Researchers at St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, have used 3D printing to treat a condition that can cause respiratory problems and sleep disorders. In a clinical study, the team used 3D printing to develop a biocompatible splint that could be inserted into the nose and help correct a deviated septum.

Deviated nasal septum occurs when the central cartilage, located vertically in the middle of the human nose and divides the nostrils into two, is bent slightly in one direction. The condition can cause nasal obstruction or sleep disorder.

The team led by Professors Kim Sung-won and Kim Do-hyun of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the hospital treated 20 patients with nasal septal deformity who portrayed modification of their nose with their new nasal septum correction surgery. Professor Hwang Sea-hwan of the Catholic College of Korea Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital also joined the team during the operation.

A graphic depicting deviated nasal septum. Image via St. Louis Sinus Center.

After adjusting the patient’s nasal septum through surgery, the team manufactured a splint to insert in the tip of the patient’s nose using a 3D printer to hold the artificial implant in place. Through the curse of their study, the researchers made a product that had similar characteristics to those of actual cartilage using polycaprolactone (PCL) material.

When put into practice, the PCL splints contributed to a significant improvement in the nasal airway test, performed through a computer tomography scan. This means better airflow in the nose of the patients, leading to easier breathing. The team also reported an improvement in the angle of the nasal septum, with the central cartilage appearing straighter, and no reported complications after the operation was complete.

Source 3printing.com
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