Running head: 3D PRINTING IN THE MEDICAL FIELD

3D Printing in the Medical Field

Jacinda Anthony
KSP 619-01: Using Technology in the Classroom
Minnesota State University, Mankato

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2
Abstract

This paper explores five published articles that report on results from research conducted
on three-dimensional (3D) printers in the medical field. The purpose of this paper is to examine
the different uses of 3D printers within instructional settings or professional development
learning environments. Research suggests that 3D printers serve numerous purposes in different
disciplines including medical and education. Examples included in this paper relate to
gynecology and cardiology and how stents can be developed for different medical needs. These
stents are professional development opportunities for gynecologists and cardiologists for more
effective procedures in the future. This paper will discuss what 3D printers are, what research
says about how 3D printers are used in learning/professional development environments, what
advantages, barriers, and controversies exist in regard to learning/professional development,
what technology integration means in the classroom, and what assessments, both summative and
formative, can be done to discuss learning gains.

3D PRINTING IN THE MEDICAL FIELD

3D Printing in the Medical Field

Introduction
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a manufacturing method in which objects are made
by fusing or depositing materialssuch as plastic, metal, ceramics, powders, liquids, or even
living cellsin layers to produce a 3D object. Some 3D printers are similar to traditional inkjet
printers; however, the end product differs in that a 3D object is produced (Ventola, 2014, p.704).
There are many different printing processes that vary by printer technology. Ventola
(2014) talks about how important it is to know that two-dimensional radiographic images can be
converted to digital 3D print files. This allows for the creation of complex, customized
anatomical and medical structures. The purpose of this paper is to examine the different uses of
3D printers within instructional settings or professional development learning environments.
The Nine Categories of Technology
The 3D printer is a technology that can be manipulated by the learner and is interactive.
Because of the diverse outcomes of the 3D printer, it would fall into the Instructional
Interactives and Kinesthetic Technology categories. Peterson (2015) best explains that
motivating students is one of the biggest jobs in teaching. The participation of the students
creates engagement with the 3D technology. Schools are finding that the 3D printers help
students think creatively (Peterson, 2015) and that creates an endless range of possibilities.
Ipadagogy-Blooms Taxonomy
With the 3D printer, there are a multitude of different things you can create. Because of
its capabilities, it would fall under the create and apply sections of the ipadagogy wheel.
There are several apps that you can download; one in specific is called AutoCAD 360. This app
provides you with drawing and drafting tools that allow you to view, create, edit, and share

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drawings across web and mobile devices. After you have finished, you will be able to use what
you created and bring it to life with the 3D printer.
Research
History of 3D Printing
In 1982, Charles came up with the idea of the 3D printer. The first item Charles created
was a cup. That printed cup was the moment when 3D printing first happened (Hull, 2015,
p.25). Charles idea was to quickly find a way to make prototype plastic parts (Hull, 2015).
Charles was to do his research on his own time, but he was able to use the company lab. The
reason for this is because back in those days it took six to eight weeks from when you had
finished a design to when you had the first physical article (Hull, 2015, p.25-26).
In 1986, the first patent was issued for the 3D printer. However, Charles was unable to
convince the president of his company to help commercialize the technology. Charles ended up
creating a new company, called 3D Systems. In 1988, 3D Systems introduced the first
commercially available 3D printer, the SLA-250. Hulls work, as well as advances made by other
researchers, have revolutionized manufacturing, and are poised to do the same in many other
fieldsincluding medicine (Ventola, 2014).
Example of 3D Printing in Gynecology
An article published in 2015 around gynecology and 3D printing proposed to study the
ability to use 3D printing as it relates to the creation of vaginal stents and dilators to fit a
pediatric population (Hakim, Oluyemisi, Buskmiller, Krishnamurthy, Cohn, & Dietrich, 2015).
Currently, this is not happening. However, the article concluded that researchers have
successfully shown that 3D printing can be used to resize vaginal stents and dilators for the
pediatric and adolescent population on the basis of computer models and use of CT imaging

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(Hakim, et al, 2015). Within the field of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 3D printing is an
area that bears future exploration and will provide more effective procedures going forward.
Example of 3D Printing in Cardiology
In an article published in December of 2015, research was conducted regarding an
autologous heart valve-shaped tissue with a stent (stent-biovalve) for transcatheter pulmonary
valve implantation using in-body tissue architecture technology (Sumikura et al, 2015, p.308).
The study concluded that the hydrodynamic performance characteristics of stent-biovalves for
use as a pulmonary valve were evaluated in vitro using a pulsatile mock circulation. The
developed completely autologous stent-biovalve with appropriate leaflet form may be useful for
pulmonary valve replacement (Sumikura, et al, 2015, p.314). This research shows that the 3D
printer can make stents that will help with the pulmonary valve replacements and make future
procedures more effective for the surgeons and the patients.
Internet of the 3D Printed Products
It is no doubt that 3D printing is happening now and will continue to change lives in the
future. How does this relate to the internet? Kaur talks about the internet and how we are able to
communicate from anywhere in the world. This will enhance our learning opportunities by being
able to communicate our designs and have them printed wherever there is a 3D printer. Our
future consists of printing the physical world around us (Kaur, 2012, p.360).
Is this the Future of Medical Technology?
An actual occurrence happened when a patient had 75% of his skull replaced by an
implant that was created on a 3D printer (Hayhurst, 2014). This is a remarkable technology
advancement and shows this is the future of medical technology. Another part of the article
talked about how the Mayo Clinic in Rochester uses their three 3D printers. The primary way

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we've been using them is to create pre-surgical planning models for our orthopedic surgeons.
We've done around 100 of those (Hayhurst, 2014, p.6). This allows the surgeons to practice, or
to know what they are getting into, before they actually touch the patient.
Advantages/Barriers and Controversies
Some advantages for 3D printing include customization and personalization. The
greatest advantage that 3D printers provide in medical applications is the freedom to produce
custom-made medical products and equipment (Ventola, 2014, p.705). Other benefits include
increased cost efficiency, enhanced productivity, and democratization and collaboration. The
advantage of a 3D printer is that it is cost-effective enough to be able to do trial and error. This
gives you the opportunity to check the product, make adjustments, and reprint.
Barriers that are found with 3D printing include unrealistic expectations and hype, safety
and security, patent and copyright concerns, and regulatory concerns. Ventola talks about the
many advantages that the 3D printers provide, but expectations of the technology are often
exaggerated by the media, governments, and even researchers. This promotes unrealistic
projections, especially regarding how soon some of the more exciting possibilitiessuch as
organ printingwill become a reality (Ventola, 2014, p.711).
Technology Integration
3D printing has been integrated into many schools already. Petersons research discusses
how educators say 3D printers help students see the value of their education in the form of realworld problem-solving (Peterson, 2015, p.3). One example given in the article is about a teacher
that wanted the class to make a complicated steel part with the 3D printer. The class drafted a
model of the part, created a file and printed a plastic prototype (Peterson, 2015, p.3). When it

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was finished, they found that the part did not work properly. The students checked the fit, made
adjustments, and then reprinted the part.
Once a 3D printer is purchased, there are endless opportunities to integrate into your
classroom. Science students at Mahtomedi High School in Minneapolis, MN, with their 3D
printer, created a mind-controlled 3D hand that can grasp a ball and then drop it. Another
student developed a complex track system for snowmobilesso if one of the track pieces breaks,
it can be replaced easily with a new, 3D-printed part (Peterson, 2015, p.3).
Assessment
While students are learning how to use 3D printers, a formative on-going assessment and
a summative assessment can take place. The goal of a formative assessment is to monitor
student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their
teaching and by students to improve their learning (Formative vs Summative, n.d., p.1). This
allows for teachers to help students recognize their strengths and weaknesses. With the 3D
printer, the teacher can provide feedback as the student is working through the processes. The
teachers can also identify the steps that did not go well and revise their instruction for future
classes. The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning against some standard
or benchmark (Formative vs Summative, n.d., p.1). This type of assessment helps the students
learn after they have completed a high stakes assignment. This will give them information on
how well they followed the instructions or rubric given to them at the beginning of the
assignment. Research also indicates that information from summative assessments can be used
formatively when students or faculty use it to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent
courses (Formative vs Summative, n.d.). Based on that information, teachers are able to
revise future courses and lesson plans to something they know works well.

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Conclusion
Ventola (2014) concluded that 3D printing has become a useful and potentially
transformative tool in a number of different fields, including medicine. As printer performance,
resolution, and available materials have increased, so have the applications. Researchers continue
to improve existing medical applications that use 3D printing technology and to explore new
ones. The medical advances that have been made using 3D printing are already significant and
exciting, but some of the more revolutionary applications, such as organ printing, will need time
to evolve. The 3D printer has changed the way we think. When we think about how things are
made, we now think in a different way, a 3D way. This new way of thinking allows us to
physically create something we designed in just a matter of hours. Students are now learning
how items are made, and if something doesnt work, they modify and try again.
By researching what 3D printers are, what research says about how 3D printers are used
in learning/professional development environments, what advantages, barriers, and controversies
exist in regard to learning/professional development, what technology integration means in the
classroom, and what assessments, both summative and formative, can be done to discuss learning
gains, we have a well-rounded idea of how important 3D printing is now and how important it
will be in the future.

3D PRINTING IN THE MEDICAL FIELD

References
Carnegie Mellon University. (2015). Whys & hows of assessment. Retrieved March 20, 2016,
from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html
Hakim, J., Oluyemisi, A., Buskmiller, C., Krishnamurthy, R., Cohn, W., & Dietrich, J. E. (2015).
Innovative use of 3D printers in gynecology. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent
Gynecology, 28(2), E67.
Hayhurst, C. (2014). Is this the future of medical technology? Biomedical Instrumentation &
Technology, 48(1), 14-23.
Hull, C. W. (2015, November-December). The birth of 3D printing: IRI achievement award
address: With the invention of the 3D printer, Charles Hull laid the foundation for today's
digital manufacturing revolution. Research-Technology Management, 58(6), 25-29.
Kaur, S. (2012). How is "Internet of the 3D printed products" going to affect our lives?. IETE
Technical Review, 29(5), 360.
Peterson, T. (2015, January 13). 3D Printers Add a New Dimension to Classrooms. EdTech
Focus on K-12. Retrieved from
http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/01/new-dimension
Sumikura, H., Nakayama, Y., Ohnuma, K., Kishimoto, S., Takewa, Y., & Tatsumi, E. (2015). In
vitro hydrodynamic evaluation of a biovalve with stent (tubular leaflet type) for
transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation. Journal of Artificial Organs, 18(4), 307-314.
Ventola, C. L. (2014). Medical applications for 3D printing: Current and projected uses.
Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 39(10), 704711.