According to recent news, the FDA recently approved the use of a biocompatible form of PEEK for medical applications. This application tells how medical researchers used Geomagic 3D technology, including haptic devices, to design a life-saving skull plate.
by Bob Cramblitt
根据德克萨斯州达拉斯/沃思堡的WFAA-TV的报道，当中国交流学生吉孔郭在俱乐部足球比赛中遭受颅骨伤害时，他认为“也许我会去见上帝”。
Fortunately, due to timely surgery and a custom-made prosthetic skull plate designed byMedcad(Dallas, Texas), Guo is able to do almost everything he could do before the fateful match.
在地貌自由形中产生的3D模型显示了郭的头骨，并带有假肢。
WFAA-TV报道说，受伤后，郭的头骨的四分之一被移除，据信当对手跌倒时意外跪在头上时，持续了。郭完成了比赛，然后开始感到痛苦。
神经外科主任罗布·迪博士在前sbyterian Hospital of Plano, says that Guo was comatose when he initially arrived at the hospital. His brain was swollen and crushing his brain stem. There was no alternative but to remove a portion of Guo’s skull and let the swelling subside.
“At the time of the injury, I told the family it was a 50-50 chance of survival,” said Dickerman in an interview with WFAA-TV.
AccuShape helps create a new skull plate
被送进医院两个月后，郭的肿胀消失了，狄克曼植入了假肢头骨板。
由Medcad创建的CNC生产的植入物。
“I didn’t die,” Guo told WFAA-TV. “I can do anything — I can drive, I can walk, I can think.”
The prosthetic plate received by Guo was made possible by a new process developed in recent years by MedCAD, a custom biomedical device company specializing in cranial and cranio-facial/oral surgery prosthetics.
Medcad’s trademarked AccuShape process — based on 3D technologies from Geomagic — enables the company to digitally design and manufacture cranial implants from CT scans. Major advantages of the process include:
• Faster digital design and manufacturing that eliminates time-consuming and sometimes error-prone manual sculpting.
•通过直接从患者的CT扫描中进行建模，节省了时间并降低手术室的风险，可以更高的准确性。
• Better aesthetic result for the surgeon and the patient.
•能够在PEEK（聚乙醚 - 酮）（手术质量聚合物）中创建植入物。
A new standard
“The standard of care has been to make a mold from a patient’s skull defect in plaster and hand-make an implant out of acrylic or some other moldable biomedical material,” said Nancy Hairston, MedCAD’s president and CEO. “Our digital process is much more accurate and PEEK is the closest biomedical material to natural bone. It is very strong, but very light, and not prone to infection.”
除最终产品外，MedCAD还与医生在外科计划中密切合作。该公司采用医生的手术计划（包括CT数据和详细的文书工作），并将其转换为详细的3D模型。
The virtual surgery approach makes it possible for surgeons to explore the upcoming procedure from every angle, previewing “what-if” scenarios and assessing potential problem areas. Last year MedCAD made its planning tool, called AccuPlan, available as an iPad app.
Digital modeling with Geomagic
The Guo project was brought to MedCAD by OsteoMed, a MedCAD distributor and provider of patient-specific implants. OsteoMed couriered Guo’s CT scan over to MedCAD, which used its AccuShape digital workflow to create the implant.
3D model generated in Geomagic Freeform showing the cranial opening.
首先，将STL文件（用于计算机辅助设计的标准化格式）带入了地貌自由形式，该软件使设计师和工程师能够在数字模型上工作，就像它们在粘土中成型一样，除非具有固有速度和准确性的所有优势在数字过程中。
The input device for the modeling process is Geomagic Sensable Phantom, a haptic device that provides tactile feedback, enabling the design engineer to feel surfaces, edges and topology.
Hairston说：“ Geomagic Freeform是市场上唯一可以进行复杂雕塑建模的工具。”“对于任何解剖模型，它与传统的CAD软件相比，由于其直接和直观的建模工具而发光。”
Surface patches created in Geomagic Studio for the Jiahone Guo prosthetic skull plate.
Another key link in the AccuShape chain is Geomagic Studio software, which gives MedCAD the ability to create complex surfaces from STL data. This is especially important for accurate digital manufacturing of the custom-fitted implant.
“Typical CAD software cannot generate accurate surfaces for these types of intricate, organic shapes,” says Hairston.
将所有内容捆绑在一起是由Medcad开发的专有内部软件和程序。
由MedCAD创建的某些设备可以使用3D打印机制造，具体取决于所需的材料以及最终产品的使用方式。但是，由于未经FDA批准3D打印用于PEEK材料，因此Guo植入物是使用CNC机制造的。
Jiahone Guo的植入物没有给MEDCAD带来任何不寻常的技术挑战，但是该项目确实带有一种特殊待遇：发现已交付产品背后的故事。由于严格的患者机密性，MEDCAD工程师很少知道植入物离开手后会发生什么。
“We make these devices on a daily basis, so this case design-wise was not unique until we learned the back story,” says Emily Aberg, MedCAD marketing lead and graphic designer. “But our machining intern, who helped build the implant, saw the story on WFAA, and said ‘that cranial implant looks real familiar.’ We were so excited to hear about Guo’s recovery and we wish him the best.”
Jiahone Guo with protective helmet following surgery, flanked by his parents. At far right is Janet St. James, who reported on the story for WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Beyond bones
Hairston认为，创建定制的医疗设备的快速技术将是未来的常态，不仅是骨骼植入物，而且有一天对器官（例如心脏和肝脏）。
Hairston说：“建立在3D软件（例如地球化）上的快速技术为患者和外科医生带来了最佳结果。”“更准确的植入物的交付速度更快，导致手术室的时间更少，患者的风险较小，并且审美结果更好。”
Geomagic
www.geomagic.com
Bob Cramblitt writes about 3D technologies that are radically changing the way we work and live. He can be reached at[email protected]
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