Plymouth’s Materialise Launches Platform to Improve Shoulder Operations

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Belgium-based Materialise NV, whose North American headquarters are in Plymouth, today launched a platform to assist surgeons in preparing for shoulder arthroplasty surgery using patient-specific 3-D surgical guides allowing for more precise procedure to increase success during operation.

“Because of the measurement, viewing, and implant positioning features of the system, surgeons can make better-informed decisions before surgery,” says Wilfried Vancraen, founder and CEO of Materialise.

The launch was in collaboration with DePuy Synthes of Massachusetts, which will distribute the platform in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.

Vancraen says 3-D planning is gaining popularity with orthopaedic surgeons performing shoulder operations and this expanded collaboration with other companies will empower even more orthopaedic surgeons to discover the benefits of online planning and 3-D-printed, patient-specific surgical guides.

He says the platform will allow surgeons to decide whether it is necessary to execute the operation with personalized guides if they believe conventional instruments or standard guides are less appropriate for specific patients. The system allows surgeons to order 3-D printed shoulder guides through the platform.

Materialise has been working in 3-D printing for nearly 30 years and offers software solutions and 3-D printing services. The company, which is based in Belgium, has worked in industries including health care, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods.