Materialise, a provider of Additive Manufacturing (AM) software solutions and 3D printing services, has announced that Roger Jaeken, MD, a Belgium-based orthopedic surgeon, has successfully performed the first total knee surgery preplanned with Materialise X-ray knee guide solution. According to a Materialise news release, the new technology allows for the preplanning of knee replacement surgeries in addition to 3D printing of related surgical guides on the basis of 2D X-ray images.
Materialise has developed new technology for total knee replacement surgical planning and guiding tools, which turns 2D X-ray images into 3D information and solutions. The Materialise news release indicates that 2D X-ray images are generally available for all total knee replacement cases.
Jaeken states, “I’m very excited to be part of this development project.” Jaeken adds, “The ability to work from X-ray images will make the surgical preplanning process even more efficient. This is because, in many instances, patients will no longer have to undergo an often time-consuming CT or MRI scan, lead times will become shorter, and more cases will become eligible for preoperative planning.”
Fried Vancraen, founder and CEO of Materialise, states, “At Materialise, we initiated the R&D program that is at the source of our new X-ray based technology shortly after the successful introduction of our CT/MRI based guide technology. We consider the first treatment of a patient with our X-ray technology as an important landmark in this development program.”
The Materialise news release notes that the company intends to continue evaluating the X-ray-based knee guide technology, beginning with a limited release of the product in Europe and initiating the regulatory clearance process in the United States.
Source: Materialise
