Design and Development of Patient-Specific Medical Devices for Maxillofacial Surgery Through 3D Modeling, Topology Optimization, and Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing presents unique opportunities for developing patient-specific medical devices and tools in orthognathic surgery. Devices used in maxillofacial surgery present several constraints which refer to the specific characteristics of the patient and the stress conditions that are in place during the surgery. This paper describes an integrated workflow used for the identification, design, optimization, and production of patient-specific devices while promoting synergy among specialists of vastly different backgrounds. Medical specialist interprets Computed Tomography scans with three-dimensional reconstruction of the patient and, supported by a CAD specialist design the required tools to restore the patient functionality. Preliminary tooling designs are checked for strength and stiffness by a structural engineer considering the mechanical properties of the perspective AM materials and passed in digital form to the AM technologist who will be responsible of the 3D printing. The medical specialist uses the devices through physical prototypes to assess effectiveness and usability. The integrated workflow allows to increase accuracy while reducing surgical time and costs.