3D printing and design company 3D Systems (3DS) announced on Monday that it has finished a pilot program for its new brace for people with scoliosis.
The 3D-printed brace, called the Bespoke brace, can be personalized for children and young adults with the condition that causes a person's spine to curve at a sideways angle, according to CNET.
"The main goal of this is to combine fashion, design and technology to create a brace far more appealing to patients, and, as a result, far more effective medically," said Scott Summit, designer for Bespoke.
3DS worked with Dr. James Policy, MD of Stanford University and Robert Jensen, CPO, on the pilot program. The company tested the brace on 22 patients at Children's Hospital in Oakland, Calif. Patients responded positively to the brace across the board and reported high levels of wear and compliance, MarketWatch reported.
Idiopathic scoliosis first appears in children during the ages of 8-13. The condition currently affects almost 7 million Americans, with 90 percent of them being female.
The process of building a Bespoke brace includes fitting a prototype "check-socket" brace to the patient and gathering sizing data, which is then digitalized for 3D printing. 3DS uses high-temperature laser sintering to print the braces. The technology helps make the braces as comfortable, durable, and flexible as possible, CNET reported.
"All of our children want the Bespoke Brace," Policy said. "We had a small 3D printed scale model of the brace on my desk. Once the children saw this, they all wanted one. I've never seen children respond so positively to a brace. It was so cool that once they were fitted, many were showing the brace off to their friends.
"It will take data to convince the insurers and medical community the value of this technology, but common sense dictates that if the children like their braces and are more comfortable wearing the devices, we will see higher compliance and greater success. The early data from our pilot study appears to support this. The Bespoke Brace promises to be an important advancement for these children."
3DS is known for building 3D-printed products for people with medical conditions, such as a 3D-printed exoskeleton introduced earlier this year that helped a woman who was paralyzed over 20 years ago in a skiing accident learn to walk again. Summit also developed several 3D-printed prosthetics for people with missing limbs, CNET reported.
Summit said the company is looking to make different designs and patterns for Bespoke braces for kids and young adults.
