Advantages of FDM and gamma irradiation to manufacture personalized medical devices for airway obstructions

ARÁOZ, BEATRIZ; BELLÍA MUNZÓN, GASTÓN; BOUSQUET, JUAN IGNACIO ; HERMIDA, ÉLIDA B.

Frontiers in Bioengineering and biotechnology

Frontiers Media S.A.

Año: 2023

In the early childhood population, congenital airway conditions likebronchomalacia (BM) can pose a life-threatening threat. A breakthroughtechnology called additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, makes it feasible tocreate a biomedical device that aids in the treatment of airway obstruction. Thisarticle describes how a polycaprolactone (PCL) splint for the upper airways can becreated using the fusion deposition technique (FDM) and sterilized using gammaradiation. It is presented as a simple, accessible, and cost-reduced alternative thatcomplements other techniques using more expensive and sophisticated printingmethods. Thermomechanical and morphological analysis proved that FDM andsterilizing by gamma irradiation are both appropriate methods for producingsplints to treat life-threatening airway blockages. Additionally, the 3D-printedsplints’ effectiveness in treating a young patient with BM that was life-threateningwas assessed by medical professionals. In this regard, the case report of a patientwith 34 months of follow-up is presented. Splints manufactured by this affordable3D printing method successfully surpass breathing arrest in life-threatening airwayobstruction in pediatric patients. The success of this procedure represents afundamental contribution to the treatment of the population in countrieswhere access to expensive and complex technologies is not available.