinical teams. Through our work with surgeons, we can create bespoke models on-site within 12 to 30 hours of request."
The company’s bio-medical engineers utilise patients’ scan data to design and manufacture patient specific medical solutions, including anatomical models that allow surgeons to plan and simulate procedures prior to surgery.
Growth and development
3D LifePrints has experienced significant growth in recent years. In early 2020 the company completed their 3rd investment round, securing £1.2M from a variety of investors that is being used to rapidly expand their existing foothold in the UK’s medical sector and overseas, including forthcoming Hubs in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, as well as in the USA, mainland Europe and Singapore.
One thing that remains at the root of the business is the motivation for providing humanitarian assistance. Today, the organisation still works in the humanitarian sector, providing training aids for the United Nations in conflict zones.
Focussed on innovation, the company have been recognised in a number of awards and publications, including Business Insider’s rankings as being #12 out of 100 of the UK’s top Health Tech and medical companies, and as the winner of the “3D printing for a better world” category at 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.
Their medical devices have been showcased regularly on BBC News for cases such as "The Impossible Tumour" and on BBC’s “Hospital” program for helping Cardiac patients
For more information visit www.3dlifeprints.com
