LimaCorporate and NYC hospital to open new facility for 3D printed orthopaedic implants
The Italian implant specialist is teaming up with the top orthopaedic hospital in the U.S., Hospital for Special Surgery
LimaCorporate, an Italian multinational specialized in orthopaedics, is partnering with the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), one of the top orthopaedic hospitals in the U.S., to establish the first additive manufacturing facility for custom implants in a hospital environment. By founding the AM facility, the partners hope to improve the availability and accessibility of personalized orthopaedic care within the U.S.
The collaboration between Lima and HSS is not unprecedented, as the NYC-based hospital has ordered patient specific implants from the Italian company’s headquarters since 2016. These implants, part of Lima’s proprietary Trabecular Titanium offering, have been used in recent years to treat highly complex orthopaedic cases.
The new facility will be located on HSS’ main campus in the Upper East Side in New York. By instituting a dedicated AM facility within the hospital setting, the wait times for producing and shipping custom implants will be reduced, facilitating treatment processes for medical professionals and ultimately improving care for patients.
The AM centre at HSS will be operated by Lima and will combine the company’s advanced manufacturing technologies with the hospital’s expertise in clinical care and bio-mechanical engineering. The partners will also aim to develop new and innovative medical products to improve treatment solutions for complex orthopaedic joint care across the country.
“The close integration between surgeons and engineers is invaluable for designing and refining joint replacements and identifying new solutions for the most complex patient cases,” commented Leonard Achan, RN, MA, ANP, Chief Innovation Officer at HSS.
Luigi Ferrari, CEO of LimaCorporate, echoed this enthusiasm, saying: “We are proud to be the first company to bring 3D printing of implants directly to a hospital organization, where the collaboration between top ranked surgeons and engineers can drive innovation and easier access to patients in the US. This is what defines Lima. A company that has in the past, and will continue in the future, strive to transform orthopaedics by challenging the status quo.”
The new facility based at HSS is expected to be operational by early 2020. When it opens, it will primarily serve hospitals in the region with the production of custom orthopaedic implants, though it will eventually manufacturing devices for providers across the U.S. as it ramps up its operations. All implants and medical devices produced at the new facility will be registered under LimaCorporate.
With over a decade of experience in developing and manufacturing 3D printed implants, Lima is an important player in the medical AM sector. In fact, the company was involved in the production and implantation of the first ever 3D printed hip over 10 years ago.
