The world of 3D printing is no stranger to the medical field. Our 3D printing company in Seattle has already shared several stories about 3D printed items playing a significant role in plotting delicate surgeries and replacing damaged structures in the body. For the most part, the application of the 3D printed products in the medical office has been a largely passive one, but a group in UC San Diego has been making great strides in producing a functional, liver-like device with their 3D printer.
This new device is meant to serve as an external blood-filtering system, much like the common dialysis machines that doctors currently use to treat patients suffering from liver failure. Though it is still in its early stages, it is showing a lot of potential to be a great step up from its predecessors. A problem that arises with traditional dialysis is that the nanoparticles used to filter toxins from the blood can sometimes begin to gather in the patient’s liver, themselves turning into a toxin that can cause secondary liver failure. The UC San Diego team is addressing this problem by printing out a hydrogel matrix that holds the nanoparticles in place.
With any luck, this new filter could forever change the way dialysis is conducted, and represent another leap forward for the world of 3D printing.
