FDA Clears 3D Printed Cranial Implant

FDA has cleared a 3D Systems 510(k) for its 3D-printed, patient-specific cranial implant VSP PEEK Cranial Implant, which is intended for cranioplasty procedures to restore defects in the skull. The device includes a “complete FDA-cleared workflow comprising segmentation and 3D modeling software, the 3D Systems EXT 220 MED 3D printer, Evonik VESTAKEEP i4 3DF PEEK (polyetheretherketone), and a pre-defined production process,” according to the company. The system can produce patient-specific cranial implants with up to 85% less material than similar implants produced by traditional machining, the company says.

“This implant-grade, high-performance polymer has a well-known clinical history in medical device applications due to its exceptional performance with mechanical properties closely mirroring human bone, 3D Systems says.

Read more