A VCA veterinary hospital in Clackamas, Oregon, has opened a 3D printing lab to provide customized solutions for pets undergoing orthopedic procedures for conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia and angular limb deformities.
According to VCA, the technology helps veterinarians better understand each patient’s anatomy.
“With 3D printing, we can prepare more thoroughly for surgeries, increase our surgical precision and improve outcomes while minimizing unnecessary risks,” said Dr. Jose Carvajal, a surgery specialist at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists.
The technology’s benefits include:
- The ability for surgical teams to conduct simulated surgeries before procedures.
- Tailored implants for each patient, ensuring a perfect fit and optimized functionality.
- Customized solutions that facilitate faster healing and better long-term outcomes.
Before 3D printing, many pets with complicated cases had suboptimal outcomes, VCA reported.
“[In complex cases], you need to understand the 3D anatomy of the bone, which you cannot get with X-rays,” Dr. Carvajal said. “To achieve this, we perform a CT scan, create 3D virtual models and then print those models that are a perfect copy of the pet’s anatomy.
VCA’s chief medical officer, Dr. Marie Kerl, noted: “Dogs and cats come in all shapes and sizes, and their bones do as well — a golden retriever’s femur is very different, for example, than that of a French bulldog. So, to be able to provide this level of individualization to the pet care experience is truly innovative.
“Our new 3D printing lab will provide our surgeons with an exact model, which will aid in surgical planning and improve outcomes, delivering on our purpose to provide pet owners with personalized care solutions to enhance the lives of their pets.