Andrew Jensen, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of California Los Angeles, recently became the first surgeon at the system to print a 3D model of a clavicle, according to a March 17 report from Spectrum News 1.
Dr. Jensen used 3D technology to print the model of a patients’ healthy right clavicle in order to make a gameplan for operation on his left clavicle.
Using the template, Dr. Jensen was able to better determine where cuts should be during operation. The 3D model cost an estimated $1,000 to print.
As of 2022, over 100 hospitals in the U.S. have created a centralized 3D-printing facility, according to an American Hospital Association report.
