Cutting-edge software brings custom surgical implants to life

A research collaboration between global medical technology leader Stryker, UTS and the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre has developed a digital platform to streamline the design of patient-specific surgical solutions using 3D printing.  

Previous research indicated that surgical implants designed and manufactured to precisely fit an individual’s anatomy can reduce operation times and improve patient outcomes.

However, the design of personalised surgical products is a complex and time-consuming process involving highly skilled personnel and detailed surgeon input.

“This project makes an important contribution to the increased personalisation of patient-specific healthcare, where tools and treatments are individualised to achieve optimised outcomes for each patient,” said Rob Wood, Senior Director of Research and Development at Stryker.

“By empowering surgeons and users with digital tools for design and planning, we can reduce the time to surgery and improve overall patient care. This is a key step toward more agile solutions in healthcare.”

The project developed an automated software platform for virtual surgical planning, enabling users to easily design surgical models, implants, and bone cutting guides for 3D printing. This reduces the burden on highly specialised overseas design personnel and accelerates access to treatment for patients.

“This project tackled a real-world challenge in surgical workflows,” said Hervé Harvard, Executive Director of UTS Rapido.

UTS Rapido has demonstrated its expertise in 3D geometry processing, a technique that creates precise 3D computer models of real objects using a combination of applied mathematics, computer science and engineering. 

The current findings and future iterations of this work have the potential for significant international impact.

About the Partners

Stryker is a global leader in medical technologies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. Stryker offers innovative products and services in Medical and Surgical, Neurotechnology and Orthopaedics that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 150 million patients annually. More: www.stryker.com

UTS Rapido is a specialist engineering and technology development unit within the University of Technology Sydney, with deep expertise in rapid prototyping, 3D geometry processing, software, and advanced manufacturing. More: www.rapido.uts.edu.au

Digital Health CRC connects government, academia, and industry to accelerate evidence-based digital health innovations through Australia’s Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program. More: www.digitalhealthcrc.com