Initial PEEK model of Vertebral interbody spacer printed on the INTAMSYS FUNMAT HT.
IMTAMSYS, a Chinese company which specialises in PEEK (polyether ether ketone) and high-performance 3D printing technology and materials, has begun a joint research initiative with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, to advance 3D printing applications for orthopaedic surgery.
The joint effort will be led by musculoskeletal researchers Aenor Sawyer, MD, Alexis Dang, MD, and Alan Dang, MD at EDGE Labs, a research division within UCSF orthopaedic surgery department.
“We are very pleased to work with UCSF’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery to advance PEEK applications in medicine, as well as promoting health care cost savings in the field of orthopaedics,” said Charles Han, Chief Executive Officer of INTAMSYS. “Collaborating with surgeons to deliver the best possible patient outcomes is what drives our company."
PEEK is a high-performance polymer which offers many benefits to the healthcare sector due to its superior strength and chemical and heat resistance. INTAMSYS’ FUNMAT 3D printers are engineered to offer an affordable solution for 3D printing in high-performance functional materials like PEEK, PEKK and ULTEM.
“This level of industrial grade printing has not been available at this price point,” said Alexis Dang, MD, orthopaedic surgeon. “We are interested in being able to prototype customized implants using high-temperature materials such as PEEK.”
The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, is a leading institution dedicated to musculoskeletal care and research and provides patient care, innovative clinical, basic science and translational research, and training for the next generation of orthopaedic specialists. It is currently ranked No. 1 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in orthopaedic surgery.
