3D Printing Could Expand Options for Personalized Cardiovascular Devices

Cardiovascular devices are used to diagnose or treat conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. Depending on the condition, patients may need devices that support blood flow, repair structural abnormalities or assist clinicians during cardiovascular procedures. Designing devices for individual anatomy can be challenging because patients differ in vessel dimensions, structural abnormalities and clinical needs.

The newly reported manufacturing approach uses 3D printing to expand the possibilities for producing personalized cardiovascular devices. In principle, this kind of manufacturing can help researchers develop complex shapes and patient-specific designs that may be difficult to create using conventional methods.

However, a manufacturing advance does not automatically establish that a device is safe or effective in patients. Each device must undergo appropriate mechanical testing, biocompatibility assessment, clinical evaluation and regulatory review before routine medical use. Researchers also need to determine whether personalized manufacturing can be performed consistently and cost-effectively.

The development is promising for medical-device engineering, but it should not be described as a new approved treatment unless the relevant device has completed the required evaluation.