Researchers reveal 3D printed airway splints for infants

As 3-D printing picks up steam within the industry, U.S. researchers have harnessed the technology to develop a device that treats infants with a life-threatening airway condition and changes shape as children age.

Doctors at the University of Michigan created a 3-D printed airway splint that helps babies suffering from tracheobronchomalacia, a condition that causes tiny airways near the lungs to collapse. Researchers implanted the customized devices in three children between the ages of 3 months and 16 months as part of a pilot study, and all three infants--who were previously on full-time ventilators--rapidly recovered after being outfitted with the splint. The scientists published their findings Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine.

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