A 3D-printed cast for fractured bones that is lightweight, washable and thin enough to fit under a shirt sleeve has been designed.
The prototype developed by Jake Evill, who recently graduated from the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, could replace the traditional bulky, itchy and smelly plaster or fibreglass casts.
The new cortex cast utilises the X-ray and 3D scan of a patient with a fracture and generates a 3D model in relation to the point of fracture.
The polyamide pieces would be printed on-site and clip into place with fastenings that can't be undone until the healing process is complete, when they would be taken off with tools at the hospital as normal.
Unlike current casts, the materials could then be recycled, 'Dezeen' magazine reported.
"At the moment, 3D printing of the cast takes around three hours whereas a plaster cast is three to nine minutes, but requires 24-72 hours to be fully set," Evill said.
"With the improvement of 3D printing, we could see a big reduction in the time it takes to print in the future," he said.
