Upper Limbs Orthoses Production in 3D Printing Points-of-Care

The use of 3D printing technology in points-of-care (3DP POCs), i.e. localizing manufacturing in medical centers or hospitals, enables a more efficient response to the on-demand production of customized anatomical models, surgical guides and instruments, orthoses, prostheses or personal protective equipment. This article discusses the application of this concept to the manufacturing of upper limbs 3D-printed orthoses. The requirements of such an implementation are analyzed from different perspectives related to their development workflow, hardware and software infrastructure, staff knowledge, and quality assurance. The current approaches for 3D modeling the orthoses are focused on finding solutions to semi-automate or automate the design process so that to ensure less dependence on engineering skills and dedicated software. By embedding medical and engineering knowledge in an easily customizable orthosis 3D model based on patient-specific anatomical data, not only that time is saved, but also the process becomes scalable and it can provide compliance with the medical quality assurance procedures.